Trouble with 2.5DT - will not start

Well, before pulling the head at the very least do a compression test. That could save you a lot of time and hassle. Is the oil and coolant clean?

Getting diesel to the injector is half the battle, but I imagine it needs to be there at roughly the right time - could the timing have gone AWOL?

I think the DT is well known for buggering head gaskets though...

cam belt?

I dont think it is the cam belt, I'm sure I would hear strange noises if something was really messed up. The engine turns over very happily with the starter motor.

I don't see anything wrong with the engine oil and it hasn't lost any water. I actually replaced the head gasket about a year ago along with the "hot spots"...

try a sniff of easy start, if it fires, then the basic engine is fine, and you have a fuel problem. If it will not run on easy start, then you have a engine problem.

Since it's a weekend and I really need to get the car running before the end of next week I thought I would just pull the head straight away without doing a compression test since I don't have tester lying around.

To my surprise and actually some relief it was the head gasket that was blown between the two aftermost cylinders. I had imagined worse things...

I actually have a head gasket and a set of piston & rings and big end bearings already lying around that I have been planning on putting in for quite some time.

So the engine is in pieces now, the top and bottom off, and new things will go in tomorrow.

More of a question at the moment is why did the head gasket blow? The engine has not been overheating and has been running smoothly, although the mileage has been going up and some blowby has been occuring putting oil in the airfilter, which is why I was planning on renewing the piston and rings.

In connection to this I'm planning on taking the injectors for reconditioning and putting in a new time belt.

So hopefully I will make friends with the vehicle again... :)

Since the BMW engine has a timing chain, I'm pretty sure you'd have heard it snap too!

Richard

This engine has a reputation for blown head gaskets - what the cause it is open to debate.

'Course, the motoring press don't mention this very often, presumambly since BMW don't makes mistakes, do they? ;-)

Richard

I know this is a troubled engine and too my best knowledge it is because of the turbo which it is not designed for. N/A versions seem to have a better reputation. But aside from the blowby which is rather annoying since it fills the air filter with oil, the engine has been running rather well!

When I replaced the hot spots just over a year ago it was obvious that I would need to replace the pistons since small cracks were developing in the crown, something others have been reporting about this engine. The hotspots also looked awful and needed replacing right away.

What Iv'e read here on this newsgroup is that people have had both good and bad luck with the engine, but if they realize that it will sooner than later need new pistons, rings, hot spots and a head gasket, this can well be a beautiful and long lasting relationship! ;)

Change "BMW" for "Land Rover" and that sounds exactly the same as the old 2.5 4-cylinders............. word for word!

Richard

BMW engine in a 1988 90?

Im pretty sure my Land Rover has nothing to do with BMW! :)