Club 80-90 Forums

Cheers for reply Ringo.

The exhaust is already off and I have turned the engine by hand. And to be honest there is not a great deal of resistance - But its compareable to the 1.6d I took out and that's a good little motor ! But it doesn't seem to spring back against compression.

There are no clunks or bangs when I turn it over.

The oil pump fitted is the same unit as per the 1.6d in essence. Will the pump body and gears are from the new engine (1.9) the pick up is from the old 1.6 I just cleaned the face where the gears had marked it a little on wet and dry on a sheet of glass.

My biggest reason for wiping the head of is that when I initially tried to rotate the engine to align the crank / pump / cam I actually had to pull the glow plugs as the compression was so high I couldn't turn it over by hand.

Also check the plugs worked whilst I they were out.

I know I had the locking bar and the pump pin fitted when I put the belt back on as I recall not taking them out when I went to crank the engine over by hand to check all rotated ok - phew I though glad I remembered that !

All locking stuff removed and it turned over ok. But on consideration - the oil pressure would be non existent and hence the hydraulic tappets would have been not working. So no valves would have opened or at least fully.

On initial start up all spun over ok, then she fired a but then a big bang (maybe mechanical - it's a long way from drivers seat and the radio was flat out) a bit of smoke and nothing since. So maybe the tappets filled with oil and things clashed.

I might as well wip the head off and take a look either way. And I only paid £41 for the motor. Its time rather than money.

I only have to drain the water, take manifolds off and remove timing belt again and its all ready to pull head off - an hours work max this evening.

I'd rather blow another £100 on the head than pull the engine out again.

I damaged a 1X engine once because of not being carefull in setting up the timing for a cambelt change.The hydraulic buckets took the worst & valves bent i was unable to remove the buckets due to them being jammed up. I took it to a engine reconditioner but the head on removal of the buckets was scored&damaged where they fit.This required machining & sleeving + new hydraulic buckets& some valves.Cost was over £200 with new bolts&gaskets.If you think you might need to take the head off why not just remove the cam shaft which is fairly easy then see if you can lift out the hydraulic buckets.You will soon see if there is a problem at worst screwed up .Reading through your reply to ringo you said you removed the glow plugs due to not being able to turn it .It could be there was mechanical issues allready there when you got it.Or it might have had valve interference to piston due to incorrect cambelt timing.

Ok. If I pop downstairs now and rotate the engine with a spanner to see if any of the buckets are stuck? They should all pop back up and follow the cams right?

Right just turned it over by hand and all of the buckets follow the cams just fine.

I would think if you can turn it over by hand & the hydraulic buckets go down & pop back that some good news .But bent valves are still a possibility if so will not close or open properly as to cause loss of compression.The camshaft with the hydro buckets may appear to be working by poping back up but the valves would not. Timing this engine did you loosen the camwheel bolt then loosen the cam wheel to turn on the taper shaft for when you tensioned the timing belt .If you tension the belt without doing this it would move the cam wheel out of position in relation to TDC with the crankshaft pully on removing the locking plate.In effect cause the timing problem.

Yes I know your correct. Pulling the head off is an a*** ache for sure. Finding evidence of piston and valve would be good in that at least I know whats what. Finding no evidence would be nicer I guess but that wont explain why she wont start.

The head is off. No sign at all of pistons and valves clashing !

But the head is cracked between the valves on all 4 cylinders.

Is this fixable?

My other option would be to stick the head from the 1.6d on her and drive on. Is it the same? or similar?

camper wrote:I damaged a 1X engine once because of not being carefull in setting up the timing for a cambelt change.The hydraulic buckets took the worst & valves bent i was unable to remove the buckets due to them being jammed up. I took it to a engine reconditioner but the head on removal of the buckets was scored&damaged where they fit.This required machining & sleeving + new hydraulic buckets& some valves.Cost was over £200 with new bolts&gaskets.If you think you might need to take the head off why not just remove the cam shaft which is fairly easy then see if you can lift out the hydraulic buckets.You will soon see if there is a problem at worst screwed up .Reading through your reply to ringo you said you removed the glow plugs due to not being able to turn it .It could be there was mechanical issues allready there when you got it.Or it might have had valve interference to piston due to incorrect cambelt timing.

Completely differnent things happen in the tdi. 1Y and AAZ do not bend valves easy bit the pistons are very soft.

SplendiferousII wrote:The head is off. No sign at all of pistons and valves clashing !

But the head is cracked between the valves on all 4 cylinders.

Is this fixable?

Cracks between the valves is normal, how big the cracks are is the iffy bit, aprox how wide are they?

If pistons look good on top they have not collasped lower down normally.

there is no signs at all of the pistons and valves touching. no marks at all in the soot on top of the pistons.

This is the best I can do for the moment with photos'

http://www2.adrenalintrip.net/cylinder- ... 63&start=0

The cracks are not hairline cracks but not gapping either. MAybe a couple of thou wide and running right across.

I am no expert on these cracks but on my 1.6td head this had cracks across valves but only hair line and it had no effect on coolent or pressure loss.Its difficult to see yours cleary but they look large & wonder if they extend further in the head.You need an other opinion with knowledge about this hopefull some one will come along.

Having phoned around today I have come up with mixed messages on to scrap or to use again.

Most engine reconditioners have said. Cracks between the valves are common and that unless they are gapping and over a mm wide then refit and don't worry. Others have said have it pressure tested others have said have it skimmed. One has said if the edges of the crack are stepped (one higher than the other) it is knackered. Mine are stepped by a few thou.

There is a gap between my crack but its minimal maybe a couple of thou. But they are stepped.

What to do?

Its a tough one - the issue here is the time not the cost isnt it?

Personally, i'd change the engine for another. Make sure you get an engine with a warranty (scrappies will give a 2 month one normally) - ensuring you dont waste your money...

The engine sounds fubarred. Can you guarantee its just the head thats gone?

Dont forget, it may not have been your fault thats its knackered...

For £41, it may have come like that.

Ringo

Yes time and the fact I want a reliable van at the end of the day. Ok I have not pulled the big end caps and measured the crank but the cylinders are excellent and the oil pump was perfect and well within tolerances. So I don't think the motor has done a great deal of work. It was out of a little seat Inca van so not exactly a real work horse - but then you never know. The guy I bought it from (ebay) was a great bloke and genuinely told me it was a cracker (no pun intended)