Lumpy and Rattly Idle

[wiltshireflyer]

I have a problem with a 2.4 Surf I have just aquired. The idle seems a little "lumpy". Its not missing as such but not as smooth as I would expect. When I collected it, I had to top up with at least three litres of coolant.

I am thinking possibly the head gasket has failed. The header tank and back of the coolant pressure cap seem quite gunky, and the header tank smells. The heater is also blowing cold and not getting hot at all. When idling the temp gauge seems to stay in the middle quite happily and doesnt creep up.

Can anyone point me to a head removal/replacement thread with torque settings etc so I can get cracking on pulling it off and getting it checked. Is there anyone local in Wiltshire who can be recomended for a head crack check?

Thanks in advance.

[BioHazard]

There are plenty of head removal and replacement threads here If you use the search ..... before you remove the head get the coolant checked for exhaust gasses as the 2.4 has a record of cracks in the head therefor requiring head replacement.

[Esilvester]

Can anyone point me to a head removal/replacement thread with torque settings etc so I can get cracking on pulling it off and getting it checked. Is there anyone local in Wiltshire who can be recomended for a head crack check?

I have just finished swapping the head on my surf and I used Roughtrax4x4 for all the parts. They are quite local to you (bristol) and may know someone near by.

[wiltshireflyer]

Well, ive got the head off and its the usual problem. It has hairline cracks between the valve ports. I will source a recon head and have already purchased a new crank pulley as I found this too had been previously butchered off! Ive spent out on a new rad, head set, new pipes for the rad, etc as well as new glow plugs and injectors.

Hopefully once its all back together it will run much better !