I think I've just knackered the engine in my MK2 Golf (1.8 with carbs).

Okay, so it was my fault- let the water run low. There wasn't zero water but not much! There certainly wasn't enough to get any heat from the blower!

Now, it has trouble physically turning over on the starter to start the engine (although will eventually)- it sounds like the battery is flat- ie. it's unable to turn it.
Does this mean I've seized the engine?

Once it does start then there is a lot of white smoke out the back and moisture too.

I notice the oil has gone white too. Not mayonaise-like as in when water gets in the oil but white. Is this what happens when you overheat the oil?

Really gutted as although it's done a lot of miles it has a lot of sentimental value so I don't want to scrap it!

Any ideas? Or are there more things I should investigate?

Please help! I'm 'lucky' enough to be able to borrow my girlfriend's 'N' reg 1.1 Fiesta whilst I fix the Golf- but it's depressingly rubbish to drive!

Cheers,
James

[Edited on 6/10/05 by James]

sounds like its trying to hydraulic, cracked worped head not sure if they have liners bung another lump in it

head gasket mate, classic signs I'm afraid!!

Rich.

head gasket , cooked the motor , did it over heat ?

fairly straight forward on those

Yep, get the head off... have a look see what damage you've done. quicker to stick new lump in though probably. Time for a 1.8Turbo engine i recon

Whip the head off mate anhd have a look. Sounds like its got a bit too hot.

Engines must be cheap for them though just bung another one in. Easy job.

James

get a more powerfull battery !!

steve

Sorry James.....sounds like the head gasket mate!

Fozzie

white exhaust is steam, ie water into cylinder. Mayonaise oil is water into oil. It is definately the head gasket or the head warped.

At least you can skim it as you fix it!

ps, i keep cracking plugs as ive got a hole in my rad, and the head overheats. I have to fill it every morning!

[Edited on 6/10/05 by JoelP]

Potential engine donor on ebay for £1?

Here

HTH

Mike

Like it has been said earlier in the thread first thing to try is turning it over with the plugs out if any water is in the bores trying to force the engine over could crack a piston.

If it has been seriously cooked -- the piston rings will have over heated and lost thier temper - but it might no show up for a few months. -- another engine is the best route.

[Edited on 6/10/05 by britishtrident]

any last year mclaren V10,s you could drop in?

sounds about time for the vr6 conversion you keeping mentioning jim let us know if you need a hand with it.

Ned.

Practical performance car has just run an article on puting the 1.8T engine into the Mk2. looks like it would be a fun project, with lots of potential power upgrades.

ditch

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone and the offer of help Ned.

I definately fancy the idea of the engine upgrade. And it probably would be the 1.8T over the vr6 if I did do it.
But I'm a little scared of the insurance implications of doing it. And also, the amount of time if would take me to do! I was intending to do something major with the Golf anyway- but it was reliant on having the Locost finished so I still had a daily driver!
And I don't think I'll quite finish the Locost this week!

The GTI as posted by Mike is pretty tempting as it'd be a straight swap (ish!) but again I'm unsure as to the further implications. Would I be right in thinking that a standard Golf with a GTI engine would cost more to insure than an original GTI in insurance terms?

Cheers,
James

P.S. I now have a stinking cold and working on the car in the rain really isn't doing it for me!

P.P.S. Oh, and Rach now wants her car back as she plans to drive it to Snowdon today- and I've gotta do an oil change and fix the drivers window first! Aaaaagh!

Jim,

Get in touch with your current insurers, then try adrian flux and HIC to name but a few to get some quotes on the costs of an upgrade.

Bear in mind the often forgotten bits, if your car is currently carb'd you will need an injection pump (prob in the tank) and return fuel lines etc even for a gti engine, so apart from cost of a 1.8t lump prob not a great deal more work for the install.

I have a copy of the ppc article if you don't.

cheers,

Ned.

Hmmm, could have had a replacement engine for 99p!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4579319830&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Have just re-read the PPC 1.8T article- very tempting! Looks like it'd only take a weekend it's so simple!

Think I'll just go with the head skim for the mo. Wish I knew if there was further damage!

Cheers,
James

Okay, bit of investigation has confirmed the head gasket gone. I think the main clue was hand turning the crank with the plugs out and half pint of water spraying me in the face!

Half midnight Friday saw the head off after having had to weld the 'C' clamp exhaust tool back together. Have spent most of today trying to get the manifolds off the head.

Two 4" cracks in the exhaust manifold might explain some of the noise it's been making too.

The nuts were as soft as chocolate so I had to grind off several which took out the threaded studs that go into the head to mount the exhaust with them. Do I need to replace these with originals or shall I just put socket caps straight into the head to mount the exhaust with? 12.9s seem to go rusty pretty quickly so maybe these aren't a good idea?

Cheers,
James

Be warned that VWs have a habit of cracking the head, so I'd be tempted to get it pressure tested first. Get as much off the white slop out as you possibly can, then change the oil often when first running the rebuilt engine as the crap gets everywhere. Speed is also of the essence as all the bearing surfaces/bores will have water in them and will rust at an alarming rate if left. Much easier to stick in another motor if the oil is very contaminated.

Okay, well I'm a bit stuck now as it's still got problems and I don't know what to do now. Sorry this post is so long but wanted to get all the info' in.


I removed the head and had it skimmed. A track had formed between one of the oil ways and no.1 cylinder. Guildford Autos took 12thou off the face and cleaned it up.
I put it all back together, fresh coolant, oil/filter. It ran but was pretty noisy at the top end. I thought this may be due to the new hydraulic tappets I'd fitted and would get better. It suddenly got more noisy so I turned it off.

Stripped the rocker cover off and turned it over on the starter. There was hardly any oil coming from the oil ways. When the oil did start flowing it was the colour of Baileys- ie. more water was getting in or there was still water from before.

Latest development:

I then put it back together and ran it again the following day- was less noisy then so I added flush to the oil and ran it for awhile. Drained oil and changed it and the filter again.

Thought all would be ok now so took it for a run up the road. 1/2mile away the oil pressure warning light/buzzer came on! Turn engine off and then on again and warning goes away but comes back after couple of minutes. Repeat and same again.

Brought car back home there's mayonaise in the dip tube/filler cap and the oil coming into the rocker box is Bailey's like again.

This leaves me with a few problems/questions:

Have I ballsed something up in the reassembly?
Have I fitted a dodgy head gasket?
Did they balls up the head skim?
Is there a crack between an oil/water galley? Or is it just old water still in the oil?
Is the oil pump knackered?
Is the warning switch knackered/intermittent? It's a new switch but it was coming on intermittently (wiring fault I think!) a few months ago.

Aaagh!

Anyone got any suggestions what to do next?
The 1.8T is a great idea for future project but at the mo I've got half a Locost and I'm on a Xmas deadline for that too.


Cheers,
James

[Edited on 26/10/05 by James]

its prolly mayo in the oil pimp/pressure valve,a good flush should clear it,leave oil filler cap off and let water evaporate when its running,any bubbles in water header tank and its cracked head etc

James U2U sent......

Fozzie

Foz,

u2u replied!

Cheers,
James