Club 80-90 Forums

Major help need with cylinder head. My head gasket went on the Jx and it needed a replacement head. I've replaced the head put it all back together and it started leaking water out of the side near the second injector. On further inspection I've notice one of the water channels is actually over the side of the head. I had photos of the head off and compared them to my old head and the water channel seems to be slightly different on just one port the heads seem identical minus this. Anybody have any ideas. Any help would be much appreciated(see pics)

No oilway either on the dirty head. Completely different heads by the look of it.

What was wrong with the original head?

Oldiebut goodie wrote:No oilway either on the dirty head. Completely different heads by the look of it.

The dirty head is the original Jx head mate which is identical to another Jx head I have but that's knackered.

Oldiebut goodie wrote:What was wrong with the original head?

The original head suffered head gasket failure mate and there's cracks in between the valves I think it's a bit to far gone to be honest. The part number in this replacement head which I have now removed is 068 103 374G I think it may be a mk2 golf

There are always cracks between the valves - usually nothing to worry about at all.
Can't see that VW ever used a JX in a Golf in my list of VW engines, only in T25s. JR - yes. Looks like you may be trying to use a hydraulic head instead of the original mechanical to me? Someone else may be able to identify it immediately.
If the clean one is the replacement I wouldn't use it due to the cracks in the pre-combustion inserts. They would worry me more than any cracks between the valves - every head that I have taken off has had them and I should think that others will tell you the same.
Is the original head warped? At present I can't see why it has been condemned.
This was the last JX head that I removed from a JX engine. ( Still scurrying around in the workshop somewhere)


If you were to put your location in your profile it would be easier to know where you are. ( Delved into your details - Port Talbot/ so no point me offering this head to try - there were no problems when the engine was replaced)

Oldiebut goodie wrote: If you were to put your location in your profile it would be easier to know where you are.

Thanks for the reply in near Swansea in South Wales. I have 2 Jx heads at the moment the one from this that's the one with cracks but they are quite big and has no cam shaft. I then have another Jx head that suffered timing belt failure so has a couple of bent valves. Having never replaced valves I'm not sure what's involved. I'm wondering wether I can swap the cam from the one with belt failure back in to my old head with the cracks. When the HG failed it went In the left corner and was losing water from that area so I'm not sure if the head is warpped either. I pm'd you regarding your head

Easy enough to check if it is warped with a straight edge - a decent chipboard kitchen worktop is pretty good for telling if it is catastrophically warped as a rough idea.

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Easy enough to check if it is warped with a straight edge - a decent chipboard kitchen worktop is pretty good for telling if it is catastrophically warped as a rough idea.

Think I'd rather just replace with a complete head to be honest mate as the cam is missing. How much you looking for yours?

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Easy enough to check if it is warped with a straight edge - a decent chipboard kitchen worktop is pretty good for telling if it is catastrophically warped as a rough idea.

Do you know if I can just swap the cam shaft over into the other head with cracks? Thanks

They each have one like this one - a lot finer than that one that I can see in yours:

I'll take this off your hands mate

I'll carry on boxing it up in a while then.

Ok mate if I can book delivery in the next 45 mins I can get it collected tomrrow