Sorry for poor photos, I tried to get a photo with the straight edge across the inlet valve on number one. But I drove her to my girlfriends and it's dropped cylinder number one again
did some research and come across valve recession
Whipped the rocker off. Set up cylinder one as if im setting clearances, and yep there it is. Didn't really need a straight edge, was so obvious that the inlet valve was beating it's way back through the head
it's nearly out of adjustment and I imagine the valve looks so shroomed. Not long till it snaps or I run out of adjustment.
Only cure is head off and new head :/ the heat exchanger is rotten and it's rotten to the silencer which is rotten to the other heat exchanger. Touching any off it will obliterate it so I'll need a whole new exhaust, and heat exchangers. £700 ish for the lot? New head £350? By that point it would be silly not to just pull the engine and rebuild the lot
God I feel exhausted. I can't sell it to someone like this as that's what's been done to me and it wouldn't be fair
Feel quite passed off
looks like my mk1 golf won't be going on the road this year then
Would also explain why there are so many spanner marks on the adjuster nut from where people have kept winding it out
Thanks Taylor