Advice Needed Please! My Golf is dead......

[~I_luv_my_VDub~]

  if the timing is out the compression will be affected as the valves will not be opening at the correct time thus giving low compression or no compression

[Agreeable Slick]

barp - wrong.

If the timing is out there will still be compression across the head, not as much but there will still be some. The timing relates to how much fuel air mix will be allowed in, if the inlet valves open to soon (advanced timing) then they will be hit by the piston on its upward stroke (called pinking) which can result in the valves getting bent and f**king the head. It will also mean that the explosion will be chasing the piston back down the cylinder meaning that there will be hardly any power at all. If the valves open too late (retarded) they will miss the compression stroke and fill the cylinder too late, the resulting explosion will mean that the mixture is crashing into the piston head as it comes back up the cylinder and can cause the head to melt, and all the excess gas will still be in there from the previous explosion as the exhaust cam will not be open long enough to let it all escape.

Get the timing sorted out by a garage (20min job tops) and costs nothing.

The compression you need to get the head tested for any leaks, breaks in the seals of the gasket and at worst cracks in the head. It has no direct relation to the timing.

[~I_luv_my_VDub~]

if the valves hitting the head cause pinking how can pinking also occur when poor fuel is used this surely does not make the valves hit the pistons

[Agreeable Slick]

pinking has nothing to do with fuel. I think you need to get your head in a book on engines and find out about the 4 stroke cycle and how timing can affect the engine. The only thing that fuel will change is whether it is running rich or not.

Pinking is a direct product of the timing being out and the cams pushing the valves open and then the piston head crashing into it. NOTHING to do with fuel.

[weedwhacker]

when you said swapped the engines i thought you ment someone had swapped you and engine for your old one...


i think it seems lik eyour tyring to look too much into this engine thing, if its just timing as you have been told, surely is more benift to you to get the timing adjusted and sell the car as a runner rather than a non runner which realisticly is worth scrap value..
im sorry but the peeps who will be looking at it will be breakers as the car will be worth far more in bits.


sorry if you think im being harsh..... but hasnt your mate quoted you for what it could be.

[AudiA8Quattro]

Pinking can be caused by using the wrong fuel, ie. when the RON is too low so the mixture ignites to early.

[~I_luv_my_VDub~]

thanks for that i thought poor fuel could cause pinking

[Agreeable Slick]

Not convinced personally, as even using 95 RON petrol wouldn't harm your engine, as it's only an 8v and they run fine on 95RON (no i am not 8v bashing). Anyhow, pinking isn't the issue, it's a lack of compression across the head. As i said if you are selling it then you need to get a compression test done on the head to source and cracks, leaks etc.

[vaughny]

mornin all,,this sounds like a heated debate ,, I'm not a mechanic but could your cam belt slipped a tooth or has it been replaced recently and not timed up right?? may be this is why the mech couldn't of done the timing??
good luck tho,  vaughny

edit::im presuming when you talk about timing your on about dizzy timing,,see told you im not a mech,lol :embarassed:

[AudiA8Quattro]

Pinking is pre-ignition which is when the mixture ignites before the compression stroke has been completed, hence why eventually the piston crowns will burn out.
This can be caused by timing being too advanced, fuel which has a low octane rate so cannot resist detonation, hot spots or a burnt out valve.
Anyone want to add to that?