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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: riceatingrabbit on October 15, 2009, 08:38:46 pm
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I was doing the head gasket on a friends diesel caddy today... I got it nearly done, and noticed that I had put the gasket on upside down...
The head is torqued, but hasnt run yet...
the question is: will I be ok taking it apart, flipping the gasket, and putting it back together?
or is the gasket trashed? what about the bolts?
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IMHO the chances of it sealing again are slim, nice catch though it would've wrecked the engine if you'd ran it. :)
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hmmmm... what would have happened?
oh, and what do yall think about the bolts?
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hmmmm... what would have happened?
oh, and what do yall think about the bolts?
The oil passage that goes from the block to the head would've been blocked off so the head wouldn't get oil.
I reused the head bolts once, they were new and then I did a ring job about 4 months later so I just reused 'em. I assume these are stretch bolts then?
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Probably would have blocked some oil passages.
But i'm not looking directly at anything to confirm that.
Maybe someone will say its okay to leave it.
What tells you now that you put it on upside-down ?
Is the tab with the holes/notches exposed on the radiator side - closer to the passenger side of engine ?
If they come out/off - in the dumpster they go.
Unless its a matter of absolutely no money left to work with.
And you'll be pushing the limits to the extreme.
Headgasket has 'crush' abilty by design.
Its gone now - or patterned itself.
And flipping it over - the areas where it may crush more, or crush less, won't coincide now. Very low percentage of success rate in your corner if re-used.
Stretch bolts are 1 time use items by design.
You have used them 1 time.
Best to kiss them good bye.
You can use the metal stock for craftwork or hobbies or odd projects.
I'm sure there have had to of been people who have unknowingly re-used them. But we don't know what rate or degree of success/failure they experienced. For less than $20 - i'd pass on being the guinea pig if that were possible.
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ahh ha, Rabbitman posted another while i was typing.
There's a guy who has 2-timed the headbolts.
Maybe he can provide you more input on how long it has held so far, or how many miles.
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ok, im gonna tell you what you want to hear. but im not going to guarantee it will work for you. but it has worked for me. i have re used head gaskets and bolts before. is it a turbo motor? just flip the gasket. i re use 100k mile old gaskets and they re seal. once you get the engine warm and up to operating temp is when the gasket finally bonds with the head and block. you shouldnt even have to lift the head clear off, just lift it enough to get the gasket out and then back under.
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My reused bolts have lasted about 45,000mi so far, but I have a slight coolant seep('bout 2 quarts a year) at the back of the head and when I redo it I'll go with head studs. ;D
I think with reused bolts you loose clamping pressure since when you do the torque and then the stretch sequence the second time the bolt is weaker and stretches easier. Lots of manufacturerers with stretch bolts give a max bolt length but not vw, they say get new ones ;)
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Because you haven't run the engine or completed the final torque sequences, the bolts could probably be reused. However, who knows how long they will last. I would just buy new ones. Better to be safe than sorry on the side of the highway.
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ive even replaced a head on one of these things and used the same gasket. sealed up fine. and as andrew was saying. i do have WAY WAY more time than money. thats why i build most of my own parts if they are expensive. unless i dont posess the knowledge or tools to build it.
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Avoid the "new bolts?" question entirely by throwing some studs in there. ;D
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Avoid the "new bolts?" question entirely by throwing some studs in there. ;D
very good idea :)
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Where to buy studs in Sweden/EU?
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BTW - i dont find the admin's/moderator's hitlerbehaving subfilm funny?
Is it because VW is German?
Be nice!
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BTW - i dont find the admin's/moderator's hitlerbehaving subfilm funny?
Is it because VW is German?
Be nice!
Does anyone know what this is about? Weird...
Jt's signature gif I would assume.
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Avoid the "new bolts?" question entirely by throwing some studs in there. ;D
very good idea :)
Changing the oil and filter, Changing the fuel filter and using ARP studs is probably 3 of the best things you can do for these engines to make them less troublesome and I've had trouble from all 3 till I found out better. Those stretch bolts are just way too much trouble torquing and wondering if the block or head is cracking from the noises and jerks they make in the process. I would do a retorque though even with the studs and don't be afraid to pull them to 95 or 100 if need be {with their included moly lube.}
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BTW - i dont find the admin's/moderator's hitlerbehaving subfilm funny?
Is it because VW is German?
Be nice!
Does anyone know what this is about? Weird...
What's going on? I've been on this site and the other one for about 5 minutes , and I'm reading someones very first post titled 'Hey', and not a please in view. Nor a single CAPITAL LETTER, yet he knows what full stop is ::)
Now here is another newcomer who also asks questions without saying please, and by 2nd post has started dictating to people about their avatar. If you don't know how to do a key word search in Swedish/or English for head studs then you shouldn't be driving an old car which would benefit from a little search skill IMO
Kids of today just have no manners :o
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studs weren't in the budget...
I went with a new gasket and bolts, but it back together and its all good now..
this is a freshly acquired truck...so, once the head was done we went to take the truck for a test drive and the engine ran well...
But...
Then the trans was making "grindy" noises and wouldn't shift into fifth... we got back from the test drive and poped open the trans to find a hand full of metal shavings mixed with the gear-oil...
excellent!!!
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oh CRAP !