Starange this. I had the exact same issue which i diagnosed too yesterday! Id describe the pinking noise as more of a clank really. I did a comp test and sure enough 3 and 4 only had about 30psi. Head off to find the exact same thing! Is there a way to test if the block and head are ok where its blown? Will a steel rule do or is there a better way of testing? Also can i fit a metal gasket with my motor being a 9A Bottom KR head? If so where should i get one from? And last but not least should my pistons have a slight wobble to them when at TDC? Is this normal? All 4 do it and i got great comression on 1 and 2 (bout 180psi i think).
I'm using a metal (ABF) gasket on my 6A with a KR head, the same part number is listed for 9A/6A engines from VW now, aftermarket 2L gaskets are often not metal layered types.
GSF do a metal gasket - or they did when I bought one - I asked for a metal gasket for an ADY engine (all the 2.0 8v/16v lumps are the same I think, except the transporter van stuff)
Hi All, Thanks for the replies - I've been keeping an eye on the thread but haven't replied for a few days as tied up with insurance bother with the other car. I've now ordered the new head bolts and head gasket so will get cracking once the bits arrive. I wasn't going to get the head skimmed as having cleaned it up and inspected it everything seems ok, will be checking it with a steel rule for squareness of course. I've done the same on several other 16v heads and an 8v or two and always been fine after a head gasket change. I will give the head another thorough inspection, take some pics and post them up before fitting to see what you all think. I always thought you'd only get a head skimmed if it a steel rule and feeler gauge showed it to be out of spec, like it had been warped etc? Shame I don't have a spare 'Man in the shed' head knocking around to stick on it now but better just get the thing back together and think about upgrades once it's actually run properly for more than a few minutes! Weird, that's a coincidence! I think your HG must have blown in sympathy to my car's problems - good luck getting it sorted
when the head gasket went in my 16v (the first time) it went between 3&4. thing is mine took a chunk out of the cylinder head aswell[:^(] glad you've found the problem
Cheers Beetie, the head on this one seems fine so hopefully the reassembly will be relatively straightforward once the new bits arrive. Cyl's 1 and 2 were working fine, firing properly and getting up to temp as the gasket was sealing them, whereas 3 and 4 were running cold, not firing obviously. This was how my friend diagnosed the issue as the exhaust manifold on cyl's 3 and 4 was barely warm after running whereas by 1 and 2 was very hot so he knew the fault was in that area. Presumably the compression from 3 was lost into 4 and vice versa?
Quick question. What are the torque up settings and procedure when re fitting the head? Stupid haynes is as clear as mud as usual! Also when i ordered my new head gasket i specifically asked for the mk3 16v metal gasket for the 2.0 litre. When its arrived its metal round the pistons but not everywhere else. Is this right? i was kinda expecting it all to be metal. Its the same as this
I used an ABF head gasket on my 1.9L 16V G60 and it was entirely metal. http://www.introspectiv.eclipse.co.uk/16vg60/mini16vG60block021.jpg
New parts arrived yesterday. The ABF head gasket from GSF is indeed a metal layered one, definitely different to the one I used on my 6A in the other Mk2, perhaps that wasn't a fully metal one after all? This one looks heavy duty! Also the head bolts. As Rubjonny said earlier, you order them individually but they sent them in a box of 10... so I ordered 11 just to be awkward and have a spare incase I misplace one. Had enough bad luck with this project already, don't want a lost bolt to halt proceedings! I noticed some discussion on head bolt torque in another thread in Nm, sure that the torque wrench I have is only in lbs so will have to convert the values. As I recall they need to be very tight!
Its 30 then 44lbs ft, then 2 more stages of 90 degrees. Or a single stage of 180, whichever you prefer
Eye but the stealth ones are like 40 something on ebay. Ive just got one of the victor reinz ones like shown above from ECP.