Cracked Head?

Sure. Nothing like wasting time on rework. How much is your time really worth? Doesn't sound like much....

Nice answer prick.

To the OP: If you can get a good head for

I just sold my '92 Passat 16V.

I bought it with 125,000 miles, at 126,000 I replaced the head gasket, bad between #1 and #2. I had the head checked out, it was flat, but I did not replace the head bolts. 25,000 miles later, it blows again between #2 and #3. I had the head checked again, did my best to confirm the deck was OK, used another Elring (Erling?) gasket, new bolts, installed and torqued per Bentley, drove it 30,000 more miles. It blows again, but between 3 and 4 this time. Sent it to a VW mechanic, figuring I was too dumb to do the job right. Turns out the gasket was OK, but there was a .030" x 1/2" burn-through in the head! And, according to him, it was NOT the original head!

That car was jinxed.

Ron/Champ 6

1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6) 1962 Lark Daytona Convertible (Boomerang) 1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk) 1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley)

Well it is too late to say STOP and recheck the oil cooler. lol My 91 Passat's oil cooler did not leak until I took out the thermostat. Not any noticeable oil in the coolant, but like I said I took out the thermostat and then almost a steady stream/drip of oil came from the oil cooler coolant hose. The coolant came out very clean. I would have instructed you to bypass the coolant hoses going to the oil cooler to see if that was your problem..........again. How did you know the oil cooler was bad last time? I have seen the oil pumps create almost 150psi sometimes when they are first started and that may be enough to blow the oil cooler. It was generating enough pressure to pump up the lifters, stall the engine and create a no compression in the engine. That was an interesting problem to find.

Yes it is a good idea to have your head pressure tested and get a proper valve job since it is off the block. Make sure you take it to a good shop! UHHH don't be too cheap or it will mean more work for you and more downtime. Do it right and do it once! ;-)

good luck too! later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

I've got the original head w/ 246,000 miles on it. However, it was rebuilt after 110,000 miles when I had it off for a piston replacement (another long story).

If you get "another one for $50-75" then I assume that a machine shop has checked that one out too?

Personally, either way, I'd have a machine shop look at it, check the warpage, etc. I'd find a shop that's done lots of VW heads too. It would be worth it to me to know that I've got a good part in there.

God knows (literally) that I've been broker'n hell in my life. I've made desparate shortcuts that I knew were gonna bite me later. Hopefully you'll find a machinist that will, on a lunch break, at least take a straightedge to your head and give it a good visual exam.

Tim Wohlford '89 El Mexicano Golf.

give this news group a break!

Proper diagnosis seems to be a foreign concept to the uninitiated. Do the job right!

If money is that much of a concern use public transport! Cars and their maintenance cost $4 big time. treat and maintain them right and they will be faithful servants. i was reminded of that yesterday morning when it was -41C here and my wife's volvo did not start because the plug on the block heater died. It should have been checked the night before.

Back to you and your monetary and vehicle maintenance concerns!

Spring for the $60 to have the head checked. Then you WILL know if it is the head or something else.

OTOH, if you have time and m> I'm trying to limit the amount spent here, so I don't really want to get the

I would look at the oil cooler again. I think there is (are) only one or two block/head junctions that see oil under pressure.

I didn't say it was wrong to do it right the first time. I just said you were a prick.

Ken Pisichko wrote: : give this news group a break!

: Proper diagnosis seems to be a foreign concept to the uninitiated. Do the job : right!

We took the quick route... found brand new, surplus heads from a supplier, a used 2.0aba block and the rod knock is history on our 86 gti.

We don't need no stinkin diagnosis... ;-)

You obviously did a diagnosis of the money and time involved and saved both time and money by doing the financial diagnosis and threw away the "stuff troubling you". That is not the diagnosis I spoke of, but it does work IF you luck into good used parts. Still a diagnosis none-the-less. Smart move on your part. Not everyone lucks in :-)

If you didn't need no st> Ken Pisichko wrote: