Blown head gasket 2.8L

[Major Black]

Hey guys,
I have a GU with the RD28t motor. It seems i have blown the head gasket. Just wondering if its worth repairing and how much it will cost, or to put a recon motor in? Its done 300,000 km. I've also thought about converting to the 4.2. Just woundering if anyone has done this and what problems you had and wat u need other than the donk( eg. computer, wiring, does the gearbox match up).
Any help on this would be appriciated thanks.

[jace75]

good luck with this. i have a 2.8 also so will be watching this thread.

Mate i would have thought the 2.8 would be much cheaper to repair than a re power but i may be wrong.

hopefully its only a gasket how warm has it got?

[Major Black]

It didn't get to hot probly about 3/4 on the gauge at the most. It was running up and down a few needle widths for a while with the speed that i was doing( it was starting to rise at about the 110 kph mark). I put it down to the road and air temp it was realy hot out there. I pulled up for a couple hrs to see some family and it stayed cool all the way home.

[YNOT]

If the engine has been going strong and didn't get to hot (as mentioned above), you should be right to just get the cylinder head reconditioned and put it back on.

Converting to a TD42 can be done but you will need the bigger gearbox, RD28 has the small gearbox. Engine mount brackets on the chassis will need to be moved. Not sure about the computer side of things, it depends on the build date of your Patrol. If it was built before about 2002 then you should be right to fit a TD42T with a mechanical injector pump which does not require a computer.

Tony

[Major Black]

Any idea on wat it costs roughly to get a head checked and re conditioned? Thanks YNOT for the info about the 4.2.

[YNOT]

That depends how much work it needs. A basic surface grind and vacuum test should be about $3-400, but if it has cracks that need welding, pre combustion chambers, valves etc it could top $1500.

Tony

[Major Black]

Thanks been a great help.

[Major Black]

well it turned out to be a cracked head, it was between the valves, so sadly it was a new head which needed to be ordered! Cost us $2600.00 for a new one, with the local mechanic carrying out the overhaul & us removing & putting it back in the car. Am yet to take it out to give her a test run as there was a fault with the 1st injector so its gone back to the mechanic. If the right 4.2 comes along a change will be on the cards for sure!

[Bigrig]

well it turned out to be a cracked head, it was between the valves, so sadly it was a new head which needed to be ordered! Cost us $2600.00 for a new one, with the local mechanic carrying out the overhaul & us removing & putting it back in the car. Am yet to take it out to give her a test run as there was a fault with the 1st injector so its gone back to the mechanic. If the right 4.2 comes along a change will be on the cards for sure!

Keep hunting mate - they are out there, even if you need to get it from another state and drive/transport it back to you.

[Major Black]

Yeah we have seen a few on the net, it appears though that the ones here in QLD have a fair hefty price tag on them. One at the local wreckers & its just not worth the money on it! But one will come along & we look forward to the challenge of the conversion!