WTB: One good IDI precup / prechamber insert

[mmitocky]

I am looking to buy ONE good precup (prechamber insert) from either a 1.6L VW IDI engine, or an Audi 5000 2.0L engine.  It will be used for an Audi 5000 TD.  I cracked one of them upon installation  and so this one piece is holding back my entire engine build.  I am looking to buy one that is not damaged or cracked (I know from experience that it is easy to damage them while removing if not done carefully!).  If you are able to sell me one of these guys, email me at [email protected] with a price and (possibly) a picture.  Thanks!!

[Rabbit on Roids]

did you get all the old one out of the head?

[mmitocky]

Yes, I had them all out at one point.  Originally one of the cups had fallen out, destroying a piston, cylinder wall, and the head area above the cylinder.  I welded the damaged area on the cylinder head, and also the precup bores (in order to get a more positive "interference" fit when installing the precups, I welded the bores and then machined them to my own dimensions).  Everything on the head was machined, and I installed 4 of the 5 precups just fine....lookin for one more to finish the job!

[rabbid79]

There have been a couple of new ones for sale on thesamba.com for quite a while now.  He calls them "decumbustion" chambers or something like that.  I'm not sure if they are exactly the ones you need though.  Glad to see someone else keeping a 5-cyl TD running.

[mmitocky]

Thanks for the samba.com recommendation, I e-mailed the guy to see what engine those are from.  I did a quick search with the part number on the bag in his picture, and it looks like they are from a 1.5L engine...which has totally different dimensions for the precups.  Someone has to have one of these just laying around...right?

[trev]

I've got a single IDI precup floating around on the floor of my car. I think. Stock off a '91 1.6TD.

May have one or two more around.

Do you know what marking you need?

I'll check this afternoon, when I brave the cold to get out of  the house for a while.

 Cheers
  Trev

[mmitocky]

Trev, the only marking on it is "B.H.G."....but here are some photos with the important dimensions:

[trev]

I grabbed mine out of the car.

Mine has a Triangle imprinted on the face.

The face on yours is wider than mine. Mine measures 30mm across, yours looks like 31.5mm. Not so good!

Was worth a try....

Cheers
 Trev

[rabbid79]

Mine has a Triangle imprinted on the face.

That's something I've noticed about the swirl chamber inserts on my 2.0 TD Audi 5000 head.  They don't have the triangle like the 1.6 TDs.  I'm not sure the 2.0 and 1.6 are 100% compatible in regards to the swirl chambers.

[mmitocky]

Well I may very well be out of luck then.  Any ideas on what material they are made out of?  I have considered manually machining just one insert to get this thing back on the road

[rabbitman]

I have one I can part with, no idea on the dimensions though and it's at the shop right now

It's out of a 1.6NA......I did have to beat on it pretty hard to get it out so it might be junk, the little lip isn't shaped right anymore .

EDIT: I found where I'd already posted the dimensions: http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?topic=20672.30

If you think it's close I can measure better and post pics next week.

[fatmobile]

I've popped a few out and I haven't tried it yet but would put tape over the outlet hole and fill it with salt before using a punch to drive it out.
 That would spread the force out, instead of focusing on the thin area near the outlet hole.
 I don't think I have any bent-up 1.6 heads to pull a pre-chamber for you.

[mmitocky]

Rabbitman:  Those dimensions sound about right, if it isnt cracked at all I would be interested in it.
Fatmobile:  Good idea on the salt...I wouldnt have thought of that!

I am considering taking this thing to a recycling place that has a metal analyzer, or anyone that I can find for that matter, to see what material it is made of.  My best guess would be some type of austenitic steel, a stainless steel.  I might even try to weld the cracked one if I can figure out the alloy.  Thanks for your replies so far! 

[theman53]

Pretty sure someone said inconel

[Rabbit on Roids]

Pretty sure someone said inconel

they and the exhaust valves are inconel.