I'm back with more questions.

[mtnsammy]

I got my motor back again. The shop tried to blame me but lost when I reminded him he welded the oil port shut. I had the bearings he gave me showing scoring too. Now I have a new problem.

The motor on first fire up misses on #1 and 4. I found out by cracking open the injector lines. No change on 1 or 4. I swapped injectors with the back two since it was easier. Still no change on 1 or 4. I get fuel spits out of the line when I open it but the cylinders do not seem to be firing. Engine runs real rough and a lot of grey smoke comes out. I takes a lot to get it to fire up too. I have checked and rechecked timing. It is dead on. I even retimed the IP again, dead on 1.00mm. I like the middle ground so I did not get it to 1.05mm.

To rule out the machine shop like it has been in the past, I did a compression check. Before the last trip to the shop I had 525 pounds compression. Real strong and even. Now I have 325 pounds. The shop says it is because of the new rings need to set in?? A third of the compression gone from new rings?? It sounds bad to me.

If anyone has any ideas on what else to check I am open.

[addautomotive]

hmm... recheck cam timing.

There's no good reason for the compression to be down like that.

[mtnsammy]

They insist it is the new rings need to set in first. I am thinking of a wet compression test? The high compression is a little scary for a wet test. Any ideas on adding a shot of oil on top of the pistons for a ring check?

I just finished checking the timing again. I am now thinking of checking the cam numbers to be sure he put in the right cam. I definitely do not trust anything from this shop. I would rather scrap the 1500 dollar motor than go back anymore. What good is a warranty when you have to constantly use it?

[burn_your_money]

There was a book formatted into PDF that resurfaced on here recently. It says that you can do a wet compression test with oil.

In regards to it not firing on 1/4 is it possible that there is air trapped in the lines?

[mtnsammy]

In the injector lines to 1 and 4?? I have fuel coming out the injector lines I assumed it meant the lines were purged of air. I'll crank it a few more times to get the air out? When I crack the fitting on top of the injector I get good pressured spray. Even got me in the eye once.

[burn_your_money]

If it's a good spray it's probably purged of air

[addautomotive]

updates?

[jtanguay]

In the injector lines to 1 and 4?? I have fuel coming out the injector lines I assumed it meant the lines were purged of air. I'll crank it a few more times to get the air out? When I crack the fitting on top of the injector I get good pressured spray. Even got me in the eye once.

hope you flushed your eye out for a good 15 minutes!!!  :shock:

did they/you drive the crap out of it to seat the rings? if you didn't maybe thats all that needs to be done?  man you've had a lot of grief from that place... what a total let down  

[macsdub]

i always love that "rings seating" thing
if the rings havent seated in the first 5 minutes of running the engine,chances are they will never seat

[coke]

Thats interesting. I'd stop going to that shop.

Do you have 325 pounds on all cylinders? For new rings, thats really really low. If you had 525 psi what did you take it to the shop for? I didn't follow the last post. Its possible that they messed up when they put your new rings in. I'll look and try to find your old post but let me know.

[mtnsammy]

Well, I am back from my hunting and I may boast for a minute, 3 of 4 tags were filled with ample deer meat. Wyoming has soooooo many animals it was difficult to choose which one to shoot. 16 years in California and I have never seen as many deer here as in one day in Wyoming.

The shop is no longer in the picture. After talking and thinking about the motor I have two thoughts on what happened this time.

1. As stupid as it sounds I think I may have a gas head and a gas cam. Specs seem close but I am looking for a good part number reference site to verify it.

2. While hunting I called my kid, he's 6 foot tall and a Varsity Wrestler, and had him put the injectors in a Tranny oil bath. In the old days on my dad's sail boat with a Volvo diesel this was a quick fix for dirty injectors. Both top and bottoms get cleaned and if it runs then replace with rebuilt injectors since the stems are probably worn too.

The shop has done so many mistakes from cutting too deep on the head surface to welding shut the oil port on the head. When I called them they said they had to change the gasket to a one hole from a three hole??? How can they add that much metal to the head or the block?? Then they said after the pressure test they had to go back to the three hole to get more pressure?? A thicker gasket would reduce the pressure not raise it. I am sorry I ever went to the two shops. They do not know anything about motors and only know how to run a lathe, kinda.

I officially state for all to know, " Quality German Motors and thier machine shop Brothers VW machine in California is not worth the time or the money ." I have wasted 16 months with their bad service and products to be left with nothing. Thanks to these forums I at least have learned much about this diesel motor. I will probobly go to the 1.9 TDI. I hear someone may have an after market computer for the motor so any car can use it right. Tomorrow I am back on the motor and will post the results after the weekend. Thanks again.

[SMOKEYDUB]

if you have a gasser head on it you would have alot less compression then that and also in a gasser head you cant put your injectors in or glowplugs so you can rule that out.when the engine is running how much blowby does it have? i alot i would say rings but if not the is something fuct in the head which sounds like there has been alot of messing around with the head. if that engine made 525 psi there isnt any reason why it wouldnt make it now.unless the head is screwed.

[SmokeyCJR]

Question? when you took it to the machine shop did they bore the block or just put new rings in.  Because if they did not bore the block first it is more than likely out of round.  In a gas engine you can get away with this.  In a VW diesel you can not.  I learned this lesson the hard way my self.  The block has to be bored to an oversize and have new pistons and rings installed.  It's the only way to assure propore ring sealing.  If you are only getting 325psi the rings or bore are smoked.  Also a sure tell tail sign of this is blow by.  Good luck.

[mtnsammy]

Well after a little sleep I realized how wrong I was about the gasser head and cam. I know have affirmed the right parts and finished cleaning the injectors. After installing the injectors and re timing the motor and pump ( the motor was right on but I moved the pump to pull the injectors) I fired up the motor.

Wow a lot of smoke, mostly white or light gray. Unknown why but I ran it for a while to see what happens. I cracked each injector line and all caused the motor to sputter bad. I guess that means I am firing on all four now.  I let it run for 30 minutes at idle to see if the smoke would go away. Not so lucky. I then told the wife I love her and was driving away in a Samurai diesel bomb. If the car blows I will try to land softly.

The car took off great and smoked out all the cars behind me. Acceleration was a little slower than before but I am patient. After running a bit the engine started smoking bad from the exhaust side. I guess my kid used engine paint on the turbo and exhaust manifold. It is now a dark shade of orange, I guess you cold call it burnt orange.

After running it hard up hill for 5 miles the smoking was less but the temps were a little high, 210- 220f. I turned around and called it a success till I have time to adjust the motor a little better. In a week I will re try the compression test to see if the rings really did set in. I think not but we will see.

Acceleration is off and power is slow still. Boost is about 7 pounds at 55 up a steady hill. Down hill running is 55mph and 5 pounds boost. Temp comes back to 180- 200f after idle for 5 minutes. I will still be looking for new injectors since this seems to be the primary problem. At least after giving them a week in atf fluid they work.

Any suggestions for injectors? A lot of parts stores are selling injectors for $33 but they apply to all diesels turbo or not. I would think the turbo models would be larger. At least the transporter models should be larger? Any good source for injectors would be nice.

[burn_your_money]

I might be wrong but I think the TD injectors have a higher breaking point