Help!

[Jamesandlizk]

Hi guys,
Help with my gu 99 rd28tdi.
Just wanted to let you know that I had it tested and it has a blown head gasket. Possible head.
Just wanted to ask a couple of questions.
Is the head made of cast iron? The bloke told me that these cannot be welded and machined but instead need to be replaced with a brand new head (he wants to charge me $3500 to do it inc parts excluding incedentles ie oil, filters belts hoses.)
But recomended I get the engine full reco at $6k(using my own engine).
Any advice, my mrs is 6weeks from having our 4th kid and I just sunk the last of my $$$ into this car which has now died.
cheers

[threedogs]

Would it be cheaper to get another 2nd hand motor and put that in until after the coming event.
If you have the room you could trick up the old engine in your own time.

[MudRunnerTD]

Damn sorry bud. That is bad luck. Why is the guy suggesting that you need a full engine reco done?? Seems a little excessive to me?

Worth getting another quote for the head job although it cost my dad about that to do the head on his 80tojo.

Consider sourcing a reco head rather than a new job too for a decent saving I recon?? Granted if yours is cracked it's a throw away but not all are and you should be able to source a reco I recon??

Good luck mate

[Jamesandlizk]

Damn sorry bud. That is bad luck. Why is the guy suggesting that you need a full engine reco done?? Seems a little excessive to me?

Worth getting another quote for the head job although it cost my dad about that to do the head on his 80tojo.

Consider sourcing a reco head rather than a new job too for a decent saving I recon?? Granted if yours is cracked it's a throw away but not all are and you should be able to source a reco I recon??

Good luck mate

Hey bud,
He spoke with my mrs and explained that it is blowing blue smoke (which it wasn't doing before) and if we only get the head done he thinks that we will be disappointed with the outcome. $3500 for the head to be done seems like a lot. When he first spoke with the mrs he told her a new head would run $1100, now it's up to $3500.
Thinking about getting the part and just doing the whole thing myself

[Steve4wdin]

Can they not do an exchange head??? I reckon $1500 plus parts and labour. Or as Threedogs sugested, an exchange engine maybe go 3lt. Thats my 2 bobs wirth

[Jamesandlizk]

Would it be cheaper to get another 2nd hand motor and put that in until after the coming event.
If you have the room you could trick up the old engine in your own time.

I haven't seen one for a decent price. Called pick and Payless at Blacktown who said its $6k for a second hand one, not a rec one.
That is the only second hand one I've found the rest are all reco.
Any ideas on where to pick one up in Sydney?

[Jamesandlizk]

Can they not do an exchange head??? I reckon $1500 plus parts and labour. Or as Threedogs sugested, an exchange engine maybe go 3lt. Thats my 2 bobs wirth

All the prices quoted are either exchange prices or using my original parts (the reco engine will be my engine reco).

Is it big work to upgrade to 3lt?

[threedogs]

IMO I dont trust rattle gun specials, doing the work yourself will certainly save you some bucks

[Steve4wdin]

Try ringing Berima Diesel. They have a good rep. Don`t go to western diesel at wetherill park they are theifs
Oh and by the way, congrats for the family mate, hope all goes well

[happygu]

Hi James,

I wouldn't be looking at changing the motor to anything else but the same 2.8 that you have already.

Anything else is going to cost more than you have already been quoted, and if dollars are tight, it doesn't make any sense.

To go to a 3L Patrol, you would end up having to change heaps of bits, and then you would still want to make sure that you pick up one of the later 2005 -2006 motors, and not just any 3L, or even the CRD.Probably cost in the vicinity of $15K with the motor, gearbox, computer, wiring, radiator, etc

Worst case with the 2.8 you have full rebuild is 6K.

If you get your mechanic to do the head, $3.5K, but maybe try to ask for a better deal, or if you are on really good terms, he may let you do some bits yourself to savea bit.

Best case is that you search around - others have mentioned picking up new genuine heads for the 2.8 for $1K, and if you and a couple of mates are handy, you can get away with the repair for less than $1.5K with new gaskets and head bolts, etc, and you are back on the road.

Mic