Rebuild...

[jjh-b5]

Paul, That's right. Removing and metal between the top of the head and the block (ie bringing the valves closer to the piston) will slightly increase the compression (some tuners will use a thicker head gasket in a attempt to reduce compression when adding a turbo). It is possible on the TDI engine, which I believe is a interference design (ie the valves occupy a space entered by the piston but controlled by cam/crank timing) that skimming could cause piston to valve contact. I'm not that familiar with the 1.9 tdi so cannot give you a definite answer. Head bolts should always be replaced as you say. They can stretch significantly with the force and heat of holding the head on for 10 years or more!. Stretched bolts, even when torqued to the specified setting will not always give the correct or more importantly even clamping pressure between the block and the head. The best way to clean an alloy block or head is using petrol as a solvent and a dish sponge (the rough side). Some people will use a sharp stanley knife to remove any large pieces of gasket material but you must be super careful not to nick the block as they can be very soft indeed. Spending a lot of time cleaning, although boring, is always well worth it when doing this job.

[hibbsy21]

Thanks for the replies guys, didnt think i was ever going to get any lol

Right then, the head has been completely reconditioned and is on its way back (to be delivered tomorrow afternoon), the valves have been replaced as have the springs. It has been skimmed a minimum amount and the valves have been reseated in their holes so i will have no worry of valve-piston contact. Stephen at Alucast said the skimming would be less than 1mm so i dont think it will cause any compression issues. As for the block, i havent actually got round to cleaning it yet, but as mentioned i was going to use petrol and a scouring pad. The old head gasket came off in one piece so there is none left sticking on anything else.

Head bolts have been ordered as has a new cambelt kit, head gasket and something else but i cant remember now.... Anyway, the bolts are £2.36 each. Thermostat is easy to do without taking anything off, and plus i changed it a few months ago. Now about the water pump...i have noticed a few other people mention to me about it but i am not sure whether i should bother with it as they are about 130quid. And i still need to get it down to the audi specialist near me for the timing to be done and i cant imagine it will be cheap. But in all honesty i dont want to skimp on this and money isnt really the issue, i have got another car i have been using so i am trying not to rush this and get it all done.

I still have alot of work to do, while all the front is off i am going to pop a front mount intercooler in, with stainless steel pipes. And fit my new RS4 kit.

What else would you advise me to get while i am in the build process?

Cheers

Rich

[jjh-b5]

I would do the waterpump as it's on the timing belt run. If your planning to rebuild the motor there is no point in missing this component out. I think the original audi pumps have a plastic impeller which is prone to falling to bits. Most OEM parts have a metal impeller. PCV and vacuum pumps are worth replacing also. They are not too expensive but are a good point for boost leaks and problems with crank case ventilation and oil leaks. When you refit your turbo I would advise priming the coolant and oil lines to it.

[hibbsy21]

Yeah i will get a price from GSF for the water pump. I have a load of other stuff waiting for me to pick up, just waiting for my cylinder head to be returned today. Should be any minute now. The breather on the crank case is spewing loads of oil, but i think it had something to do with the rest of the head, and the car was quite smokey. PCV, where abouts is this and what does it look like? I think all the vacuum pumps would be a great investment so they are now on the list.

So how would one go about priming the oil to the turbo, and there is no coolant to it. I should probably get the turbo reconditioned while i am at it really. But, i need it all done by the 27th really, as i need it to go down to london to pick the misses up from heathrow, i am NOT driving that hyundai down there! It would cost me loads and plus, i dont think it would make it.

Also thanks to green A8 for the PM with more advice in there!

Thanks all, i will get some pics of the cylinder head when it comes back. I am going to spray it with some more silver VHT paint too! Right, i am off to mow the lawn!

Rich

[jjh-b5]

To prime the turbo the easiest way is to remove the fuel pump relay and crank the engine. This will charge the turbo with oil before it beings to turn with any speed. Strange that there is no coolant line to the turbo tho. All the turbo cars i've owned had one. The PCV valve (if the 1.9 tdi has one) will be just off the rocker cover normally or on one of the vacuum hoses going to it. It's normally a black bulb looking thing about the size of an egg. I think these and the vacuum pumps should be a service item (20,000) but they are not.

[hibbsy21]

Cool i will give that a go.

As for the PCV valve, its attached to the intercooler pipe and has some vacuum pipes into it, all of which will be changed.

Also, i have a fault code for the glowplugs, short or no earth, intermittent. Upon further investigation, i have found that the glowplug wires have little sockets on them, all of which are cracked. I have had a simular problem on my first car, a mk1 clio, the ignition leads had holes in them and would spark the engine and it would try to cut out! So i am guessing that this is the same sort of thing!

Cheers!

Rich

[hibbsy21]

Look what a UPS man just delivered.......

One shiny cylinder head!



The removed bolt!



Inside the intake port



Inside the exhaust port



The valves and cleaned bottom



List of what was done!



I am very pleased, and they saved me a job by painting it silver for me already. Might get some high temp clear lacquer just to keep the shine!

Need to fit it now and then get the timing done by a garage. But, unfortunately, i dont think i have enough money for it until the 27th. Bit of a bummer really!

Enjoy the pics!

Rich

[hibbsy21]

Right emailed the guy about the skimming and he said it was less than 8thousandths of an inch. So thats good!

Now then, timing. Does anyone know if the cog on the injection pump needs to be set in a specific location or can it be set in VAGCOM? If it doesnt need moving or to be set then i will do the timing myself and save more bucks! And also i can get the car back on the road then :P And use the money saved on a remap, FMIC + pipes and a remap! :P

Rich

[jjh-b5]

Mechanical Injectors will be timed to the engine. I guess you didn't mark anything when you took it apart then? If you'd marked it all up and locked the pump and crank sprockets it would be easy. Look at the body of the injector and the other sprockets to see if their are any timing marks stamped in then. You will also need to figure out how to lock the crank and cams to retorque everything. It might be worth getting the garage to do it if you need special tools. Im sure someone will have done this before. Maybe look on youtube for videos or someone may post you a howto. normally you can make locking tools easily (i've used a drill bit before) any buy the locking tool for the crank (normally no more than £15).

[hibbsy21]

Most unfortunately i agree with you! I was hoping that it would be electrically controlled. I made a mark on the cam, but not the injector cog! I was hoping to save a few hundred on this sos i can get the RS4 body kit on and painted! but i dont want to skimp on this, it would cost even more if i **** it up! Thanks for the post, i will get it booked into the garage in north hykeham for the 27th (payday) and then i will have my beast back! then its on for the big badboy turbo, front mount, remap and high performance clutch and then hopefully i will get about 230bhp out of it :P