Mk2 8v Head Gasket... My experiences... Part Two

[knobby]

Sorry i wrote to much so had to put it in two parts... here is second part... (missed part one.. its here http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=24736.msg198099#msg198099)

What i wrote... Continued..

IF YOU REMOVED THE DOWNPIPES ITS NOW TIME TO PUT THEM BACK BEFORE FITTING THE HEAD BACK... Dont do what i did... install the head then realise its an even harder job fitting the downpipes from below and ending up removing the head again to fit them back. Ok so new head is now sitting back on the barrels, now to start with the bolts. dont drop them down the holes cos apparently this can sh@g the threads. Now using the link below do the bolts up in the correct order, you must do this.. i did them up finger tight first so i know it was in the right place. now doing them up is as fun as undoing them if not worse.. You have to go to 40nm first on all.. which doesnt seem like much (BTW u need a torque wrench), then you do each to 60mn which again seems tight but not that tight. Right now you have to do each one up  another 1/2 turn.. i did it like it suggests do it a 1/4 turn on each first, then another 1/4 turn. now a half turn doesnt sound like much hey you have to put quite alot of effort in to do this and the bolts creak like F*ck when ur doing it which is really off putting. so this is ya head fitted. new nut for the exhaust manifold to downpipes.. makes things a little easier next time (ps dont use nylock ones.. my motorcycle machanic mate said they would be fine and withstand the heat... THEY DIDNT!)...get under the car and u should be able to do the 5 up no probs i did that b1tch of a middle one up at the top did it as tight as i could from there... timing.. you said u know how to do this. as i mention below get a VW belt and replace the tension. I did both belt is about 10 quid tensior is about 30, well worth buying proper VW as if it breaks and it proves to be belt and u had a new tensior VW will do the repair Free Of Charge! now i got the timing slightly out on mine.. ran ok i guess.. but lacked power and seemed to run hot.. i took it to a local VW specialist and its running sweet now. was well worth spending a bit of cash to get it timed up right (also had mixture sorted). while ya here this its well worth doing an engine oil flush, then treat her to a shiny new VW oil filter and oil!

Well thats it.. dont think i have missed anything. I was pretty worried about doing the head and i had machanics lined up to come and help me but actually on the day i did it.. no one could help out and i did it on my own. id say i was an average DIY machanic and i didnt find it too tricky. Just remember even if ya f*ck it up and ya damage ya head or something silly.. you can always buy a new one off ebay for cheap as chips.. these GTI's now are being broken all the time.. can gets bits really easy!

Important links...

http://volkswagen.msk.ru/vw_doc/eva2/GE01/ch4.8.html   - Removing and Installing Cylinder Head (note the picture how it shows you which bolts to do up first)

http://volkswagen.msk.ru/vw_doc/eva2/GE01/ch4.2.html - Camshaft Drive Belt (except diesel engines) (REMEMBER ALWAYS use VW belts and replace the tensior with a VW one)

Well i hope this helps.. its defo all about having a go yaself and learning, and leaching information and advice from others as you go...

Good luck..


Dave (AKA Knobby!)
ps sorry for any spelling mistakes/cr@p english or stuff just not making sence i was seriously hungover when i wrote this!!! Email me or add me is messenger if u need any more details -dave@Getripped.co.uk

[Geeman]

Good write up.

I've just moved from the world of E30 BMW's back into Mk2 land with a '90 8v 5-door in bright red. She's a minter apart from the head gasket has gone and made a nice mess everywhere. Will take a while to clear all the coagulated gunk from the coolant and inlet pipes... Think this was casued by a seized fan... so that's been sorted too.

Will have pics up soon.

But anyway...

Just searched for a 'how to' guide for head gasket replacement and found this! I'm now at the point of tearing my hair out over the downpipe bolts, so needed advice... thanks! Got the two left hand nuts off, and really struggling with the right hand two, and you're right about the 5th middle one! So I've jacked the old girl up and put her on axle stands ready to take the head off with the downpipe still attached! That is now tonight's job.

Giles.

[jaybv6]

Correct me if I am wrong but the head bolts aren't stretch bolts as you've stated.

I also removed the inlet and exhaust manifold before removing the head.  When putting it back on I attached the inlet and exhaust manifolds before hand.

Geeman.  If you have a set of ramps you can detach the down pipe from the mid section of the exhaust and drag the whole lot out together with the head.  You can then get easy access to the bolts then.   You may need to either remove the bonnet or have it extended to it's fullest extent.  I managed to remove the exhasut and inlet manifolds but had to use a blow torch to heat the studs and nuts up before removal.

[Geeman]

Spent 2 hours in the cold last night attempting to get the manifold / downpipe nuts off. 4 came off... but the rear right one, that is VERY difficult to get to, is refusing to budge. AND it's a 16mm nut as opposed to a 17mm bolt like the 4 others. Grrrrr!

So, I unclamped the downpipe from the rear section, and tried to lift the head off, but to no avail. It's quite heavy, and the inlet manifold is fouling on the bulkhead. The front end of the car is so high (and I'm standing on blocks now!) that it's proving very difficult to do...

Had thought about cutting the downpipe close to the manifold, then just replacing it, but at about £80 for a replacement I changed my mind.

So, tonight I'll take a look at taking off the manifolds from the head instead.

How did you get the blowtorch to the studs...? I have no room in my engine bay!

Thought this was going to be a relatively straight forward job. *sigh*

Giles.

P.S. Can you re-use the head bolts, or is it better to buy some replacements?

[jaybv6]

To aid removal I got rid of all the ancilaries.  Air box, piping, connectors etc.  I had the car on a set of ramps and most of the inlet manifold studs came off without too much of a struggle.  Mine were hex bolts and I was able to reach most of them after a bit of swearing.  Once the inlet manifold is off you should be able to lift the rest out.

Here's a pic of my engine bay afterwards.

[markmarky0]

ive replaced the manifold on my 8v and found it better to replace the bolts with new ones. But i had to saw my downpipe off when i changed it over, and then of course removed the head to pull the rest out. But im still having problems on one bolt that i never replaced , its rounded off and proving to be a big problem. any ideas from anyone feel free to share 

[turbodub]

Geeman: The downpipe to manifold nuts should all be 17mm. If one of them is taking a 16mm socket then it probably means it is rounded off 

You can remove the head with the downpipe still attached, it really is a two man job unless you are Superman. The trick is to stick a couple of trolley jacks underneath the subframe, unbolt and then gently lower the subframe and engine until you have a couple more inches to play with. This will give you the space to pull out the head with the downpipe still attached.

Once you have got the head off replace ALL the exhaust manifold and downpipe nuts. Should cost you no more than £5 from your local vw dealer.

[Geeman]

dubtub: Thanks dude... the 16mm socket is now jumping off, so I think I've well and truely knackered it!

Will drop the subframe down on Saturday then to get the head out. You're right about trying to be Superman though... thought I was relatively strong, but I guess it's the awkwardness of it that makes it hard to do.

Worth getting new head/block bolts at the same time as the manifold/head and manifold/downpipe bolts?

And there was me thinking I would have it off, re-built and back on again in a weekend. Not the same as a 1.3 carb engine like I had in my Ryder!

[jaybv6]

Be careful when removing the injectors, one of mine snapped when it came out.

[Geeman]

Mine just kinda 'fell out' with the fuel rail and loom. Luckily!

Very 'stodged' up though. Best to clean them with brake cleaner / electrical contact cleaner?

New head bolts, manifold studs & nuts and manifold-to-downpipe studs & nuts ordered today from dealers... £40!!!