8v gti head gasket(vw vs unipart/euro/gsf)

[parrotveasey81]

just blew my head gasket today in between 1 and 2 only on compression
car is a e reg 1.8 8v digi
first off what i want to know is in what order and how tight do i do the head bolts up
now this one will get some of you going
what i need to know is what parts i can buy cheap and what parts i have to buy from vw
my list is something like this(i may miss some stuff out that needs to be in the list,so any thing you can think of would be good)
head gasket
inlet gasket
exhaust gaskets(will be fitting a ashley 4-1 manifold)
head bolts
coolant
cam cover gasket
thermostat and gasket
blue temp sender
think thats it(mind gone blank now)
cambelt is only 3 months old so should be ok

[Conker]

head gasket
coolant
cam cover gasket
thermostat and gasket
blue temp sender

I would get the above from VW as they are critical parts and almost the same price as any other brand.


I got my head bolts etc. from http://www.vwspares.co.uk/golf2.php, the remainder from ECP of GSF.


As for bolt tightness etc, seriously buy a Haynes manual - its section on head gasket replacement is really good and worth the £10 it will cost you off ebay.

[danny_p]

torques normaly come with gasket and depend on the gasket tbh  btw you really shoudl use new bolts yours will be quite old by now

[parrotveasey81]

thanks conker by the looks of it i might just get it all from vw as what i would save on parts it would cost me in fuel.
danny.p i did put head bolts on my list as when i do work like this i try to replace as much as funds allow.
any one think of anything else that i need to get
has any one got a ashley 4-1 and are they any good
i would buy a haynes but as danny.p said it depends on the gasket(will talk nicely to vw and see what they say)

[Conker]

N.B.   Remember that theres an order to tightening the bolts up too.

[danny_p]

the normal torqueis are  40nm   60 nm  then 180 degrees.     ( for composite gasket  a lot are mls now )

pattern is

(10)     (4)       (2)      (6)      (

(7)       (5)       (1)      (3)     (9)

[parrotveasey81]

thanks danny p most helpful.
will be going to vw today to order the parts.

[dirtydub]

i have an ashley 4-1 and full system

very happy with it to be honest. pretty cheap and not bad quailty although the welding is a little poor.
makes a good sound without being to noisey and had slight power increase after fitting it.
originally got a stainless hottuning manifold which didnt fit at all but the ashley fitted spot on.

[Reasty]

Ive got an ashley four branch on my 16v,went on without any trouble at all and really makes a difference to the 16v and the way it pulls through the rev range also sounds awesome on a 16v so imagine it would be the same for an 8v,it was about 2 hundred odd quid and that was some time ago but im very happy with it.

[parrotveasey81]

went to vw to day and walked away £169.57 lighter,parts should be hear on wednesday.
so the ashley manifold is the one to go for(good job i looked on hear first before i went and brought one of ebay)
guess i will have to find someone who has got one in stock and can get it to me by Thursday as rally design will take a week to get one