Mercedes V8 diesel truck engine- blown head gasket

tiny15, Apr 18, 9:23pm
this is the engine with 8 separate heads, I'm pretty sure a head gasket is blown & have compression in the radiator, whats the easiest method to figure out which cylinder head I should remove?
sterid01, Apr 18, 9:26pm
compression test may show it .
poppajn, Apr 18, 9:33pm
All the V8's have separate head's, they have a few bad habit's, like breaking headstud's, dropping valve inserts, maybe a 2233.
tony9, Apr 18, 9:49pm
Disconnect injectors one by one when idling. The one that makes no difference has no compression.
blue35, Apr 18, 9:56pm
injectors out and fill radiator( maybe slightly pressurise), turn engine over slowly, water should come out of suspect cylinder injector hole.
mechnificent, Apr 18, 10:20pm
If you have to ask, you shouldn't try fixing the head gasket yourself.
tiny15, Apr 18, 10:28pm
thanks 'mr helpful'
mechnificent, Apr 18, 10:41pm
Seriously. you could do some damage or get hurt.
mechnificent, Apr 18, 10:45pm
Find a mate that can come and give you a hand, learn how to do it. Done properly and with all the myrid of checks and ascertainments we mechanics do as we work, it will probably be a good job. One small oversight in disassembly, inspection, diagnosis and assembly. and it will all be a waste of time, effort and money, and could ruin a saveable engine and hence probably whole truck.

You need experience to do that job.
johotech, Apr 18, 11:00pm
"ascertainments " ? You can't be a mechanic.
mechnificent, Apr 18, 11:03pm
Why ? Bad spelling ?
mechnificent, Apr 18, 11:06pm
Ya reckon real mechanics don't have to ascertain the cause and effects.
They just need to rip it apart and throw it together again.
tiny15, Apr 18, 11:56pm
I thought there may have been visible evidence of mositure after removing the exhaust manifolds (these need to be removed anyway to get the heads off) this is a 280hp engine in a concrete pump on contract work. the contract is worth a lot more to me than the engine. This engine was re built by some "professional mechanics" 12 months ago. but they turned it into a dogs breakfast anyway. its been a pain in the arse ever since.
strobo, Mar 5, 1:02pm
Rebuilt or reconditioned?what type of head gaskets were used? why not take it back to them for answers and what do they say?How did they turn it into a dogs breakfast?What happened? How many different operators been in the drivers seat? has it been cooked with overheating since the rebuild? blown hose or other.Moisture may not neccessarily be present in the ports as coolant can dissipate within combustion usually leaving a tell tell smoke trail !