Rebuild it. If you sell it for something else, who's to say you won't have to soon do work on it? If you rebuild it, you know everything is good.
i agree... what if its just a valve that isn't seating properly? get the head professionally done or just buy one from www.dieselvw.com with new valves and lifters, and then buy new rings for the pistons. might not need to bore it out.
Ahh, they don't have 1.6TD heads for early Quantums
Prothe might actually have something that would work. call him or email him. Hes on this board and he is the dieselvw.com person.
I pulled the head today and got more specs, still thinking about a rebuild but it looks like it would require boring and oversize pistons or sleeves if thats an option. I'm thinking it isn't worth the trouble with the shape the rest of the motor/car is in and diesel cost is now cost/mpg equalized with regular unleaded.
The cylinders look decent and smooth visually but they are just a hare under their limits for wear (0.075, limit 0.080) and out of round (0.038, limit 0.04).
Anyone know how long new rings would last with the motor in this condition?
The valve seats all look pretty clean and it looks like they are closing all the way but I have never inspected valves before. Nothing like what I would expect a burnt or stuck valve to look like. A few of the exhaust valves are coked-up on their bottoms and when I scratch them it turns white. Any advice? Thanks,
--Chris
Pop the piston out that had the worst compression, I'd bet on broken rings. Cleaned up and re- ringed might get you a few more years. Cast rings won't last as long, bet they should conform to an out of round bore better.
Do you know if I can just drop the oil pan, unbolt the connecting rod and pop out the piston through the top with the motor in the car?
I assume that you are recommending I use the NA rings instead of the TD rings and not worry about reconditioning the cylinders correct? You don't have a part number or a source do you? It looks like ETKA lists the same part number for the NA and TD rings but I have heard there are different ones.
Maybe you could get total seal rings in a size slightly bigger to better seal. They had a couple different sizes that were close when I got my 1.mm oversize pistons. Or get them big and file to fit.