Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

hooligan6a wrote:Would it run at all if the head was warped?

Yes, it can run. It may even run fairly well, but it can start harder on cold starts, smoke more or leak.

Also when the engine overheated It would not start so I waited several hours and I did start it but it ran very rough and white smoke came out the exhaust. The very least it has a blown head gasket. maybe a warped head. Well, when you get the head off, take a metal straight edge and a feeler gauge ...

Welcome to the forum. I just wanted to re-emphasize what 82vdub said. If you have a 1981 VW, get headstuds, they really really REALLY help! Timing is the big thing for the rebuild, make sure you pick up a Bentley and time it right. Turn it over by hand once you have it timed to make sure its correct.

82vdub wrote:That's great news! Congrats on the successful job

Just drove 1,300 miles home, it ran GREAT! No smoke, no oil consumption, excellent power!

I remember my first runaway....that had my heart pounding, less for my safety more for the safety of my engine

I'll throw my solution in: 30% mixture of degreasing solution (I used Purple Power, some generic cleaner) 70% mixture scalding water. Soak for 30 minutes, removes and scrub with a bristle brush, dump the mixture and make a fresh, hot mixture and soak again, repeat. Took EVERYTHING off my pistons, lo...

I have found repeatedly that black sealant works better than any actual gasket I can buy, just apply liberally and seal the components, let the sealant dry then tighten the bolts after an hour, voila no leaks!

Now what do you mean by 'drilled out the crankcase breather holes to full size?

I am quite happy now!

No Oil Consumption and No Coolant Loss or Coolant Pressure, engine cranks quickly and starts fast, its like new!

All done: Pulled pistons, installed new pistons ring sets, cleaned and reinstalled pistons, cleaned head and block, de-glazed and honed cylinders, installed new ARP headstuds and bolts, torqued to 100 ft/lbs (calls for 90), adjusted injection pump timing, re-assembled everything and refilled with ne...

We're all human and subject to mistakes - myself included :shock: I don't know what the + means on the piston. Could be a mark to indicate towards the front of the engine, or could be a mark placed by some quality control inspection. You did hone the cylinders, right? How did the area around the ri...

We're all human and subject to mistakes - myself included :shock: I don't know what the + means on the piston. Could be a mark to indicate towards the front of the engine, or could be a mark placed by some quality control inspection. You did hone the cylinders, right? How did the area around the ri...

Welp, degreased and cleaned the pistons, new rings fitted, and reinstalled into engine (properly) and torqued to 33 ft lbs. Turning over by hand, engine already feels a little grippier, but still turns freely

Question: My pistons have a + mark on the top, what does that mean?

A lot of people find themselves in your shoes. Also want to restate what bscutt said, do not mix and match rods and their caps (or mains and caps either). If you do, you will all but guarantee you will be taking the motor apart very quickly, if it even will assemble properly or not bind when turnin...

If you have that much of a ridge at the top of the cylinder, your cylinder wall may be worn past tolerance and it may be best to overbore the cylinder and install new oversized pistons. Diesel wear tolerances are very very small... on your engine 0.003" max... so the general rule is that if yo...

As bscutt said, you will need to use the same size rings as the pistons. Oversize pistons require the same oversize ring set. The end gaps will be messed up if you try something different. The rings will also most likely need to be installed facing the correct way, per the manufacturers instruction...