ENGINE REBUILDERS PTY LTD
7 BARRETT STREET, FLEMINGTON VIC 3031,
TEL: (03) 9372 3111, FAX: (03) 9372 3122
ACN: 006 798 492 ABN: 74 006 798 492
NEWSLETTER FOR THE MECHANIC. June 2001
Failure of a reconditioned head or engine during the warranty period is stressful on all involved so I have prepared this Newsletter to share our recent experiences.
PROBLEM I,
We reconditioned a Toyota 1HDT diesel engine after an interstate repairer had rebored the engine but the rebore led to oil consumption from faulty honing. An insurance company paid the bill. But within two weeks of our work the engine was overheating.
The head came off to find a leaking head gasket, stretched head bolts, and a radiator cap that wouldn’t hold any pressure at all. With confidence, the head was resurfaced and installed with new head bolts and a new radiator cap.
Some weeks later, the vehicle is in interstate and discharging coolant into the overflow bottle again. This time I queried for more detail and found that the car ran fine around the city but after 150kms of highway speeds the coolant problem occurs. When topped up, the car runs another 150kms until it again discharges coolant.
The head came off again and again we find the leaking head gasket. Head bolts were ok. The fuel pump timing was found to be retarded at 1.18mm instead of 1.32mm so this was corrected. [retarded timing causes high exhaust temperatures, and will lift the exhaust side of the head off a head gasket]. But it wasn’t until another radiator repairer tested the radiator that we found the real cause.
CAUSE:
This radiator was ten years old, had been repaired at the time our reconditioned englne was installed and now had a minor leak that evaporated whilst driving around the city, but led to coolant loss, and then head gasket failure, out on the highway.
CURE:
The new radiator was recommended to our client by the radiator repairer but a decision was made not to accept the advice. Our radiator repairer was very clear to us with the owner present, this radiator normally lasts 4 to7 years. It was now ten years old. The owner didn’t hesitate to pay the $440.00 for a new radiator with an extra row.