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Author Topic: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?  (Read 7404 times)

October 24, 2017, 11:33:55 pm

Tmarkle

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11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« on: October 24, 2017, 11:33:55 pm »
Just picked up a clean Rabbit a couple weeks ago. Cosmetically it very nice, but the glow plugs are dead and it loses prime, these are minor details though as I have the parts to fix them. However being it’s an 81, it has the 11mm head bolts. I have read many terrible things about the dreaded hex head bolts, but if the car is not mixing fluids, is it worth running/tuning up? I have a 12mm hydraulic motor but it needs new pistons still (timing belt failure) so I’d like to just run the bunny for a while till I have time to rebuild the other one. I have new glow plugs, a new upgraded injection pump, and new injectors I’ll install along with a 4-2-1 exhaust manifold and a mk2 1.8 intake manifold. I have everything to run it turbocharged but I’ve been frightened by the small head bolts. Has anyone attended to put in ARP head studs 1 by 1?


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« Last Edit: October 24, 2017, 11:35:26 pm by Tmarkle »


1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #1October 25, 2017, 01:03:27 am

ORCoaster

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2017, 01:03:27 am »
Tmarkle,   Nicely picked VW there. 
The 11 mm head bolts are not to be feared.  Your idea of 1 by 1 stud replacement with ARP studs will work.  Others have done just that and have not mentioned any problems. 

I would just run it the way it is with the additions of the 4-2-1 exhaust and the 1.8 manifold.  I am assuming of course that the exhaust out the end of the header is 2.25 or greater. 

Being a new to you car I wouldn't push it any until I got the feel for it.  You never know what the PO did to it and there is no reason to try and shake it down now.  Improve it over time, but for now just mod it slowly until you learn its quirks. 

Baby Blue to Boot, Needs some snowflake wheels on it. 

Reply #2October 25, 2017, 02:07:58 am

rabbid79

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2017, 02:07:58 am »
A LONG time ago, I had a baby blue 4-door Rabbit like that.  I ended up putting 1.6 TD engine block in it from a Quantum, but without the turbo, etc.  I don't remember what fuel injection pump I had on it.  I know there were TONS of rabbits produced, but just on the off chance that was once mine, double-check the engine code.  I see you're in Montana, which isn't that far from Utah, so it's conceivable that it could have migrated that at north.  But if you were in Maine, then I wouldn't have said anything.
'15 WRX
Parts for 2.0 TD build - Now looking for suitable car to put it in.

Reply #3October 25, 2017, 11:18:37 pm

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2017, 11:18:37 pm »
Thanks ORCoaster, I’m hoping to give it a good tune up and get it going for a work car. New timing belt, new glow plugs, valve adjustment, and the new pump since this one seems to be walking the belt a bit and wearing far more on the outside. If I didn’t have the new pump already I wouldn’t probably worry about it, I’d just try to run it. Obviously, it will also get new filters and fluids. I’ll be interested to do the studs 1 by 1, in hopes of saving the block.

rabbid79, I’ll take a look at the code for you. I know many people who outsource vehicles from other states so it could have once been yours. Was yours a four or five speed? This is a four.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #4October 26, 2017, 08:45:20 am

RabbitJockey

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2017, 08:45:20 am »
if you're not having any headgasket problem i wouldn't put studs in. Just drive it like it is or mod it like it is, the problems arise when it comes time to replace the headgasket, tightening the headbolts can crack the block.

if the belt is walking away from the engine you probably just need to adjust the pump bracket to get the belt to track straight.
01 Jetta TDI 100% stock daily
81 Rabbit:TDI-M ported head, Frank06 cam, PD intake, hybrid T3 turbo, Renault intercooler, Syl20 11mm pump, light weight fw, and yellow California Clutch clutch kit

Reply #5October 31, 2017, 04:46:01 pm

fatmobile

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2017, 04:46:01 pm »
I've replaced studs one at a time with no problem,.. on the VNT 15 rabbit with a 1.5.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door,
with a re-ringed, '84 quantum, turbo diesel, MD block

Reply #6November 01, 2017, 11:29:38 pm

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2017, 11:29:38 pm »
If I decide to toss my turbo setup on it studs will definitely be on the list, but for now she will be getting a good tune up and exhaust so I can daily drive it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #7November 08, 2017, 10:14:26 pm

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2017, 10:14:26 pm »
I've replaced studs one at a time with no problem,.. on the VNT 15 rabbit with a 1.5.
Out of curiosity, was this pretty simple? Just remove one head bolt, run a stud in, and torque down, and repeat for each bolt? Since I have all the parts, once I know it’s running well I’d love to boost it for some more get up and go.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #8November 13, 2017, 01:17:05 pm

fatmobile

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2017, 01:17:05 pm »
Yep, just that easy.
I did it in the proper torque sequence,.. starting in the middle.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door,
with a re-ringed, '84 quantum, turbo diesel, MD block

Reply #9November 13, 2017, 10:53:46 pm

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2017, 10:53:46 pm »
Began wrenching on it tonight. Trouble I found is that I can’t find the tdc mark on the flywheel. I know that the cam was a bit off time from the crank because I had to tighten the belt the night I bought it (long story) so what’s the best way to find tdc in this case? Pull the cam and pull the injectors to relieve compression and rotate motor till I find the mark? Wire through an injector hole?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #10November 13, 2017, 11:23:40 pm

ORCoaster

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2017, 11:23:40 pm »
This was a running engine YES?

pull the valve cover off and rotate the engine such that the first cylinder, the one behind the timing belt has the lobes of the two cams in an upright position.  Like the wings of a butterfly.  You should be able to rock the engine a bit from one side of the rotation either way from that reference point and spot something on the flywheel through the peep hole on the bellhousing.  Take the large plastic cap all the way off and set it aside.  Position your head and a strong light to look up towards the engine block moreso than straight down.  You should see a dot or a line or some indicator across from the small triangular pointer at the top of the hole.

Let us know how it goes. 

Reply #11November 15, 2017, 05:19:24 pm

fatmobile

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2017, 05:19:24 pm »
Maybe it has a 210mm gasser flywheel upgrade.
Do you see the big square blocks?
I posted in a thread about how to find TDC using fluid and a tube here awhile back.
You can use my name in a search.
Tornado red, '91 Golf 4 door,
with a re-ringed, '84 quantum, turbo diesel, MD block

Reply #12November 15, 2017, 10:10:35 pm

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2017, 10:10:35 pm »
Well... Found out something I should have checked when I bought the thing. Turns out it’s a 1.5, I was checking the engine code and it’s CK. Question is will my custom 1.6 injection pump and new injectors work, I can’t see why they wouldn’t. Are 1.5s worse than an 11mm 1.6?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab

Reply #13November 16, 2017, 01:33:10 am

ORCoaster

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2017, 01:33:10 am »
The 1.5 is the first of a long line of diesels made for these cars.  It had the 11 mm headbolts.  Your 1.6 pump and injectors will work in it just fine.  You can turbo the 1.5 if you want to get some additional HP out of it.  I think it had less than 50 and that was pretty weak when it came to hauling the capacity of the car. 

How did you miss it being a 1.5?  Misrepresented merchandise?  Unknown to seller? 

Did you get the TDC figured out?


Reply #14November 16, 2017, 07:23:00 am

Tmarkle

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Re: 11mm 1.6, are they that bad?
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2017, 07:23:00 am »
I honestly don’t think the seller knew. He said it was a 1.6 and being an 81 I didn’t think to check closely. Had it been an 80 I would have been more suspicious. He didn’t have a clue about VW diesel so he probably didn’t think anything of it. Oh well, no big deal I guess. Haven’t figured out tdc yet cause I was fiddling with other things last night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
1985 Jetta 1.6 NA, Project
1981 Rabbit 1.5 diesel SOLD
1980 Dasher, also a project
1993 Passat GLX VR6 (daily driver)
1992 Toyota Pickup, 350 V8 swapped
1997 Jetta TDI, engine donor for a diesel powered Toyota!
1986 Toyota Custom Cab