Changeover Date for Hydraulic Lifters

[Piper106]

What was the model year or calender date that VW changed from solid to hydraulic lifters on the diesel engine?

I have a '82 1.6 NA annd I was wondering if it is solid or hydraulic lifters?

Piper106

[fspGTD]

Your '82 is solid lifter if it has the original engine that came with the car.

AFAIK... Anything '85 or earlier is solid lifter, '86 or later hydraulic.

[chrissev]

Your '82 is solid lifter if it has the original engine that came with the car.

AFAIK... Anything '85 or earlier is solid lifter, '86 or later hydraulic.

It was actually changed half way through 1986.  The Bentley manual lists the last engine to have the solid lifters.  I'll check when I get home and post it here.

[fspGTD]

I just looked in the ETKA parts database...  it lists the solid lifter head stuff for all '85 Jetta "MF" code 1.6lTDs, and hydraulic lifter head stuff for all '86 Jetta "MF" code 1.6lTDs, with no special cases listed for the '86.  So at least according to ETKA, all '86 1.6lTDs are hydraulic.

[chrissev]

I just looked in the ETKA parts database...  it lists the solid lifter head stuff for all '85 Jetta "MF" code 1.6lTDs, and hydraulic lifter head stuff for all '86 Jetta "MF" code 1.6lTDs, with no special cases listed for the '86.  So at least according to ETKA, all '86 1.6lTDs are hydraulic.

Weird.  Bentley says: "The engines which require valve adjustments, all 1985 and some 1986 diesels and turbo diesels, are identified by a sticker on the cylinder head cover, shown in Fig. 5-10" (Page 19, Lubrication and Maintenance, Volkswagen GTI, Golf, Jetta Service Manual).  I have an 88 anyway so I don't have to worry about it.  My advice to anyone who doesn't know what to do would be to look for the above mentioned sticker on the valve cover.

[Patrick]

I've got an 84 Jetta GL turbo diesel (with air and a 7A trans according to the tag in the trunk) parts car that I'm 99% sure was original when I got it. Motor was hydraulic, now resides in my 92 Jetta.

[chrissev]

I've got an 84 Jetta GL turbo diesel (with air and a 7A trans according to the tag in the trunk) parts car that I'm 99% sure was original when I got it. Motor was hydraulic, now resides in my 92 Jetta.

I don't have the bentley for the 84 and previous cars.  As you probably know, they were quite different from the 85s.  Whether or not the lifters were solid or hydraulic on an 84 turbo diesel jetta is something I can't find information on.  But I do know that all 85s and some 86s were, according to Bentley anyway, solid lifter engines.

[MK3 GTD]

easy way to tell, just look at the front of the head

1 vertical oil return bulge in centre = solid lifter
1 oil return bulge in centre + 1 smaller one off to the left = hydraulic lifters

someone have pictures to show this?

[Patrick]

The engine is definetly hydraulic, and now resides in the engine bay of my wife's 92! ( the 84 it came from was solid but pretty well trashed.) I'm just not positive the egine is actually the original in this car. Would a serial number tell anyone the year of the engine? I'll go check when it gets bright enough outside.