Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,
I've had my 1.9DG WBX built up with new big bore barrel and piston kit and one new AMC head (original was cracked).
Bought the head from The VW Engine Company and their website (Waterboxer 1.9-2.1 Cylinder Head, Complete (company.site)) states that 'This cylinder head does not require the use of head rings'. I confirmed that with them on the phone and the guy stated that was correct and the head 'had something in place of them' which sounded very vague. When I received the head there is nothing in place at all, the head is just machined to take the top of the barrel, with a flat machined surface where the barrel meets the head, but I passed on the instruction to the engine builder.
Thankfully he managed to a*** up the water seal on the new head and it leaked, when he removed the head to replace the seal he noticed the pistons had been impacting the head (only run for a few minutes) so much that one of the piston numbers was imprinted on the head .

Should the AMC heads use the metal head rings? I can't find a reference anywhere else that states that they don't need/use the head rings.

Thanks, Chris.

The vwenginecompany.

R0B wrote: ↑13 Sep 2024, 12:43 The vwenginecompany.

Yeah, certainly seems that way. Seen multiple Youtube vids with people installing the head rings with the AMC heads including Marco from Mansispeed machining the heads so the ring sits correctly..
I assume that vwenginecompany build their engines with no head rings??

Chris.

Rebuilt my 2.1 in 2022.
Running AMC heads with fire rings. Can't see how it could possibly work without them.

Good grief.

Sent from my moto g(30) using Tapatalk

Yeah there appears to be a defect in the castings so there is a lip on some batches that doesnt allow the ring to seat correctly. Marco made AMC aware of it so new batches shouldn't have it.

The head rings were discontinued in air cooled stuff due to them being more susceptible to blowing , they are generally used on AMC heads though I’m not sure why