3rd head gasket in 8 months?!

[LoneWolf]

hi guys,

           compression test says ive got another gasket gone, that makes it 3 in less than a year

 im running an AAZ with a T2, not running high boost.

  this is the last time im going to strip and rebuild the car, so i want to make sure i do it to the best standard

  im going for studs, another steel gaskett, new tappets and a good cleaning down.

 the head will get pressure tested and skimmed to make doubly sure its 100% ready to go


 Is there anything else anyone can think of that i may have missed?

[theman53]

Check the block?
Maybe there is a spot on the block surface that is making it go. Especially if it is in the same spot over and over. That should be the only thing that can make it bad would be the head surface or block surface.

[Smokey Eddy]

as you lift the head this time immediately take pictures of both gasket surfaces, block and head. This will give a fairly good indication where it's leaking from and possible reasons. ie- a bur or warpage ect.

[Vincent Waldon]

           compression test says ive got another gasket gone, that makes it 3 in less than a year

Have you had low compression (ie a breach) in the same cylinder all three times?  Another thought... did you ever by chance do a compression test *after* the headgasket replacement?

[LoneWolf]

i didnt Vince no, but ill do one this time to double check.

 now, i turned my fueling right down and drove really gently, and drove for 30 miles with no overheating issues, didnt even get half way up the temp dial, do you think the problem could be the head lifting under boost?

[R.O.R-2.0]

i didnt Vince no, but ill do one this time to double check.

 now, i turned my fueling right down and drove really gently, and drove for 30 miles with no overheating issues, didnt even get half way up the temp dial, do you think the problem could be the head lifting under boost?

it takes lots of boost to lift the head, and at that point, you usually need a new block. least from my experiences.. and by lots of boost, it took me 35+ psi to lift the head off a 1.5 diesel, with the little head bolts... so scratch that as an option, cause you said you have low boost.

and i, too, want to know how you detected a blown hg from your compression test..

[Quantum TD]

Have you resurfaced the head at any point when you did these 3 gasket jobs? If you never did it, then you may simply need to have the head straightened and resurfaced. If you did it EACH time you replaced the gasket, then you may need a new head.