I THINK MY HEAD GASKET HAS GONE

Hi again
not good news but i have water in the oil the oil is milky, i noticed the problem  because my clipper sounded like a beetle and it was very hot so i stopped and got out there was loads of white smoke and water coming out the exhaustgot it back home left it over night the checked the water and it was completely emtpy that when i checked the oil…

the first question i have is can i get away with any golf or passet 1.8 engine as my clipper is an auto?

next is does anyone know a cheap place to get a head or complete engine?

is it hard to change?

cheers again i'm sure you'll here from me again.

How's the bottom end of the engine? In other words, was it consuming oil, smoky, knocking, or underpowered before? If its alright, I'd be tempted to simply renew the head gasket (and give the head a skim), keeping the engine in the car and using the same bottom end of the engine.

Passat and Golf Mk2 1.8 engines are more/less compatible, but you'd be swapping lots of bolt on parts, eg alternator, oil breathers, dizzy, engine mount, oil cooler, etc over so its quite an involved job.

Agreed with paul. if your head is ok after a skim and the block is fine, then yeah just replace the gasket and head bolts.  loads cheaper than complete engine transplant.

If you head is shot, most solid lifter heads are usually with lots of miles on them, then replace the head.  IF  you get a good digifant ot K jet head, all you would need to do is block up the injector holes. Easy enuf to do with 1p coins, (fit perfect) and then top of with liquid metal. providing its a carbed engine. new gasket and head bolts. The added bonus of its a hydrolic head. no tapy tapy tap!.

All your manifolds will bolt right up too!..

Mind you will depend on your bottom end really!

Here is a cheap head!..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mk2-golf-head-k-jet_W0QQitemZ320091535331QQihZ011QQcategoryZ9889QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Best of luck chap