Bad News From the Block

[hagar]

chrischris -----if weather holds ---I shall measure bores and thread.. It was my spare engine for Fraulein Bunny Clunk.--------then I got interested in Turbo stuff . bring bearing caps --they are line bored.

hagar.

[hagar]

weather held-----SO ? here it is --IMHO this is a good block.

VW JK 909 228 VW. ---bore 3 inches wear ? none NIL. RUST ? yes.

as soon as I find my --BUCKET-- of head bolts ----thread's will be known.

hagar.

[chrischris]

Thanks hagar. If you say its good, I will trust you. I am going to get my block pulled as soon as possible. Please let me know when I can make the trip.

[hagar]

chrischris : please bring me a "Pioneer" regulation Amerikan flag. (I pay)

Headbolts are same thread as 1.5 L block's.

I do more checking today.---------that block is genuine German made.

hagar.

[hagar]

Are the VW 11 mm Head bolts strong enough ??----IMHO yes , and I did a lot of testing.

NEVER heard of one failing.-----BUT I do not reuse if rusted, pitted or they are stretched.----and yes I do manaflux em.

hagar.

[hagar]

chrischris and ALL : hagar likes "STUDS" --go to Boeings Surplus store and pick up say 30 ? if too long ? I have a Lathe..

Ask Roger Brown about studs. ----I insist on "Rolled" threads --NOT cut on a lathe.----if Raceway is only choice get them.

They will use ALL the thread in block , bolts do not.

hagar.

[chrischris]

Hagar, my grandmother in Oregon has been quite sick so I have been set back. I will hopefully get my engine pulled this week. I will keep you posted.

[A1-2-A3]

Well, I got my project car on the road. I myself have a 11mm POS block as well. I spent 2500 on machining and parts on the motor, I drove it 650kms and ol came up in the coolant but it runs fine and don't miss a beat. I drive it home and pull the head. I found three hair line cracks on three different bolt holes. I followed all the "procedures" No oil or water in the holes, block head all magnafluxed. All torqued to correct specs of 66ft-lbs. I don't know what to do now. I feel like burning the car and collecting the insurance. Everyhthing on the car is looking good. I painted it myself this last winter. I feel sick. I would have to say ANYONE with a 11mm block drive it till it dies and scrap it. Do not waste money on these POS motors, don't make the same mistake I did as they are fragile.
You think I can put headstuds in like ARP and put sealant on the treads? Can a machine shop weld the tiny cracks? If I am to repair this by getting another block and spending 500 bucks or so on more machine work and swapping my crank and everything over I am probably very likely this is to happen again? Not very much good news on this old diesels. I think I read a thread about this guy with this orange block that dropped the Pre Chambers into the cylinders.
Are the 12mm blocks more reliable and last almost 1000kms after rebuild? I am too angry right now to talk any sense.
I think the problem was vw uses too short of headbolts and they can not handle the torque setting that we put on them. If only they would have used a couple more threads in the damn block I would have not been in this mess. ARP headstuds are 120bucks US and they can not find the ones for my car i have talked to two guys at ARP today before I checked more into my motor to find the hairline crack. They don't know if its 11mm or 12mm and then direct me to a Canadian dealer that will probably cost 250-300. Anyone really know the part numbers for the 11mm head with the 1.6 block. ARP wanted to know the length I need and all that which on the phone I didn't know and maybe have to measure and hope it all works anyways...If I have to get a new block I would have saved over 1k on a tdi swap. Only to be stupid and run a old eggshell diesel..

[Fatmobile]

That's rough to hear.
Did I ever tell you the story about the guy who brough his Rabbit to the dealership for a new head? $3500 later; his threads are stripped out and he's towing it home.

The headstuds for the 11mm blocks is the same as all 8V VW engines.
Tell them you want them for a 1.8, '84, GTI or something. Wish I had a part number remembered. There is more info on the GTD forum.
I watch the vortex for them and got a used set for cheap, seen a few other used sets on there.
Machine work on another block shouldn't be much, just get it bored, cleaned,... mess with the I-shaft bushings,... could even reuse seals.
Still $300 and many hours on top of what you've already spent isn't cheap.

[chrischris]

A1-2-A3,

I am very sorry to hear all that has happened. I can only imagine how frustrated you feel after all your hard work and money went into your vehicle.

I contemplated giving up on my pickup after my most recent trouble but decided to stick it out. I would encourage you to do the same as these cars are worth it. One thing is for sure, I have learned a lot about diesel engines, even if it was the hard and expensive way.

I ordered my head studs from Summit racing and purchased the 1.8 gas 8 valve kit. These are the correct head studs for the 11mm engines.

If you were in Seattle, I would gladly buy you a beer. Maybe we could start a support group for those with 11mm engines

Hagar, I pulled the engine and have the block on the engine stand. I will be taring down the block to get it to you soon. See picture bellow. If you are going to use the cracked block as a demo, would you like me to have it boiled clean before we swap?

Does everyone feel headstuds on the 11 mm engine is strong enough or should I just go all out with a 12mm setup?

[hagar]

chriscris : DO NOT REMOVE IS leave as is. DO NOT CLEAN BLOCK.

11 mm studs are plenty strong ----NEVER DRILL A BLOCK to fit 12 mm ----this post is unusual for hagar to write ---WHY ? --- my policy is ONLY how hagar would do things.

I had a bad accident last week ----SO ? ---I go to hospital every day to have dressings changed.

I will keep you posted.

hagar.

[A1-2-A3]

Hope you get better again hagar. Anyone have a good junk 11mm block laying around?

[A1-2-A3]

Hmm, you think if I put sealant on the head studs like rtv red or even JB weld on the threads it might work? You think a guy could get it welded where the cracks are on the three holes I have, the cracks are soo small, I screwed one in by hand with a bit of oil on the threads and I could see where the oil pressed thru the crack to the coolant port. The only thing would be if the crack would get worse as this thing vibrates down the road. If it didn't work I would be out 65 bucks for another head gasket and another 3 hours of labour as these things are like working on a lawnmover engine its so easy. I guess the JB weld idea if failed would require another set of headstuds as they would be screwed.
Probably another block...I should take a pic of these cracks for yall, everyone likes a crack and a laugh, its the VW diesel comedy hour.

[woodrat]

do the 12mm hydraulic engines have head bolt trouble as well? As long as I have to rebuild my engine, should I be considering studs as well?

[A1-2-A3]

You know what, the 12mm are supposed to be all ok, but having this experience with my 11mm if I could go back in time studs would have been in there even if they cost 500 bucks they would be in without a question. And yeah people will sit back and say you did this and that wrong, well whatever I say. I did everything to spec and procedure. I would say that installing a head on a 11mm is a gamble with the factory bolts ALWAYS use headstuds. The 12mm doesn't seem to have problems when done right. I didn't crack my block not anywhere nearly as bad as chrischris, but cracked is cracked right? So If you ask would I put headstuds myself in a 12mm block, yep in a heartbeat wihtout question to prevent anything stupid like this from happening again. But there should really be no problem the 12mm bolts actually go into the block enough to prevent stripping and cracking.