Cylinder Head questions...

Hi all

Having a go a sorting the head gasket myself, after a dye test pointed to a problem. I'm a novice, please bare that in mind !.


Got the head off today, just got a few questions if I may:

Took the cam off as I was gonna attempt to change the valve stem oil seals and lap in the valves. This revealed what I think is some fairly heavy scoring on one of the cams/bearing. All the others had some light pitting but not as bad. Can this be fixed or is it a new head/cam ?. (probs with photobucket at the mo, otherwise would put pics up).

Also, the engine is an EV engine code and has hydraulic tappets. When the hydraulics are squeezed using thumb and forefinger, should they be solid and not move, or be…err…squeezable ?. 7 out of 8 of them could not be depressed. (hope that makes sense ?) I'm assuming they need replacing, as the one that does move bled oil out of it.

Lastly, there is some very slight left right movement in the pistons. The bores seem ok, and it's very very slight, say 1mm if that. Is this normal or something that may need looking into ? (please say it's normal !!)

Apologies for the numpty questions, but could use a bit of advice.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

A couple of pics if it helps.

thats pretty nasty scoring, im surprised you didnt have oil pressure issues! if it was me i would be on the lookout for a new head and cam. change the oil filter and whip off sump to check for metal and blocked pickup

Thanks mate, i was afraid someone might say that. Taking the head to a recommended fella up the road today to see what he says. Where do I find a new head if if thats the case though ?.

if its a hydro head then any hydro mk2 gti should do you, kjet or digi. just swap the inserts from your head into the mk2 if its from digi car. can use mk1, cabby and rocco heads too, and dont even have to be hydro mech tappet heads fit the same! just you will have to use the mech tappet cam as well since hydro ones wont work in solid head and vice versa

Thanks for your help mate.

The guy I showed the head to said this "i've worked on hundreds of these VW heads, but never seen a cam that f****d before !". Backed up your thoughts and suggested I look for a replacement. Have tracked one down, just need to make sure it's ok.

Out of curiosity, anyone know which model the EV engine code comes from, and if it's similar in power to the original DX ?.

Thanks

Paul

EV is MK2 Golf 1.8 GTI k-jet engine, its exactly the same as the equivalent age DX lump, just the inlet pokes out the opposite way

hi granty, who had a look at your head?

i need someone to take a look at mine and live in colchester

Blimey that's weird, first time I looked on here in months and saw my user name on page one !. Anyway, I'm in Upminster. I use a small back street mechanic and there is a guy a few doors down that seems to do solely engine work, he must have about a thousand cylinder heads hanging about his lock up. I found a new head/cam from a VW breakers in Chelmsford. I can get you names and directions if its any use to you but it's a bit of a slap from Colchester to here ?.