Author Topic: Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please  (Read 18371 times)

November 25, 2008, 05:31:41 pm

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« on: November 25, 2008, 05:31:41 pm »
The more I look at this mess, the more I think Im going to end up needing a new engine  :cry:  I will know for sure when I get the crank bolt off hopefully tomorrow to see why the timing has slipped...(the belt and tensioner were fine but I couldnt turn the engine over fully enough to check marks at tdc)

if the keyway is fine I will be shocked!!

Take a look at these pictures please guys....the inlet valves have contacted all pistons to some degree.... Piston 2 is only a carbon mark, the same for 3 and 4 surprisingly. Ive since cleaned the pistons and there is no imprint damage to 2,3 or 4.

But piston 1 is the one that has damage. It has an actual imprint of the valve about 1mm deep!!! and there is a raised lip of iron around the edge of the valve imprint.

Im not sure whether to de burr the edge and (if the crank is ok) rebuild with a rebuilt/new head.
Or full stripdown or new bottom end which I really cant afford the time or cost to do at the minute. Especially as I hav a 1z conversion planned early next year.






The bottom end turns over sweetly and theres no visible conrod damage (TDC and TC piston height measurements are all the same) so my only concern is hidden conrod or piston damage or there being a problem with squish seeing as there is a new imprint in the piston that breaks in to the exhaust valve recess

What r your thoughts guys.
Is it new piston time?



Reply #1November 25, 2008, 05:46:04 pm

zukgod1

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2008, 05:46:04 pm »
I posted in your other thread already but here ya go again.

If the ring land isn't deformed and the piston it's self looks good once you get it out I say run it.
I've seen some pretty bad pistons come out of running engines.

Smooth the damage as much as possible and take some pics of the piston for us to see.
dan

99 Golf TDI (now CNG powered) , 82 TD Caddy

Reply #2November 25, 2008, 07:01:19 pm

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2008, 07:01:19 pm »
Quote from: "zukgod1"
I posted in your other thread already but here ya go again.

If the ring land isn't deformed and the piston it's self looks good once you get it out I say run it.
I've seen some pretty bad pistons come out of running engines.

Smooth the damage as much as possible and take some pics of the piston for us to see.


Thanks Dan  :D
Ive replied to the other thread more thoroughly.
I was getting a bit worried as there was no replies to the latest dilemma and I badly need to pick a repair route and follow it tomorrow as I need the beast back on the road!

I will indeed smooth the damage as much as possible and take some pictures afterwards.

As per the other thread, Im not planning on removing the piston unless absolutely necessary because the van is parked outside in a poor place for engine removal!! Also, its blimmin arctic here at present.
Though if it has to come out...it will  :D

Reply #3November 25, 2008, 07:59:18 pm

Quantum TD

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2008, 07:59:18 pm »
Quote from: "zukgod1"
If the ring land isn't deformed and the piston it's self looks good once you get it out I say run it.
I've seen some pretty bad pistons come out of running engines.

Smooth the damage as much as possible and take some pics of the piston for us to see.


X2

I've seen some gnarly pistons come out of running cars. It's amazing they hadn't bent the rods. I think if you smooth out the lips, and check the valves for bends (by lapping them and checking runout), you should be able to do it on the cheap. If all you really need is a running car, then it can't hurt to try reusing the pisons.

If you wanted to go crazy, then I'd say it could be a good time to revamp the head with some new guides, seals, seat-cut, and new exhaust valves (the intakes rarely need replacement). All that here in the US would set someone back about $250-300 USD. Not sure what it would cost in the UK.

Either way, good luck

Reply #4November 25, 2008, 08:20:47 pm

LoneWolf

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2008, 08:20:47 pm »
Mine were like that in my GTD, quick clean up and all was good:)

 used those in the 120bhp engine and it was just dandy :D

 nice to hear brom another Brit by the way :)

Reply #5November 26, 2008, 05:25:42 am

Smokey Eddy

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2008, 05:25:42 am »
my pistons have those too. I agree completely, smooth out the edges best you can without removing too much material and don't worry about it.

sand it with a dremel if you have one?
Ed
Blacked out mk2 AAZ Jetta RIP. You are missed.
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Reply #6November 26, 2008, 07:49:28 am

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2008, 07:49:28 am »
Quote from: "Smokey Eddy"
my pistons have those too. I agree completely, smooth out the edges best you can without removing too much material and don't worry about it.

sand it with a dremel if you have one?


I have a dremel smokey eddy and that is what I was going to try it with :)
Cant think of anything else that will make it possible? a hand file would take hours and hours Im guessing! Wiill update you guys shortly

Reply #7November 26, 2008, 09:40:41 am

Vincent Waldon

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2008, 09:40:41 am »
I think you may find a hand file works well... it's a nice flat planar surface and the piston material is actually quite soft.  

About one minute each with a file on these bad boys cleaned em right up:



All you want to do is clean off the material that's squished up... flat file makes it quick.
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #8November 26, 2008, 10:06:43 am

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2008, 10:06:43 am »
Quote from: "Vincent Waldon"
I think you may find a hand file works well... it's a nice flat planar surface and the piston material is actually quite soft.  

About one minute each with a file on these bad boys cleaned em right up:



All you want to do is clean off the material that's squished up... flat file makes it quick.


Thanks Vincent  8)

But your piston is out of the engine....and I have to be careful as even if I get the piston to TDC I still dont have a flat access way to get a flat file in there (due to the top of the block and bore)... So I was thinking the dremel I can work looking down on to the workpiece..?

Dont worry, I will be taping up and covering the rest of the engine and use a magnet to remove the debris


As an update guys, here is the cause of the carnage  :(  its good to know I wasnt imagining it, but bad to actually see it...though I think it is totally salvageable  :lol:  Maybe Im an optimist... Thoughts?



The lug on the back of the pulley is totally sheared off.



Causing this. Luckily the locating slot is still in place on the right hand side so I can relocate the new pulley correctly and use some JB weld on the rounded edge of the other side. I have filed the nose flat as there a few little lumps and bumps







Reply #9November 26, 2008, 10:32:17 am

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2008, 10:32:17 am »
Quote from: "libbybapa"
At TDC, the piston tops protrude above the block deck and so a file can be used.  That being said, I sure wouldn't run that crank with JB weld to make up for the wear.  I'd feel much better about welding up the wear and filing it back down to it's proper shape, but personally I'd opt to have it machined for the TDI sprocket.  You've already witnessed the damage that results when it fails...

Andrew


Ahh, nice one cheers Andrew!

Will use a flat file in that case as Vincent suggested.

I thought this groove was only for locating the crankshaft pulley? and that the reason mine has failed is because of either a reused or incorrectly torqued bolt?

Welding would certainly seem to be the way forward, maybe I will have to go that route and bin the old jbweld idea off  :lol:

The difficulty is doing it in Situ...

Whats the difference with the TDi sprocket?

Reply #10November 26, 2008, 03:31:47 pm

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2008, 03:31:47 pm »
Quote from: "libbybapa"
Borrowed photo:



The one on the left is the TDi Sprocket.  The crank can be machined so that the cutout is opposite the stock keyway.  Unless a jig is made, then the machining require the crank to be removed which in turn requires either engine or transmission removal.

Andrew


Thanks again Andrew  8)
That photo was very useful.

I have decided to go with the in situ repair on this occasion and if I have to pull the motor in the future for any reason I will go with the TDi mod (If I havent finished the 1z I plan to drop in!)

I am going to weld the left hand edge of the groove as you suggest and then file it back to make a proper groove again.

I have got the face of the crank nose as smooth as I can using a metal file as it was a little lumpy from the pulley wobbling on it.

Just been out and bought a brand new 150amp Mig welder for close on $550 with mask so Im dying to use it  :lol:

Will post some updates shortly. Got to make a parts order as well...

Reply #11November 26, 2008, 03:46:12 pm

zukgod1

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2008, 03:46:12 pm »
Did you remove the front main seal mount?
That alum piece.

Easy to remove but I guess you could remove it afterwords and replace that seal then to keep from getting crap in the engine.
dan

99 Golf TDI (now CNG powered) , 82 TD Caddy

Reply #12November 26, 2008, 04:40:55 pm

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2008, 04:40:55 pm »
Quote from: "libbybapa"
I'd certainly do some test welds beforehand.  You'll want decent penetration on the crank and so have the heat turned up a bit.  Again, test a few weld beforehand.  Get a piece of thick scrap steel and grind off a corner, then build it up again.  

Did you get the gas setup with it or are you planning to use flux core wire?  

Andrew


Thanks for the suggestion. ive done a welding course in the past and a fair bit of welding but not for a while so I will definately be doing some practising! I hadnt thought about rebuilding a few corners so I will do that as you say. Ive got some hefty steel bits knocking about.
It is a gas welder and I have a bottle of gas. Just CO2 not Argon as Im not going for looks...

Zukgod, I havent removed the front main seal mount.(yet) is it as simple as removing those two bolts visible in one of my pictures?

If it is that simple I will definately remove it afterwards and replace the seal as it will be a little fried I imagine.!!

Reply #13November 26, 2008, 05:24:10 pm

zukgod1

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2008, 05:24:10 pm »
libbybapa got ya on the cover. Easy to remove.  :D
dan

99 Golf TDI (now CNG powered) , 82 TD Caddy

Reply #14November 26, 2008, 07:07:58 pm

vwt4

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Piston damage from valve contact....thoughts please
« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2008, 07:07:58 pm »
Quote from: "libbybapa"
There is a series of bolts around the perimeter of the aluminum seal carrier.

Glad to hear you won't be doing your first welds on the end of a crankshaft.    :D  CO2 is just fine.  I actually prefer it if I'm welding cast.  It's also good for carbonating beer.   :wink:  :lol:

Andrew


Cheers  :wink:

When you say cast, Im assuming you mean cast steel right?
I never really gave much thought to the cranks material but thinking on it Im sure its not forged!!! or billet, so cast makes sense.

Any tips on welding to this material?

I was thinking it might be a plan to insert the bolt deep into the thread, to try and prevent distortion, also, do you think warpage of the crank nose is a serious risk? eg/ should I be cautious with power/time

Cheers guys  8)

 

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