Head gasket ID? and HG performance?

[jackbombay]

So my 2.0 Audi TD has a bad headgasket and there are no notches in the edge of the gasket for Identification. At this point I have to pull the head and measure the piston height to fiure the correct head gasket, right?

  What else should I do when the head is off? I have some new valve stem seals that I will put in for starters. What about aftermarket head bolts? I would like to bump up the boost and add an intercooler eventually, stock the car runs 10 PSI, from the reading I have done here it seems like high teen to 20 PSI is relativley safe.

   Thanks.

[jackbombay]

A shop here in Portland can get the gasket here on monday if I call them on saturday, it is OEM for $50, online I have found it for $37 ,but with shipping it will be back up to $50 and a wek out. Is there any other gasket source I should consider?

[racer_x]

I've never seen a diesel gasket that wasn't marked with either notches or holes. But if your's has no identifying marks, then measuring the piston height is the way to figure out which gasket you need.

Somebody (maybe RaceWare) makes 12mm head studs for the VW and Audi diesels. Check http://www.raceware-fasteners.com/prod01.htm for information.

New valve guide seals is a good thing to do while you have it that far apart.

Also, port matching the intake ports to the intake gasket and the intake manifold runners to the intake gasket is also a good thing to do, and you'll have the parts apart so it won't be any extra labor taking it apart and putting it back together. Polishing all the ports (intake and exhaust) and the combustion chamber surfaces to a mirror smooth finish also gives a small gain. It's not worth tearing the engine apart just to do the polishing, but if you have the parts out and on the bench, it's worth doing.

[jackbombay]

First the parts store said that there was 2 possible gaskets 2 and 3 notch, but when I called back I got a different guy and he said that there was just the 3 notch that fits my engine, the bently really makes it seem like this motor has a 3 notch no matter what. I'll get it pulled apart tommorow and measure to make sure.

  Thoes raceware fasteners are kinda pricey, I was hoping for $100 or under on thoes. I'll look into the ARP stuff alittle more.

[jackbombay]

So how would I go about removing the valve springs without buying the VW special tools?

  I could make something out of 2X4s, some all thread and a bit of metal pipe I think that could compress the springs for dissasembly, but that would be fairly time consuming. What are the options here?

[srivett]

I hear people use their drill press to push on the springs with a ground out socket.  I think you'd need two people or a lot of patience to do it that way.  To get the valve keepers out the first time you can lay the head down on a pile of towels and hit a socket sitting on the spring washers.  Again, I've never done this but it is a common practice.

Steve

[racer_x]

So how would I go about removing the valve springs without buying the VW special tools?

Check http://www.pureluckdesign.com/vw/vsc/index.htm for some ideas.