Clouds of smoke...

[konadog]

Back in the cockpit after the big refit. Happy day! :)
On budget and ahead of schedule.
-new head
-new timing belt & tensioners
-new drive belts
-new water pump
-new radiator / fresh coolant
-new glow plugs
-a bunch of new seals
-Just a few dollars under 3 grand, after taxes.
-Knowing the good people at CCA did the work- Priceless.

[Rattlenbang]

Very good price.

[konadog]

Very good price.

Good workmanship and customer service too....

[FalcoColumbarius]

Happy day!

[joebillhill]

Well it seems like it's happened to me as well...though unfortunately I am away from the expertise of the North. I have what I'm 99% sure is a blown head gasket (intermittent white, sweet smelling exhaust) and I'm down in South Carolina of all places.
My question is Konadog and anyone else who's had the experience: how many kms were on your bus when this happened and did that have any influence on what work you had done along with getting the gasket replaced or was it just one of those deals where you might as well replace stuff while the engine is in pieces?
Thanks,
Joe

[Rattlenbang]

Unless they are recent do both timing belts and idlers, water pump, and replace head. You can get smoking good deals on complete heads with gaskets out of the UK. Mine went at about 150k. Most times it's the head not the gasket.

[joebillhill]

Gotcha. Thanks Rattlenbang. It's in the shop now so I suppose I'll start pre ordering some parts for them to put in.

[konadog]

200,000 kms pretty much on mine when the head cracked. The guys at CCA told me it's more or less when, not if it happens. Replace the water pump, T-belt, tensioner and fan clutch while doing the head. Good luck with you fix!

[joebillhill]

Thanks, I've hopefully got a co-worker who knows his way around a diesel down here on board to help me do it myself which would be a break on the ol checkbook and, more importantly for me, a way to get my hands dirty on a large repair and maintenance job.

So I've been looking at parts to grab i.e. belts, tensioners, and thermostat from the wiki and its seems easy enough to pick up from a local napa or lordco shop. (it seems like there are slight differences between early and late model l300's after 93' though so is there anything that I should know about there? Also if anyone has information on a water pump that would fit i would be all ears

[Rattlenbang]

Plan on 2 full days with two guys. it's a surprising amount of work, even if you know your way around an engine. Access just isn't prime on these things and everything takes a long time even though it's a small engine.

[FalcoColumbarius]

Just as a quick reference to what is done by a Japanese mechanic for a head rebuild:



Falco.

[joebillhill]

Awesome video Falco. Definitely one of the more complicated daily use items that we just take for granted.