1.6L NA - worth rebuilding?

[hipifreq]

Just purchased a 1.6 na that came out of an '82 Vanagon. $200USD for the head, block (sans Vanagon specific attachments), and the pump. I'm hoping to get this thing together to put into my '80 Dasher fastback, which lost a timing belt (see post in IDI forum, nive pic of a busted camshaft). Got it all apart, and now I've got some questions:

Does anything in the following pictures say that I shouldn't rebuild this thing without boring the cylinders and putting in new oversize pistons? Mind you, I haven't brought the block and head to the machine shop to get checked and worked on. That's probably tomorrow afternoon.

If the block needs tons of work, can I clean up the head and put it onto my 1.5 block using my 1.5 pump and injectors? What about that plugged passage in the final photo?

Anything I should photograph besides these pics to help with a diagnosis? Things I should be looking for? Thanks for the help!

Here's a shot of the front of piston 1. Is this scratching OK? I couldn't find anything like it in the bore, which FEELS smooth, but I couldn't see the cross-hatching. Rings floated free in all 4 pistons.


And how about the wearing just above the rings?


All of the piston tops seem to have been hit by the intake valves, and show this circular mark on them (#3 is the worst, none of the others have this pitting):


But the valves don't show any sign of hitting the pistons:

[burn_your_money]

Where is the plugged passage?

It's hard to say about the head, it's too dirty to notice if there are any cracks in it other then between the valves

[hipifreq]

The plugged passage is between cylinders 3 and 4 on the injector side. Lower right of the above image. There's a similar plug in the block for that passage too.

[burn_your_money]

that's weird, that's a hydro engine converted to mechanical. I would venture to guess that someone didn't know what they were doing

[Quantum TD]

Mmm. That scoring on the # 1 piston looks like piston slap. Basically, the cylinder bore is too big for the piston and/or the rings get worn to the point that they allow freeplay,  so the piston grinds up against the cylinder. It's not the end of the world, but you will need to mic the pistons and the bores to see if it's within the wear limit.

I just made the mistake of re-ringing a bottom end with all 4 pistons that looked like that. I honed and reinstalled without measuring the pistons and bores. Now the thing sounds like a freight train on crack. I'm gonna have to pull it all apart and start from scratch.

[hipifreq]

Hmm... Hydro converted to mechanical. So would that mean it's a hydro block with a mechanical head? I don't like the sound of "someone didn't know what they were doing." I wouldn't put it past someone to try a project, F-it-up pretty bad, and try to dump the resulting damaged goods off on me.

I'm just able enough to make myself dangerous! :twisted:

As for the pistons/cylinders, I'll bring the pistons in with the block to get it all checked them out.

[burn_your_money]

So would that mean it's a hydro block with a mechanical head?

Other way around. You probably have a mechanical block and they could only find a hydro head so they blocked the extra passage which is common practice

[jtanguay]

might want to install the larger oil pump though...

[hipifreq]

Well, got the news from the machine shop on that 1.6 n/a. The block is tapered, and needs boring to +.20. So the question about the pistons being OK is moot.

The head checks out though. I'm having it surfaces and the valves ground, then I'll install it on my 1.5 block until I can get the 1.6 block bored and put together.