Was freeze-plugs, now head scratches...

[bbob203]

no first hand experience but I heard aircraft paint remover for the varnish. You Gonna runsone head studs Tyler? Is that the engine for your passat project?

[TylerDurden]

Thanks for the tip on the stripper (lol).

I'l use TTY bolts, I got about thirty new lying here.

This one goes in my 86 Jetta. The Jetta's original will get rings and go into the B3.


I took a closer look at the head and gasket near the #9 bolt. A couple of deep scratches might be an issue?

[srgtlord]

Thats what gasket sealer is for

[TylerDurden]

My impression is that there gasket sealer was used.  I wonder if it makes a difference right at the cylinder edge.

The engine would boil-over idling with straight water and the #9 bolt appears to have the evidence of water/rust. Interestingly, the corrosion easily brushes off the bolt, as if it were deposited there, rather than the bolt itself being corroded. There was no evidence of water in the oil, or oil in the water.

[theman53]

Thanks for the tip on the stripper (lol).

I'l use TTY bolts, I got about thirty new lying here.

This one goes in my 86 Jetta. The Jetta's original will get rings and go into the B3.


I took a closer look at the head and gasket near the #9 bolt. A couple of deep scratches might be an issue?

the rather large cracks in the precups would scare me off this head. I would guess your head surface maybe to blame, but there is not much there to go off of.

[TylerDurden]

Ja that kinda stuff makes me nervous, having read the horror stories. But, the other precups look ok. I prolly ought stake them for safety's sake.

Paint stripper didn't make a difference on the gasket varnish (or whatever that stuff is), it's harder than the really crusty soot, which is like bakelite. I can see why some shops sand the heads, but I didn't want to pull the cam.

With winter on the doorstep, I'm shooting for the sensible shortcuts, but not the one's I'll pay for dearly in the long run.

[Dakotakid]

Pardon me if I'm wrong....but, three pages deep in worrying about the head and no mention of putting a damned straight-edge to it? THAT'S where I start!

Initially, you stated that you had 425 psi across the board. I have yet to open up an older engine and get such an even distribution....especially one with oil in the coolant .

Things here don't add up.

Could be wrong...been wrong before.......

[TylerDurden]

10-4.

Still getting the crud off... it's thick.

[Dakotakid]

I always lightly sand the face of heads utilizing a precision ground block with sandpaper...400, 500, 600 grit (if I have not had it ground or machined). You simply have to keep your pressure the same and make an honest attempt to make passes all over the head (evenly...same amount). This cleans them up very well and will smoothen out those little dents you have (to a certain extent).

I put an '84 Jetta engine together last week with some little dents and the engine runs extremely well. But, I knew this head was flat by employing a straight edge. I also carefully inspected the cam caps and used plastigage.

The engine I worked on also had two head bolts with the identical debris. We used a bottoming tap and lots of air and brake clean to clean out the threads prior to assembly. Attention to detail pays dividends.

[TylerDurden]

I'm hopeful that the head is straight, since the compression numbers were good. I will check when I get the garbage off it.

Another post somewhere said a palm-sander with 800 paper and wd40 for lube can get the gasket varnish off... Y/N?

If the head is toast, can a 1.9 head be used? (AIUI, new 1.6 heads are N/A)

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I'm hopeful that the head is straight, since the compression numbers were good. I will check when I get the garbage off it.

Another post somewhere said a palm-sander with 800 paper and wd40 for lube can get the gasket varnish off... Y/N?

If the head is toast, can a 1.9 head be used? (AIUI, new 1.6 heads are N/A)

I would not use the palm sander since it will not know high spots from low spots. Use a flat plate the width and length of the head, double sided tape to glue 400 grit wet/ dry paper and use WD-40 as a lube cleaner. Flat plate can come from 1/2" plate glass or plexiglass.

[TylerDurden]

10-4.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Many more Qs to follow, I'm sure of that.

[burn_your_money]

I can see why some shops sand the heads, but I didn't want to pull the cam.

It's 10 nuts, and only 4 of them matter what order you take them off in. Easy Peasy.

[Dakotakid]

Shortcuts rarely turn out to be.

[TylerDurden]

Ja. I was hoping for a quick engine swap and then reality came calling, lol.  Stupid not to do the stuff that's easy when the engine is out.