Cylinder Head Renewal, blown head gasket. The cheapest way possible. =O)

[Kalabalik1]

Hi All DSM:ers!!

You all helped me out here to find out my problem and the problem was a blown headgasket duo to a number of things.

So since Im in a very poor state right now and REALLY, REALLY need my 1g daily driver I have decided to try to rebuild the head myself.

I have done I think everything myself without the milling of the head.

I found out that the gasket blew very easy duo to alot of faults:

1. I saw that the head was milled a lot allready, about 0.03 inches.
2. 5, head bolt spacers wasn't there at all.
3. 2 of my intake valves was really badly burned.

So i guess just a fart of overheating blew the gasket.

Back to the process:

I milled it down and took measurements and now a big problem, im missing 0.047 inches from original and that is BAD for a turbo engine.
So now im stuck with no money because my last money is gone for the parts on ebay, timing belt kit, head gasket kit (MLS), my new intake valves and the MILLING for about 50 bucks.

Now after A LOT of research about this, instead of buying a new or a used head wich I don't have money for at all right now, i found out that copper or steel shims can be used to restore the compression ratio.

But in my case a 0.047 inches thick steel shim would not properly seal so i decided to use 2 copper shims like a sandwich over the mls gasket.

Like I said, I did a lot of research if it would work at all and here in Sweden they really don't know about the shim method so nobody can really give me a spec if it will really work or not at all.

Some say no and some say I don't see why it should NOT work.
And im talking about head builders, mechanics and these type of people that work with this.

I went to the scrapyard and got some copperplates but they only existed here around in 0.024 inches thick and what I think now that two copper plates of 0.024" plates will give me the factory measurements of the head but before I do ANY OF THIS i NEEDED to take the discussion here FIRST.

Because you ALL are my masters for this beautiful Car.
I will post a lot of pictures of my work so ya'll can see what on earth Im doing.
Belive me If I had tons of money I would never bother.
My hands really hurt, Im doing everything by hand because the lack of tools and what not.

Yesterday I got copper in my eyes..........Wasn't fun at all, but now I found my Glasses and Its all good. =O)
Have just one more copper plate to cut out. =O)

That is my dilemma and where Im at right now. =O(

Pictures coming soon tomorrow.


Sincerely Alex

 

[bstaley]

Wow hand cutting copper shims . Very dedicated to saving some coin. I got a ,like new condition, head from craigslist for a 50 spot. After my mill and little thicker gasket I used that permetex copper spray. Have had no issues at all. Just a thought.

 

[daniel dee]

I suggest a routine of torqueing , retorqing the head bolts hot and cold for 500km.

 

[Kalabalik1]

Wow hand cutting copper shims . Very dedicated to saving some coin. I got a ,like new condition, head from craigslist for a 50 spot. After my mill and little thicker gasket I used that permetex copper spray. Have had no issues at all. Just a thought.

Thanks.
The real plan here is when i can afford it ill change the engine if i can find one in a good condition that hasn't ran that much.
And do a total rebuild, I got a lot of performance parts on when I bought the car so I really want to make everything work as good as possible.

Right hight in head measurements, new valves, basically everything replanished or how you say it, totally restore it to new condition basically.
Thats the ULTIMATE plan, but we'll see when that happens. =O)

ps: posting pictures soon.

Sincerely Alex

I suggest a routine of torqueing , retorqing the head bolts hot and cold for 500km.

Im planning to re torque first after i start it the first time, let it reach normal temp, turn it off, let it cool down over night then re-torque bolt by bolt (loosening and then to torque specs, and then the next bolt the same, and the next and the next etc)....

Did you mean i check the torque after 500km and if needed i re torque again?? Right??

Sincerely Alex

ps: pics anytime now

Here are some pictures of the work.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Sincerely Alex

 

[Kalabalik1]

This piece of shit wont start at all now!!!!!

 

[obsidian]

Dude, you HAVE to quit doing things the cheap way. There is a company that will sell custom spaced copper head gaskets. look them up as I can't remember.

You wonder why the car won't start when you did SOOOO MUCH cheap ass work. My car runs spot on. When I picked her up she didn't.

Why?

Because I do things the right way and try not to cheap out when I can help it. Which is all the time. If I can't afford it, I wait.

Find you another head and a proper headgasket and try again.

Or,

Find out why it won't start. Get us some compression numbers.

 

[Boomdeeze]

You say its a piece of shit because it probably is, look how bad you rigged it especially on the HG. If I would of saw this thread before you installed it, I would have put money down that something is gonna go wrong or it wont last long. You need to pull it back out and do it the right way. If you can't, then sell it and buy a honda.

 

[Kalabalik1]

Dude, you HAVE to quit doing things the cheap way. There is a company that will sell custom spaced copper head gaskets. look them up as I can't remember.

You wonder why the car won't start when you did SOOOO MUCH cheap ass work. My car runs spot on. When I picked her up she didn't.

Why?

Because I do things the right way and try not to cheap out when I can help it. Which is all the time. If I can't afford it, I wait.

Find you another head and a proper headgasket and try again.

Or,

Find out why it won't start. Get us some compression numbers.

You really know what your talking about, If I wait for money then god knows how long it will take plus I really want to drive it, PLUS if you find me the site with the copper shims for this car then you are the king.

And you mean that my head gasket job cause it now to get no spark at all?
IT'S GOTTA BE THE GASKET......duuuuuuuuuuh!!!

You say its a piece of shit because it probably is, look how bad you rigged it especially on the HG. If I would of saw this thread before you installed it, I would have put money down that something is gonna go wrong or it wont last long. You need to pull it back out and do it the right way. If you can't, then sell it and buy a honda.

That it wouldn't last long that I could take.
I just need It to go buy the head and the things it needs.
It is far away from me so i need the car for it.
And so you know, the "shitty" head gasket job is SURELY causing my no spark problem, yes!

You too, duuuuuuuuuuuuuh!!!!

 

[Seamus]

Ahh its you again. Are you going to attack everyone who helps you in this thread when you don't like their advice?

These guys produce custom shims to your specs.
Innovative Machine & Supply


You are probably getting no spark because you failed to hook somehting up properly when you put it together. Again, this is the least of your worries.

Did you follow any advice from your previous thread? Because that motor is cooked, and you will be the luckiest man in the world if the headgasket was your only problem.

 

[Kalabalik1]

Ahh its you again. Are you going to attack everyone who helps you in this thread when you don't like their advice?

These guys produce custom shims to your specs.
Innovative Machine & Supply


You are probably getting no spark because you failed to hook somehting up properly when you put it together. Again, this is the least of your worries.

Did you follow any advice from your previous thread? Because that motor is cooked, and you will be the luckiest man in the world if the headgasket was your only problem.

I attack anyone who attacks me, come on now, do you read what they all write?
Some of them are really not helping just HACKING on me.
Im really trying here. I attack them and not people like you for instance.

To answer you questions: Yes Iv'e done just about anything people told me here, i have no other than you guys and the mechanic a little close to me who I hang out at almost everyday trying to learn and find out whats going on.
I just cannot afford bringing it to him just yet. =O(

I quadruple checked all the wirings and hoses, everything is hooked up right.
I know it's the least of my worries, but can it just START?? So I can find out if my gasket holds or if anything will hold.... the fix I did on the head has nothing to do with me getting no spark or is it really?? If it is then what could it be??
All the timing marks are aligned thus the CEL light wont come on at all.
The boost and the rev gauge needle should move while cranking but they are not moving at all, only the temp needle moved a little.
Im really stumped. =O/



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Please any help is appreciated, yall can hack too i get all that but i have to tell you that i don't have a lot of privileges to do much right, as you can see Im a sort of jury rigger because of money trouble. And a lot of times handmade is MUCH better than aftermarket low quality fabrication.
If I could fabricate the WHOLE car in brass and titanium, I would, as if i had money I WOULD change the head, engine, all other stuff that needs changing.
But understand me right now, IT ALL ABOUT THE DOE!!!!!

Sincerely Alex

 

[Boomdeeze]

Well maybe you slit a wire when removing the head. I would start by checking the wiring to make sure none is cut and then trace each plug to its connector.

You by chance didn't swap the coil pack plug with the A/C plug did you? I know they are similar so if you aren't getting any spark, I would check to be sure they are plugged into the correct places.

 

[Kalabalik1]

Well maybe you slit a wire when removing the head. I would start by checking the wiring to make sure none is cut and then trace each plug to its connector.

You by chance didn't swap the coil pack plug with the A/C plug did you? I know they are similar so if you aren't getting any spark, I would check to be sure they are plugged into the correct places.

Thanks a lot for the reply.
Iv'e checked all the connectors, all are in the right place. I know, the connector is simllar but it wont fit in to the coil pack. The only one round/triangle like that is there is going to the coil as i can see, i have current up to there but on the cable harness from there, no current at all. (injectors, TPS, CAS).
But I have current to the rest of the sensors after the CAS that are in the same harness.
Could my ECU just stop working from out of nowhere?? Or CAS??
I have no illumination on my check engine light when i turn on the ignition, I had all that before removing the head, hear no sound in the engine(you know that fast clicking electrical noise from the CAS or TPS when you turn the ignition to ON), now nothing. =O(
I can't take this anymore, MY BRAIN WILL BLOW UP!!!
What really could I do from here, cant test another ECU because i cannot find it in this country.
How should I test what this could be? =O(




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Please ANYONE??




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I took out the ECU and it does not look quite that good. =O(

Anyone have one for sale for a 92 tsi?
Or does anybody wanna buy the car?

 

[Kalabalik1]

Weeks now and no reply!!!!!
COME ON!!!
Does nobody know what the F**K it is?

I have no CEL and anti lock is flashing just one second.
That's it. Tried replacing stuff in the ECU that seemed burned and leaked but still no AVAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still waiting for my ECU from ebay.........nothing yet for two weeks.
I think Im ripped off!!!!!
Nice luck huh guys.............

 

[DSMnoobsause]

If you have bad grounds or if you removed any ground wires put them back on.

 

[DSMnoobsause]

Also have you checked to see if your cams are spinning when turning the car over? If not your belt is crap and that's why you have no spark.

 

[Kalabalik1]

Yes It was A lot cheper but it didn't work at ALL so if somebody ever thinking about cheaping it out, DON'T.
Proper way is the only way. =O)