Author Topic: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.  (Read 7170 times)

August 31, 2012, 08:53:17 pm

redscare

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Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« on: August 31, 2012, 08:53:17 pm »
The head gasket went out on my 1.5 D a few months ago.  To speed getting the car on the road, I thought a simple gasket swap was in order.  
Took off head to find this....


Looks like the damage was done a while ago, as the carbon is built up in the impression and piston.

Why are only the exhaust valves touching and self-clearancing the pistons?

So to add to the non-sense, the 1979 dealer added a/c, which requires the removal to access the bracket to remove the injector pump.
The injector pump partially blocks the a/c bracket from being removed.

Here is why the ip cant come off.  Normally the bolt is held on by a bracket and the nut is removed
 from the front.  All three ip bolts are welded to the support bracket.

So i guess cutting the nut off and installing proper bolt is in order.  
How this thing was timed and installed is a mystery..... ???



EDIT:   Side note..... Would the timing belt walk off the ip pulley if the bearing are worn out in the pump? What else would cause the belt to wear out the outside edge?
I could try to realign the pump bracket before completely swapping put the ip pump.  
just want to check first.   I  should probably just start a new thread.. ::)


EDIT again: got the pump off, just ground off bottom welded nut and installed proper bolt.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2012, 07:21:07 pm by redscare »

Reply #1August 31, 2012, 09:01:18 pm

8v-of-fury

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2012, 09:01:18 pm »
If you've got the head off already, why remove the pump or AC? What else are you planning on doing? Check the valves make sure they aren't ruined and slap it back together? Those are .5 over 1.5 pistons? Never find another set I don't think, virtually unobtainable. I'd have to see the injector pump ac pump relation to judge that scenario. But the injector pump comes off in 5 minutes for me, so it may be the first to go.

The exhaust valves hit because the piston chases them up on the exhaust strokes, they come within a few thousandths every stroke.

Reply #2August 31, 2012, 09:44:32 pm

ORCoaster

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2012, 09:44:32 pm »
Are those water jacket holes plugged with orange junk?  what kind of valve clearance was this head running?  Perhaps the PO had the order mixed up on the intake and Exhaust?

Reply #3September 01, 2012, 05:04:56 am

libbydiesel

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2012, 05:04:56 am »
The exhaust valves all hit because the cam timing was retarded.

Reply #4September 01, 2012, 09:32:29 am

redscare

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2012, 09:32:29 am »
The timing belt was walking off the injector pump pulley and chewing up the belt.  I wanted to swap the injector pump for another, as the injector pump shaft feels like it has vertical play when pulling on the pulley.  Any other causes for the belt to get chewed up on the outer edge?  I almost lost the entire engine as the belt was nearly destroyed before the hg issue. 

Also the lower right corner shows the a/c and alt bracket.  Will get a better picture now that the head is off.

Reply #5September 01, 2012, 09:37:44 am

fatmobile

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2012, 09:37:44 am »
Those don't look like they were hitting recently,.. and they are too deep to be something that was happening while driving.

 Looks like previous owner broke a timing belt.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door, with M-TDI 12mm pump, south bend clutch, VNT-15 turbo, 02A trany
MK4s: 2000 TDI jetta, 2003 TDI wagon, 2000 golf 2.0 gasser.
'84 Rabbit with 1.7TD KY block pistons bored to 80mm, VNT-15
'84 GTI with stock 1.6TD starion intercooler.

Reply #6September 01, 2012, 09:48:29 am

fatmobile

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2012, 09:48:29 am »
That doesn't look like dealer installed AC for a 1.5.

 If I showed you that welded steel bracket you would laugh, it comes up around the injection pump. Injection pump bolts actually go through it.
 
 Pull the pump, since you are removing that anyway, then you can get to the AC bracket.
 No need to remove P-side motor mount,.. except the bushing probably needs replaced while you are that far in there.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door, with M-TDI 12mm pump, south bend clutch, VNT-15 turbo, 02A trany
MK4s: 2000 TDI jetta, 2003 TDI wagon, 2000 golf 2.0 gasser.
'84 Rabbit with 1.7TD KY block pistons bored to 80mm, VNT-15
'84 GTI with stock 1.6TD starion intercooler.

Reply #7September 01, 2012, 10:17:56 am

redscare

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2012, 10:17:56 am »
i assumed it was dealer added, but I did see a gasser scirocco with a cobbled together unit with a welded bracket running all over the front of the engine.  
Problem is, I cant access the lower bolt holding the ip on the bracket.   It is blocked by the bracket holding on the a/c and alt.  The bracket holding the a/c and alt has three bolts, the top most one is blocked by the injector pump...so Im at a standstill till I figure it out.  

EDIT:  the lower bolt is suppose to have a removable nut and the bolt is held on by a gold bracket.  My nut is welded to the pump bracket like the other two, so need to get busy with a cut-off wheel.  Already have the gold bracket and nut. 
« Last Edit: September 01, 2012, 11:46:01 am by redscare »

Reply #8September 01, 2012, 12:21:17 pm

R.O.R-2.0

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2012, 12:21:17 pm »
i assumed it was dealer added, but I did see a gasser scirocco with a cobbled together unit with a welded bracket running all over the front of the engine.  
Problem is, I cant access the lower bolt holding the ip on the bracket.   It is blocked by the bracket holding on the a/c and alt.  The bracket holding the a/c and alt has three bolts, the top most one is blocked by the injector pump...so Im at a standstill till I figure it out.  

EDIT:  the lower bolt is suppose to have a removable nut and the bolt is held on by a gold bracket.  My nut is welded to the pump bracket like the other two, so need to get busy with a cut-off wheel.  Already have the gold bracket and nut. 


your pump bracket is old..

i removed the 3rd lower nut when i had my pump off..

you need a curved wrench, and a grinder.. it can be done!

or else go in from behind with a long extension, and the rear mounting bracket removed.. should get you enough clearance..

if that dont work, its time for the all-mighty u-joint!
92 Jetta GLI - Black, 1.6D w/ GT2056V turbo..
86 GTI - 4 Door, Med Twilight Gray, Tow Machine..
86 Audi Coupe GT - Tornado Red, All Stock.. WRECKED.
89 Toyota 4Runner - Dark Grey Metallic, LIFTED!

Turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.

Reply #9September 01, 2012, 02:34:47 pm

burn_your_money

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2012, 02:34:47 pm »
a 1/4" wobble extension should get you in there to that lower bolt. Worn IM shaft bushings will cause the belt to wonder, and also cause low oil pressure. As will a bent or mis-installed pump mounting bracket.
Tyler

Reply #10September 02, 2012, 10:03:05 pm

Toby

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2012, 10:03:05 pm »
Does the IP have the rear mount in place? From the look of the timing belt you only had minutes before you were in for a new motor. You can't tell much about belt tracking from that chewed up belt. When they start to disintegrate all bets are off as to where they run.

As has been said the piston marks are from running with retarded cam timing for some time. I see that a lot. I wonder if some of the flywheel marks are not off. I had one that would hit the exhaust valves like that if set at the TDC mark. I advanced the cam a bit and all was well. It ran better and was vastly quieter as well.

Also, why do you want to remove the IP? If it is working fine don't Feck with it. (Jason's Rule #12)

ROR is right, the IP/motor mount bracket is an early one. It will also have the small engine mount on the other end. Do yourself a favor and find a later mount bracket that takes the big motor mount and push a new rubber mount into it. Its very easy to do at this point, especially if you are taking off the IP.

Reply #11September 02, 2012, 10:59:55 pm

fatmobile

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2012, 10:59:55 pm »
 Yeah, haven't seen one of those in a long time.
 I think I used a 6" extention with my 1/2" swivel socket to get that lower bolt.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door, with M-TDI 12mm pump, south bend clutch, VNT-15 turbo, 02A trany
MK4s: 2000 TDI jetta, 2003 TDI wagon, 2000 golf 2.0 gasser.
'84 Rabbit with 1.7TD KY block pistons bored to 80mm, VNT-15
'84 GTI with stock 1.6TD starion intercooler.

Reply #12September 03, 2012, 06:41:41 pm

redscare

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2012, 06:41:41 pm »
The timing belt issue cropped up after a t-belt change for a squealing tension.  I must have put the belt on a hair too tight, as the next belt wore out within 3k(the one pictured above).  The second one started to wear on the very outermost edge away from the block.  I could literally watch the belt track off the injector pump pulley by about 1-2mm.  This would then rub on lip of intermediate shaft and eventually it would hit the timing belt cover if it got too bad and chewed up. 
I suspected the ip bearings went south after the first belt change.  Car has well over 200,000, probably like 300k since the pistons are .50 already. 
I felt a slight vertical movement in the injector pump pulley.  But now that Ive been looking for a replacement, I have felt several pumps with axial play like my pump had.  So what other issues could cause the timing belt to suddenly start tracking off the pulley besides the ip?  Or are all the pumps I looked at bad?

I did test the IM shaft by pulling on the pulley.  It has a bit on end play, but I don't exactly have a way to measure it.  I see the wear limit is  0.25 mm.  Also, my IM pulley has a lip on the edge, I read on here some people removed the lip and had no more belt wear on outside edge. 

Any suggestion?

Reply #13September 06, 2012, 07:59:38 pm

redscare

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2012, 07:59:38 pm »
UPDATE:  Head is back on and I installed a used injector pump.  After proper timing and adjusting the timing belt, I rotated the engine over a few times to make sure everything was good.

As I did so the timing belt began to walk towards the edge of the ip pulley, but did not go over the edge. 
This is the same issue I had pre-head gasket issue. 

When looking from the top of the injector pump pulley, the ip pulley appears slightly tilted towards the bracket on the left.  When I hold a straight edge across the ip pulley, it misses the camshaft pulley by about .5mm.   When holding a straight edge on the camshaft pulley, it misses the edge of the ip pulley by about .5mm.

Timing belt right on edge of ip pulley
   

Gap between straight edge and pulley.
The injector pump pulley almost appears caulked off to one side, as if the bracket holding the pump is bent towards the passenger side fender


straight edge flat on intermediate shaft, gap at front of ip pulley


straight edge flat on intermediate shaft, gap at back of pulley

If the bracket if bent, I can swap in a replacement from wrecking yard. 
If this is the case... how did it get bent?  I did the timing belt years ago, no issues.  Replaced it due to bad tensioner, started to eat the belt after 3k. 
This is a different pump, presenting same issues as before.   =(

Reply #14September 06, 2012, 09:39:47 pm

fatmobile

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Re: Head gasket replacement becoming can-o-worms.
« Reply #14 on: September 06, 2012, 09:39:47 pm »
Where the belt is sitting now isn't bad,.. it hasn't gone over the edge.
 
 To get it to ride closer to teh center; you will need to lift the back of the pump.

 This is done by loosening the 2 bolts on the bracket behind the pump, prying the rear up and tightening them back done.

 Hard bolts to get to but I have done it with the injection pump still in place.

 Sometimes I remove the pump mounting bolts and just move the injection pump aside without removing it the sprocket or belt, to get to the bolts.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door, with M-TDI 12mm pump, south bend clutch, VNT-15 turbo, 02A trany
MK4s: 2000 TDI jetta, 2003 TDI wagon, 2000 golf 2.0 gasser.
'84 Rabbit with 1.7TD KY block pistons bored to 80mm, VNT-15
'84 GTI with stock 1.6TD starion intercooler.