Coolant running out of new head gasket
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From: NJ
Coolant running out of new head gasket
We just installed 2 new head gaskets during an engine rebuild. While filling the coolant today through the overflow reservoir in hopes of starting the engine, we noticed that the coolant was dripping on the ground. Upon closer examination it appears that the coolant is running out of the driver's side head on the intake side. It appears that the head gasket is not working correctly. The coolant is running out at the rate of 1 gallon per minute – and that is with the engine not running! Has anyone experienced this problem before? All parts are OEM Jaguar parts. I do not understand how a head gasket could fail to the point of letting water flow out when the engine is not running. We were super careful while installing the head gaskets. Any suggestions or input? Not looking to taking the head off - too much work!
The car is a 2008 XK8 with 43K miles. The engine rebuild was due to a camshaft that spun due to lack of lubrication. The prior owner (original owner) never changed the oil and everything was sludge inside the engine. We now have everything clean and ready to go - except the coolant leak.
Thanks.
The car is a 2008 XK8 with 43K miles. The engine rebuild was due to a camshaft that spun due to lack of lubrication. The prior owner (original owner) never changed the oil and everything was sludge inside the engine. We now have everything clean and ready to go - except the coolant leak.
Thanks.
Last edited by kdross; Oct 9, 2010 at 03:38 PM.
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From: Chesapeake Bay area, Virginia
For coolant to leak tht fast, the gasket may be on wrong or the wrong one. You will need to pull the head no matter what. Match up the gasket with the head to see if all matches. Look for damage around the coolant passages as well and check the head and block for flatness with a critical straightedge and feeler guage.
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Bad news indeed that the heads have to come off, but with a little bit of luck it might just be a wrong gasket.
iirc there are 2 main different blocks, the late 2008 (stype maybe but cetainly the RR as from what I have seen), don't have a coolant passage (half-moon shape) above the upper 5 head bolts. If you have a head gasket for these newer blocks, then they will not fit right on the older ones and will indeed leak.
Below a picture of new type gasket above an older one, look at the top bolt hole and you will see what I mean.
iirc there are 2 main different blocks, the late 2008 (stype maybe but cetainly the RR as from what I have seen), don't have a coolant passage (half-moon shape) above the upper 5 head bolts. If you have a head gasket for these newer blocks, then they will not fit right on the older ones and will indeed leak.
Below a picture of new type gasket above an older one, look at the top bolt hole and you will see what I mean.
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We replaced the head where the cam shaft spun. We used a head from another low mileage engine. As far was we can tell, there is no warpage or defects with the head. When we put the gasket on, we did check to verify it was the correct gasket and that it was installed corrected. We purchased the OEM Jaguar metal (copper?) head gaskets. We also cleaned the edges of the head and block with brakeclean prior to installation to verify the the metal was clean and there would be a good seal with the gasket.
Should I purchase new head bolts, or can I resue the old ones. This will be the third time they are being torqued.
Thanks.
Should I purchase new head bolts, or can I resue the old ones. This will be the third time they are being torqued.
Thanks.
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
I am not a mechanic, and I have never played one on TV, or on the internet, but, perhaps the head you used from the other engine is not the right one for this particular engine. This is the first time that I heard you mention that you were using a head taken from another engine.
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From: NJ
Here is the link about replacing the head. The head we purchased is suppose to be an exact match.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...highlight=head
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...highlight=head
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The head gasket was defective. It was missing a tab that goes around the hole where the head bolt goes in near the knock sensor. Make sure if you order a head gasket that all the tabs are on the head gasket. We ordered an OEM Jaguar gasket. They must have made a bad batch of head gaskets. Just annoyed that we had to rip the head off again.
I purchased this car (2000 XK8 with 43K miles) from the original owner in April. He never changed the oil and the engine was full of sludge. The driver's side cam shaft locked up and spun due to lack of oil. We have been rebuilding the engine since April (cleaned the engine of all the sludge and installed a new head; updated all the tensioners and chains). I cannot believe how time consuming this engine is. It seems like it takes hours to complete even simple tasks. In addition, this engine appears to be very fragile and lacks the quality of the traditional Jaguar inline 6 cylinder engine from the earlier cars (X300 and earlier). I just hope that this V8 is able to last at least 100K miles.
I purchased this car (2000 XK8 with 43K miles) from the original owner in April. He never changed the oil and the engine was full of sludge. The driver's side cam shaft locked up and spun due to lack of oil. We have been rebuilding the engine since April (cleaned the engine of all the sludge and installed a new head; updated all the tensioners and chains). I cannot believe how time consuming this engine is. It seems like it takes hours to complete even simple tasks. In addition, this engine appears to be very fragile and lacks the quality of the traditional Jaguar inline 6 cylinder engine from the earlier cars (X300 and earlier). I just hope that this V8 is able to last at least 100K miles.
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The head gasket was defective. It was missing a tab that goes around the hole where the head bolt goes in near the knock sensor. Make sure if you order a head gasket that all the tabs are on the head gasket. We ordered an OEM Jaguar gasket. They must have made a bad batch of head gaskets. Just annoyed that we had to rip the head off again.
I purchased this car (2000 XK8 with 43K miles) from the original owner in April. He never changed the oil and the engine was full of sludge. The driver's side cam shaft locked up and spun due to lack of oil. We have been rebuilding the engine since April (cleaned the engine of all the sludge and installed a new head; updated all the tensioners and chains). I cannot believe how time consuming this engine is. It seems like it takes hours to complete even simple tasks. In addition, this engine appears to be very fragile and lacks the quality of the traditional Jaguar inline 6 cylinder engine from the earlier cars (X300 and earlier). I just hope that this V8 is able to last at least 100K miles.
I purchased this car (2000 XK8 with 43K miles) from the original owner in April. He never changed the oil and the engine was full of sludge. The driver's side cam shaft locked up and spun due to lack of oil. We have been rebuilding the engine since April (cleaned the engine of all the sludge and installed a new head; updated all the tensioners and chains). I cannot believe how time consuming this engine is. It seems like it takes hours to complete even simple tasks. In addition, this engine appears to be very fragile and lacks the quality of the traditional Jaguar inline 6 cylinder engine from the earlier cars (X300 and earlier). I just hope that this V8 is able to last at least 100K miles.
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Here is a pic of the defective head gasket (bottom) and the non-defective head gasket. Notice that the top center of the defective head gasket is missing the tab around the area where the head bolt goes in.
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Thanks for the picture. When looking carefully, it is not just the middle bolt, both the one on the left and right also are not right. These are just lips at which the 3 layers are clipped together, and do not provide the closing needed for the coolant channel.
I think this is the gasket for the 2008 and up engines which do not have a coolant opening around the bolts I was talking about. So either you have been supplied with the wrong partno, or worse, you got the right partno, but the wrong gasket in the package.
I think this is the gasket for the 2008 and up engines which do not have a coolant opening around the bolts I was talking about. So either you have been supplied with the wrong partno, or worse, you got the right partno, but the wrong gasket in the package.
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We are going to install the timing cover, valve covers and radiator tomorrow night and then hopefully start the car. This will be the first time we are starting the car since rebuilding the engine. Hopefully the engine is fine and will work properly. I have my fingers and toes crossed for good luck.
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The car started tonight! First time that I had the car running since I purchased it in April. Tomorrow I will take it for a drive and verify it works. Just happy that the motor is running. Will get the car detailed this week and then take the car home.
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