(long) 81 Golf GTD 1.6td CY "Hydraulic" head conve

[fighting_First]

After endless hours and many threads regarding the hydraulic head conversion on a mechanical lifter CY block we completed the conversion.
This conversion was performed using a standard CY head gasket.

My question is to those of you who tinkered with this hydro conversion is simple, how many actually work?

Mine has not, after about 1 week the car seemed ok so we pushed the limit and found the car not worthy. Water Temp would rise after 80mph linear to the throttle input, no water issues other than the gauge going crazy. After about 90mph the engine would "run away" only after 90mph, let off and as the engine slowed the run away stopped, so I parked it.

Now the engine will start only with a pull, turning the key will only create clouds of grey smoke and a few kicks but no life. Give the car a pull slap it into 3rd and she runs fine. The engine will not start using starting fluid, normally spraying violent fuel into the air cleaner gets some response, nothing. Timing marks are all on key, no issues and were checked 3x.

History: 1.6td CY (Pre-Hydrohead)

Reman B-IDI Diesel Pump (timed)
Reman Garrett GT17/20 VNT Hybrid
Inj Nozzles NEW (either bosch or china bosch)
GlowPlugs (working)
Piston rings,
Crod pins
CRbearings
M-Bearings
 

Mechanical head was running fine although one of the inj. nozzle seats in the head cracked after many repairs not to mention the lifter shims were getting on my nerves. So we found a hydo head from a later model 1.6td filled the "oil hump" with silicone and slapped on the new hydro head
 
The donor hydro head was machined straight then reassembled in the same order it was torn down. The valve guides were left alone, the valves & seats were cleaned but no angular valve job was performed, everything looked good.

Did I miss the thread saying this conversion is a bad idea or is the compression low because I was to cheap to get a valve job? Possibly the wrong head gasket?

HELP

Thanks
Sean

[gigaz2]

so you put a hydraulic (oil pressure actuated) on a mechanical block without modifying the oil pump??

how is oil pressure on that setup? you do have a pressure gauge on that right?

[fighting_First]

maybe thats why its getting hot?

[fighting_First]

OK no lifter noise, should I pull the head or simply modify the pump?

Why the starting problem?

Thanks,
sean

[dillenger1]

so you put a hydraulic (oil pressure actuated) on a mechanical block without modifying the oil pump??

how is oil pressure on that setup? you do have a pressure gauge on that right?

Ive got a86 hydo motor and it had the smaller oil pump(used to anyways)

[fighting_First]

bigger, how to go bigger is my question?

[fighting_First]

dipstick base?

[fighting_First]

any ideas why the car wont start hot or cold but a tow jump seems to work?

How exact does the timing mark need to be? I always use the same marks
as the mechanical head, it always started. Are the hydro heads picky when it comes to timing.

Huge help, thanks again

Sean

[burn_your_money]

any ideas why the car wont start hot or cold but a tow jump seems to work?

electrical problem in the staring circuit. Either bad battery, bad starter, bad connections or bad wires. Or a combo of the above. Do a voltage drop test to try and isloate the problem

[fighting_First]

of the injector tops when loose, battery is helped with a charger still no help.

The wiring of the car hasnt changed since the head swap, the starting problem came after the head swap.

There is a weak hot wire that I will replace now that you mention it.

Starting problem came before the "runaway" I believe the runaway came from a crappy injector connection or the spring is getting notchy.

Thanks,
Sean

[burn_your_money]

What is the timing set at? Lining up the marks does nothing for the pump

[gigaz2]

glowplugs prolly dead from the starting fluid, with low compression wont start without glowplugs.

aligning the timing marks only leaves it in the ballpark, enought for it to start. ( with good compression)

[fighting_First]

glow plugs should not have any bearing on a hot engine, right?

After the head swap, the engine would start easy and run great, I noticed the power was slightly off but attributed this to the HydroH. Five days into driving I stopped to fill up shut off the engine then after filling it would not start. Waited 30minutes and it came to life, this problem got worse and now it will not start hot or cold unless its tow-jumped.

The starter fluid was used as a last resort, 1 time because we figured the pump was faulty. I will never do it again, but the start problem was evident prior to the S-fluid. The engine didnt start using the S-fluid does that make a difference when it comes to damaged rings?

Compression test in on the menu, thanks guys

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

of the injector tops when loose, battery is helped with a charger still no help.

The wiring of the car hasnt changed since the head swap, the starting problem came after the head swap.

There is a weak hot wire that I will replace now that you mention it.

Starting problem came before the "runaway" I believe the runaway came from a crappy injector connection or the spring is getting notchy.

Thanks,
Sean

Starting problem very likely glowplugs, also if you have a collapsed hydro, or a very lazy one, could be your problem especially with a small oil pump...

 How can a crappy injector cause runaway? Injector is dealt a metered amount of fuel once every 4 strokes, even if you stuffed an adaptor onto the end of the fuel line  12mm male to 25 male or what ever it is,  no runaway. Runaway is the burning of sump oil that is why it cannot be turned off with the solenoid.  Might get a surge from unburnt fuel every do often , but  I don't suppose one cylinder would do that :?

[fighting_First]

swap, it worked OK decent black smoke under full load but thats normal from what I hear, correct?

Possibly the timing needs another look, thanks again