. Right after though, the water pump started leaking. I got the bently manual and replaced it. The problem was with the coolant. It had a lot of oil and maybe carbon sludge in it. I noticed the coolant pressure seemed high after I got it running again. I re-tightened a few loose-ish head bolts but no change. Is it a new head gasket in my future? I just picked up a free 80 dasher parts car. Should I just rebuild an engine and get it over with? Should I upgrade to a 1.9l na? Or should I just use one of these 2 engines? Or upgrade one to hydraulic lifters with a 1.9l head? I found a guy on e-bay says he can build a 1.9l na crate engine for $1900. Seem reasonable? Will all my stuff swap or would I need a donor 1.9 for brackets/ect? Thanks for your help.New guy new to vw diesels. Caddy w/ bad engine?
Moderator: Fatmobile
New guy new to vw diesels. Caddy w/ bad engine?
Hi everybody! I'm new to the vw diesel experience but I already love it! I picked up an 81 caddy recently that was supposedly rebuilt recently by a tractor mechanic the farmer former owner knew. I drove it home 150 miles on the interstate and had no prob, got about 55mpg . Right after though, the water pump started leaking. I got the bently manual and replaced it. The problem was with the coolant. It had a lot of oil and maybe carbon sludge in it. I noticed the coolant pressure seemed high after I got it running again. I re-tightened a few loose-ish head bolts but no change. Is it a new head gasket in my future? I just picked up a free 80 dasher parts car. Should I just rebuild an engine and get it over with? Should I upgrade to a 1.9l na? Or should I just use one of these 2 engines? Or upgrade one to hydraulic lifters with a 1.9l head? I found a guy on e-bay says he can build a 1.9l na crate engine for $1900. Seem reasonable? Will all my stuff swap or would I need a donor 1.9 for brackets/ect? Thanks for your help.
. Right after though, the water pump started leaking. I got the bently manual and replaced it. The problem was with the coolant. It had a lot of oil and maybe carbon sludge in it. I noticed the coolant pressure seemed high after I got it running again. I re-tightened a few loose-ish head bolts but no change. Is it a new head gasket in my future? I just picked up a free 80 dasher parts car. Should I just rebuild an engine and get it over with? Should I upgrade to a 1.9l na? Or should I just use one of these 2 engines? Or upgrade one to hydraulic lifters with a 1.9l head? I found a guy on e-bay says he can build a 1.9l na crate engine for $1900. Seem reasonable? Will all my stuff swap or would I need a donor 1.9 for brackets/ect? Thanks for your help.Welcome to the forum, and that's a lot of questions. For the oil in the coolant and high pressures, you may have a bad head gasket, or something along those lines allowing combustion gasses into the coolant. If you do a compression check on the motor, this will give you a better picture of the condition of the engine. Or, when the engine is stone cold, you can start the car and run it for 20-30 seconds then shut it off. If there's pressure built up in the cooling system, then likely combustion gasses are getting into the coolant, as that's not enough run time to allow the pressure to naturally build.
For the questions, the 1.9 swap is not necessarily a bolt in swap, from what I understand. Unless you're good at custom fabricating brackets to mount the engine/trans in the car, think about this one further. There's also cost differences between all the options and nobody here knows your budget constraints. As for doing a complete rebuild for an engine, once again, budget is unknown, and the condition of both of your 1.5/1.6L engines is not fully known until you disassemble them. You may be able to get by with a simple head gasket replacement, but then you will not know until you disassemble the motor and go from there. Decisions, decisions, but they are one's that you need to make.
For the questions, the 1.9 swap is not necessarily a bolt in swap, from what I understand. Unless you're good at custom fabricating brackets to mount the engine/trans in the car, think about this one further. There's also cost differences between all the options and nobody here knows your budget constraints. As for doing a complete rebuild for an engine, once again, budget is unknown, and the condition of both of your 1.5/1.6L engines is not fully known until you disassemble them. You may be able to get by with a simple head gasket replacement, but then you will not know until you disassemble the motor and go from there. Decisions, decisions, but they are one's that you need to make.
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Thanks for the quick reply! I just got back from picking up the Dasher. From the receipts in the car, the head gasket was replaced in 2006. I'm not sure why it was abandoned or when it was last running. I'd like to keep the hassles to a minimum as far as the swapping/rebuilding goes. I'm just wanting something that will be dependable and easy to maintain, and since I have a spare engine now I'll probably just go back stock. The seats in the Dasher are much nicer and I'm hoping they'll swap,since the driver side in the Caddy is pretty beat down. Any other useful/hard to find/expensive parts I should grab?
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Quantum TD
- Turbo Charger
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If you have oil in your coolant, then chances are good you have a cracked block. I rarely see oil in coolant unless the block is cracked. I only say this because you have a 1981 truck, which presumably has the 11mm head bolts. You really can't rebuild those motors without head studs, and I'm sure hill-billy tractor mechanic did not know that.
You'll know if you have 11mm head bolts, if you used a simple allen-style socket to tighten the bolts.
If that's the case, look for cracks in the block near the mounting bracket on the pass side.
Your 1980 Dasher should have the same engine. I'd look for similar problems.
Also, if you were getting 55 MPG, I'd definitely save the pump and injectors off the current motor that's in your truck.
Is your Dasher a wagon??? I know someone here in Nashville that's looking for a Dasher wagon. Maybe you could recoup some money.
You'll know if you have 11mm head bolts, if you used a simple allen-style socket to tighten the bolts.
If that's the case, look for cracks in the block near the mounting bracket on the pass side.
Your 1980 Dasher should have the same engine. I'd look for similar problems.
Also, if you were getting 55 MPG, I'd definitely save the pump and injectors off the current motor that's in your truck.
Is your Dasher a wagon??? I know someone here in Nashville that's looking for a Dasher wagon. Maybe you could recoup some money.
oil
ON the 1.6's we have replace numerous head gaskets where the oil seal on the head gasket has failed and resulted in oil entering the water. We have used Dawn detergent or castol oil eater to flush out the system, replace coolant and expansion tank and never had any oil reappear.
If it doesn't rattle it isnt a diesel! 35mpg for a motorhome! 106 mph! www.vixenrv.org