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The head gasket saga..

For those who haven't be following the story see the "Reconditioned engine for 1.8 Golf Diver?" thread from a few days back..

I got the car back from the garage yesterday with the plan to get the head off and have a look but I thought before I went that far I would first do my own testing..

I went down to Halfords and got a compression tester and a service manual..

This morning I warmed the car up pulled the plugs and did a compression test.. The manual says that between 10 and 13 bar is what it should be as a new engine.. My test showed between 12 and 13.5 on all the cylinders..

Is there any way that a head gasket can be the problem but the car still has a perfect compression?

Or is it more likely that the lack of power may be related to fuel delivery or timing or something like that?

Is valve clearance usually a major issue on VW Golf's with 100k+ milage?

Thanks for any input..

Reply to
WipeOut
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cylinders..

Most unlikely

All sorts of things can go wrong with Bosch K if that's what it's got. Maybe just a temperature sensor.

Reply to
Dave Baker

Drivers are 1.8 with a Pierburg carb. I'd check all the basics like timing and fueling first (actually do a service and change the fuel filters etc.). It's cheaper. Pierburgs are pretty famously dodgy though. Autochoke knackered?

GTis with the 1.8 either have hydraulic or solid tappets. The hydraulics can tap a bit with age but I've not heard of them causing power loss.

Reply to
Doki

The message from WipeOut contains these words:

Flooded, is it?

Reply to
Guy King

Which year is it? Given black smoke it's more likely to be faulty fuelling or one of the ignition , headgaskets tend towards the white smoke.

Reply to
Duncanwood

Pass.

Is it a carb model? If so, then that's your problem! The carbs on those engines are s**te. Get a decent Weber carb or similar.

Probably not - tappets might be a bit noisy but that's par for the course for something with a few miles on. They're probably hydraulic, so probably just left alone.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Also check the hole in the body that the butterlfly spindle goes through isn't ovalled.

Isn't there a diaphragm in those that goes?

Reply to
Conor

They're an evil contraption and should be avoided at all costs.

Lots of MkII Golfs have met their maker due to mysterious carb. faults.

Reply to
SteveH

Anyone know what it would cost for a Weber carb for it? Or where to get one from (websites would help)?

Its not the first time I have been told the carbs on these are crap..

Thanks..

Reply to
WipeOut

Erm, can't remember where I got my quotes from for a MkI Golf with a similar carb - but you're looking at close on 300 quid for the carb, adaptor plate and setting up.

Reply to
SteveH

A head gasket fail may not show on a compression test at first. get a gas test above the water, any signs of combustion and you know it is leaking, even if it runs ok

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

If it was that slight that the only trace was in the air above the water would retorquing the head sort it out or is the only way to fix it to replace the head gasket?

Thanks

Reply to
WipeOut

Given that quite a few comapnies recently refused to quote just because I had standard sized but not manufacturer option alloys on a car, wouldn't a Weber make it more difficult to insure?

Reply to
PC Paul

Not if you go with an insurer that doesn't take a black + white view on such things.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Oh I did... but they seem to be getting fewer and further between.

Reply to
PC Paul

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