D24TIC Faulty oil cooler coil can appear to be head gasket problem?

[jor]

The thicknesses are 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 for the 1,2 and 3 notch gaskets. The ones supplied by volvo are 3 notch. The purpose of having different gaskets was to compensate for differing piston heights, so to use the 'correct' one you would have to be able to measure piston height.
If you have a read of the December posts on the tufts elist for the d24 you will find a chap who has had trouble after a rebuild. You can see the lengths he went to in order to get it done right from the pictures
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...o/102_2661.jpg)
but although it runs well once started it is difficult to start from cold, suspected to be low compression due to ... the valve job.
Anyway it may be worth your while having a read, or even asking for advice.
People have compensated for inability to get 1 and 2 notch steel gaskets by removing the bottom layer of the 4 that go to make it up.

jor

[volvo-express]

Originally Posted by jor

The thicknesses are 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 for the 1,2 and 3 notch gaskets. The ones supplied by volvo are 3 notch. The purpose of having different gaskets was to compensate for differing piston heights, so to use the 'correct' one you would have to be able to measure piston height.
If you have a read of the December posts on the tufts elist for the d24 you will find a chap who has had trouble after a rebuild. You can see the lengths he went to in order to get it done right from the pictures
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...o/102_2661.jpg)
but although it runs well once started it is difficult to start from cold, suspected to be low compression due to ... the valve job.
Anyway it may be worth your while having a read, or even asking for advice.
People have compensated for inability to get 1 and 2 notch steel gaskets by removing the bottom layer of the 4 that go to make it up.

jor

Jor,

Thanks for replying, I managed to get the head off the car today and i have a good idea where the oil was starting to mix with the coolant with the making on the gasket. The gasket that was on the car was a 3 notch so it is a volvo one.
When the guy at the garage seen the gasket he said that the head was skimmed 3 times hense the 3 notches - I was a bit deflated when he told me this. But what what you say about the notches, there maybe lots of life in it yet.

Is there a way i can get a micrometer to the head to see if the head has ever been skimmed - if so what is the orignal thickness of the head so i can compare.

Thanks volvo-express

[volvo-express]

I have been on the internet trying to find out about the SS gaskets and the part number but found confirmation of the notch sise's.

http://www.oldsouthoffroad.com/volvo/SB21-935-0296.pdf

[jor]

Does this mean that the hg needs to be replaced? I don't know how to tell if a head has been skimmed, but if it is plane rather than having it skimmed perhaps you could remove the bottom layer of the hg, i.e. skim the gasket rather than the head.
Looking forward to hearing how you get on.

jor

[volvo-express]

Originally Posted by jor

Does this mean that the hg needs to be replaced? I don't know how to tell if a head has been skimmed, but if it is plane rather than having it skimmed perhaps you could remove the bottom layer of the hg, i.e. skim the gasket rather than the head.
Looking forward to hearing how you get on.

jor

What prompted me to take off the head on the car was the oil in the coolent system, so yes the head gasket needs replacing. I dont think the car has cooked or boiled so the head should be ok. I think im lucky that i cought it early " i let the car run for 3 hrs ticking over and no issues" I will put a straight edge on it or bring it to machine shop verify the head been flat.

Im going to write to the 2 previous owners of the car to see if the car has had the head gasket ever replaced. I must say I feel a bit more confident to hear that the notches in the gasket is got to do with the piston height rather than the head beed skimmed 3 times so hopefull the previous owners will confirm no head issues.
I will update progress or the head rebuild.