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Head Gasket - Why on a type 4 motor and not type 1

The type 4 ( 2 and 1.8 litre) gasket sets come with a gasket for the head to cylinder seal. I don't under stand why a type 4 motor should have them while a 1600 motor should not have them. i would like to hear ideas why?

I have built many type 4 motors without the gasket and got good reliability, but the motor I am assembling now does not have enough deck height. A head gasket and std base shim will set my target deck height nicely.

Should I use the head gasket or shim the cylinder base.

A Google search shows differences of opinion without any real reasons. If you should use them on a type 4, then why not use them on a type 1?

Reply to
Craig Baker
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Factory changed their minds about the gasket. Good article here:

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Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

And here:

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Reply to
Karl

Some guys use them some don't. Some beliver they are a weak link and just uses some valve grinding compound to seat the cylinders into the heads. Others swear by them. Go the the T-4 fourm

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on Search and you will see the posts involving gaskets.By the way, you were asking Way on T-4 and not on T-1. All I can sayis, why a full flow oil filter on T-4 and no filter on a T-1. Alarger cooler, bigger heads, exhausts, pushrod tubes you can removewithout removing a head, larger bearings etc. I guess because VWwanted to make it a better engine then a T-1.the fact is leasts twice as long with almost twice the power is anindication they did their home work.Joe

Reply to
Joe Cali Next Generation-usa

The Type IV engine used the head gasket from the factory. It gae huge issues and in 1981 VW released a bulletin to remove them from the TIV engine at the first opportunity.

We never use them, we perform a lapping technique and cut a step into the head that creates our deck height and it isa calculated into the overall chamber volume when setting compression ratio.

ANY head gasket creates a 4th expansion rate to an equation that is already difficult with the 3 different materials that comprise head studs, heads, case and cylinders..

Reply to
Jake Raby

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