Author Topic: 90 jetta diesel - engine rebuild ? (Read 4670 times)

Centurion · « **on:** April 20, 2005, 12:04:53 pm »

anyone pulled off the transmission - and dropped the engine a little to do an "in frame engine rebuild"

I need to do a cheap rebuild - drop crank - pull the pistons and hone them - replace the rings and put it back together with new seals and head gasket.

The engine was suppose to be a rebuild from 24 months ago - but it is really weak! - smokes on small hills - and creates enviromental alerts when I get in the throttle much.

Thanks - Both of my cars will need this - I need to get a year or two more out of my steeds.

Thank you. Centurion

Dr. Diesel · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2005, 09:48:28 pm »

are you sure it's an internal engine problem?

Centurion · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2005, 08:35:48 am »

Thanks for the notes Dr. D -

see the mileage on them - one is original engine - it would be out of square by a lot - but the other engine was suppose to have had new pistons, it should have seen the engine shop.

I suspect that it was a fly by night rebuild. I just need to change enough to get it to hold together for another year or two.

Down in this neck of the woods - you get low end mechanics! - good ones are rare! - Diesel are like hen's teeth.

Centurion

Dr. Diesel · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2005, 05:35:18 pm »

i guess all i'm saying is that it might be worth doing a compression and/or leakdown test to be 100% sure that it's an internal problem, and not an injection problem. Maybe you'd find that it's got a bad valve or something, and get away with simply swapping or rebuilding the head.

fillmore · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2005, 07:33:57 pm »

hey Centurion, i just did a little tear down myself last weekend on my 89 diesel golf and it took about 20 hours give or take because i had to be very careful with the timing. if you just want to replace your rings the crank does not need to come out. i didnt bother taking mine out, i just took the head off took each piston out individually, with removal, old rings taken off, cleaned up, new rings put on, and a honeing it took about 45mins per cylainder. so i did those, new oil pan, head, and valve cover gaskets, and new valve seals and obviously new head bolts. it cost me 160 bucks for all the parts in total and took an entire saterday and half a sunday to complete oh and i was lent some tools to make it eaiser like a ring compressor, honer and good tourque wrench. but it was worth it because she runs like a dream now.

Centurion · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2005, 10:28:00 am »

Thanks Fillmore - I have to check both cranks - one because of 600,000km and the other because I was told it was rebuilt 12 months before - I hear rattles -

and having worked on engines since the hemi's of 68 - I don't like rattles - unless I know from whence they come.

Cheers C