Sold a misadjusted engine - what to do??

...if he knew there was a problem and what it was...he screwed you, but this is unlikely. I consider the fact that the valves were severely mal-adjusted as his defense. Apparently he was simply mechanically un-inclined. If the valves were spot on and you had a dead valve that would be more suspicious. That would indicate a problem was recognized, and liek you he adjusted the valves to alleviate the problem...once the problem and ultimately the cost of fixing was discovered he bailed. As it is it sounds more like a case of the all to common disgust in VW's that stems from the unreliability that becomes common when no proper maintenance is performed. He prolly killed the last engine the same way and did not lear...but thought the van was Sooooo Kewwwwwlllll!!! So he plonked down the dough for a rebuilt engien,...then drove it without doing shit to teh new engine till it lost power and sold the POS nevber to own another "junk" VW. =-) It is a common story. Yes you need to pull the engine to pull the head.

..Gareth

On 23 Jul 2004 01:02:20 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com (Elijah Smith) ran around screaming and yelling:

it will NOT save you any hassle trying to pull the head in the vehicle...you do not need to learn the hard way as many of us have...we are all told NO you can't pull the head, and testosterone takes over, we examine the engine and stupidly say " *I* think *I* can..."....and yes you can...BUT several hours into it and a few busted knuckles, and a few lumps on the head later you think(quietly) "damn, i should have dropped the engine"....you won't admit it to anyone, so i will do it for you.... DROP THE ENGINE...especially in a bus...so easy to do... JT

You don't mention what the compression tester readings were AFTER adjusting the valves. OK, if #1 really did burn, DROP the engine. I don't think you have recourse.

As for the oil leak.....WHERE is it leaking??? If by chance, the oil appears between the engine and tranny, don't overlook the oil gallery plugs which are hidden behind the flywheel. These will pop right out without warning and leak massively. (Of course, the crank oil seal could be leaking.)

Speedy Jim

Elijah, It is my understanding from the story, that you have little or no real compression in #1 cylijnder. If the valves are adjusted properly, and the thing still has no appreciable compression change, then I will offer two (maybe more but for now these two) possibilities.

#1 with the valves adjusted poorly, the previous owner decided to "tune" the car by ear, adjusting the timing withought a timing light, and burned a hole in a piston. Burning a hole in #1 is kinda strange but could be achieved by incorrect ignition timing, coupled with vlave clearances being much worse on the one cylinder, but this seems odd to me.

#2 Broken rings on the #1 clinder causing the compression leak from hell. This (and the hole in piston scenario) would account for large oil leaks as there may be more pressure in the crank case than can be dealt with by the typical "open to the atmosphere" ventilation system for the crank case. as with water or electricity, pressure of the gaseous kinds ( air in this case) typically seeks the path of least resistance resulting in blown seals or such.

each of these are strictly possibilities, and will both require some testing or head removal for inspection, thus requiring engine removal. I don't suggest, any more than anyone else , that you try and pull a head with the engine still in the vehicle.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

Hold on, Partner. If the valves were that tight and open, then you would have got _no_ compression reading. Could it be that you "adjusted" the valves 180 degrees off the mark? (Is your dizzy on backwards and you used the 'normal' position to determine #1 TDC?)

I'm thinking that you did not adjust the valves properly either. Not a condemning finger pointing, just a " Are you absolutely certain you did it right?" I side with the 180 degree off theory for now - or four of eight valves 180 degrees off... -BaH