Need a new block

[fatmobile]

 I have never even stripped out or cracked 11mm bolts when reusing the stock bolts
 and have put a VNT-15 with the vanes locked closed on a 1.5L block with ARP headstuds.
 Boosted to 35 with the great backpressure of a VNT working against it,.. a couple times. With no adverse effects.

Sidenote: I replaced the stock headbolts 1 at a time withy ARP headstuds and was worried it might leak but it worked great.


 My TD Golf by comparison has 12mm raceware headstuds ,... oil seeping from the front and I retorqued them after seeing coolant coming up around the threads of a stud.
 
 I think Andrew just got a bad 11mm block.
 

[rs899]

I am about to try pushing my luck on an 11mm block and factory bolts.  I have done 3 or 4 in the past with no issues.  Ignorance used to be bliss 20 years ago (before the internet).

[libbydiesel]

I think Andrew just got a bad 11mm block.

I guess that's the easy out.  Yes, it was a bad 11mm bloc, IMO they all are...  It was during a head gasket change, so I didn't have the block magnafluxed, but I did clean the deck surface meticulously and inspected around all the bolt holes with a light and magnifying glass.  I prepped each bolt hole meticulously and torqued the ARP studs to spec.  All for naught.

[R.O.R-2.0]

I have never even stripped out or cracked 11mm bolts when reusing the stock bolts
 and have put a VNT-15 with the vanes locked closed on a 1.5L block with ARP headstuds.
 Boosted to 35 with the great backpressure of a VNT working against it,.. a couple times. With no adverse effects.

Sidenote: I replaced the stock headbolts 1 at a time withy ARP headstuds and was worried it might leak but it worked great.


 My TD Golf by comparison has 12mm raceware headstuds ,... oil seeping from the front and I retorqued them after seeing coolant coming up around the threads of a stud.
 
 I think Andrew just got a bad 11mm block.
 

i boosted up to 35 many a time..

its not till i boosted it up and left it there for a mile or so, that it popped..

popped somewhere north of 40psi.. 30psi is at like 4'oclock on my gauge, well, i had it almost wrapped back to the 0 peg.. lol.

blew a chunk clear out of the head gasket..

and the #4 end of the block was TRASHED..