Precautions before starting rebuilt cylinder head?

[Robracer]

Hi, Finally after spending weeks without my golf gti, i've finally rebuilt the engine in my mk3 2.0 8v agg. I took the engine apart to clean/degrease everything! But i left the block intact, just installed new gasket's, seals and cam followers. So the cylinder head got rebuilt.
So my question is? Are there any particular start up procedure's that i should take?

I've trawled through various sites and read various ways after a rebuild, but what's best on a vw engine such as the agg?

I know it's sounds stupid, but i just want to be sure..

Cheer's
Rob

[LR5V]

Keeping the new stuff lubricate on start up is the important bit here.
Probably over kill, but I would take the rocker cover off & pour engine oil over the camshaft, reinstate the cam cover in a timely manner to retain some oil on the cam & followers.
Disconnect the coil lead and spin the engine over on the starter a few times untill you are happy you have got oil up to the head.
Reconnect the coil lead, fire it up and let it idle.
The followers will probably sound terrible until they fill up with oil, this should clear within a couple of minutes.
Check for oil & coolant leaks. Lastly purge the coolant system of air.
HTH

[Robracer]

It's odd you mention the overkill, i removed the rocker cover and poured the oil in that way for a few ml's.. Just so the new cam followers had a coating. Then just added the engine oil the usual way. I did wonder about removing the fuel pump fuse, so it wouldn't fire initially? Removing the coil centre lead would do just the same.
I did have a coolant leak as i was filling that up, directly from the thermostat housing! it's plagued me before!! So ran down to halfrauds to get some loctite SI 5660 gasket maker. Hope that work's today?

But my car's sat there for 6 weeks, so the fuel will probably be stale next?

Cheer's mate

[LR5V]

No worries Fella, is that you back up and running?
The fuel should be fine, heard of years old fuel working, in fact my valver had 18 month old fueland ran ok.