broken down already, with an expensive tow truck bill

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:31 pm

Sorry to hear about the results. That's a real bummer. It doesn't take much for the pistons to hit the valves on these engines.

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:09 pm

Piston to valve contact doesn't usually cause the heads of the valves to break off. Usually just kinda mashes the valve stem, shatters the lifters and snaps the cam. I imagine the head fell off the valve and that is what caused the timing belt not the other way around, but it's hard telling. Regardless the result isn't different other than possibly making you feel better about yourself. Sorry to hear of the destruction.

Andrew

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:32 pm

wow that dose suck, these diesels are VERY close interference engines as when i was setting my cam i felt pistion contact in less than a 1/16th turn of the cam...your car is a nice "newer" car so keep it and dig around for a new head, bore it out if needed. iv had pistion to valve contact happen on a few dirtbikes due to extreme overreving that caused valve float and when it went it was pretty bad sounding, kinda like feeding a spoon to the garbage disposal when knocked a huge hole in the center of the pistion and all the pieces went into the bikes tranny- locked the rear tire up solid even with the clutch pulled in, no fun.
Hang in there, maybe you will find a dead or totaled 1.6 laying behind someones house and score the engine for next to nothing.

woodrat · Post by **woodrat** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:16 pm

libbybapa wrote:Piston to valve contact doesn't usually cause the heads of the valves to break off. Usually just kinda mashes the valve stem, shatters the lifters and snaps the cam. I imagine the head fell off the valve and that is what caused the timing belt not the other way around, but it's hard telling. Regardless the result isn't different other than possibly making you feel better about yourself. Sorry to hear of the destruction.

Andrew

That is exactly what I was thinking actually. But it was a new German head when I put it on there, although I guess I have no idea what valves were used in it. I got it off of ebay, and it was not easy to find a hydraulic one.

I looked there again today and only found one hydraulic core that had a crack between the valve seat and the pc chamber, and that doesn't look good. My local VW friendly machine shop said that he would look at my head and tell me if it could be welded and rebuilt; that would make my life easier than finding another head.

I don't mind so much pulling this one apart and rebuilding it when I can afford it, what I really mind is the fact that I needed this as a daily driver. I haven't been able to find a transmission for my carat anywhere, and that's just one of the many things my carat needs to be driveable, and I haven't been able to find an engine or a head for this one anywhere, either.

I'll put up some pix in a minute...

woodrat · Post by **woodrat** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:31 pm

I've seen machine shops do wonders, but I don't know about this...

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:52 pm

yup, been there on the bikes before- actually the valve face fell out of the header when i took it off

This could be the falure of the valve if its only on one cylinder, as a loose belt should have caused more than one cylinder to be munched up.