Enthusiast frustration

[Harooshum]

Helo fellow enthusiasts, my car is a '91 16v oak green with some body mods, 17"s and standard engine 155k.

The engine is very stuttery mostly at the bottom of the rev range (even though I clean my ISV with Halfords carb cleaner).  I changed the spark plugs, but no #3 wouldn't come out.  So I decided to change the rest and leave no #3 in there by tightening it back in.  It won't tighten because the threading appears to be worn and it keeps skipping, but I tightened it as much as possible.  I have no idea how to take it out (I think the head should need removing).

Next thing is my cooling system.  I have always had a LEAK, and in the past 6 months have changed the expansion tank bottle, and quite a few coolant hoses (all from VAG).  Every time I fix one of those leaks, another starts shortly afterwards in another location, but this time its leaking from the water pump!

Because it is such a mission to change and me being skint, I have left it
like that and top up the water every 2hours or so of driving with tap water that I keep bottled in the car.  I have wasted too many expensive bottles of G12 coolant since having the car.  I'm worried that having plain water as coolant for a while is dangerous.
 
I think I found the source of the cooling system prob when comparing my engine with another.  My radiator is tiny and obviously from a smaller-engined mk2 (prev owner probably wanted a quick sale, -*unt!).  I reckon this put extra stress on the cooling system and is what caused so many hoses to burst.  So now I need a new GTI 16v radiator and fan, water pump and sort the spark plug prob too!

Recently I was checking the oil, and found mayo-ish stuff around the dipstick, and a bit under the oil filler cap.  The oil is obviously contaminated, but coffee-coloured (with milk, light brown, runny) not gold or dark gold or black, just coffee? Why does it still drive if the head gasket appears to be cracked??

I made a list of all things to be fixed, and won't bother trying myself!!  I want it done all in one go by a mechanic I know, who knows Golfs and I want to watch.  I dont know if its worth spending money on this engine, as I'm not sure if it's permanently damaged.

For what it's worth, the exhaust is very very rich and smokey (not black smoke), the ignition timing is off, hell it needs a big bloody service, which he says can do too.

I cant find a water pump or rad+fan for a decent price, any ideas?  Or is it better to get a recond engine?  I'm on a budget though!

Thanks

Harry

[forzanerazzurri]

"Recently I was checking the oil, and found mayo-ish stuff around the dipstick, and a bit under the oil filler cap.  The oil is obviously contaminated, but coffee-coloured (with milk, light brown, runny) not gold or dark gold or black, just coffee? Why does it still drive if the head gasket appears to be cracked??"


i had this same problem.  i was told it was just moisture in the oil form the weather  ( my engine had frozen during a coldspell as i live in canada)

[Veedubgt18v]

harry where are you?

[Blue MK2]

that yellow stuf under the cap sounds like a typical winter weather problem. Not sure about the dipstick.

How did you find out if the water pump was leaking??? I have a hose leak that goes into the water pump and was wondering.

[Harooshum]

I live in North London, I think the majority of everyone here is from North.  About my radiator, I keep hearing that the 16v has a smaller one than the 8v, but the one I got is thinner in depth than my old 8v digi!  I heard u can use the rad +twin fans from a driver model or something only prob is finding a good one to buy!!

  "that yellow stuf under the cap sounds like a typical winter weather problem. Not sure about the dipstick.  How did you find out if the water pump was leaking??? I have a hose leak that goes into the water pump and was wondering."

If the oil is contaminated, then it should show on the dipstick too, innit?  Do I desperately need an oil change?

If looking at the engine from above, then under the alternator on the right hand side, there is two coolant hoses going to the pump(no leak).  Looking under the alt on the left is the water pump (just under the belt cover) which is covered in white-ish residue from leaking coolant.  I heard u can get a new one for around ?30 (not from VAG though).  Anyone know where from?

What about changing a spark plug that wont unscrew out because of worn threads?   h.

[Blue MK2]

what i think you should do first is, do an oil change and flush the old oil out with flusher. Take the car for a long spin and see if it comes back again.

have a look in the 'parts for sale' section. there should be loads of water pumps going cheap

not sure about the spark plug but im sure mk1, vr or the other golf nerds should have a tip

[Harooshum]

thanks blue, but in it's current condition I scared to drive it at all.  Is anyone even near North London??

[Blue MK2]

im in bedford. some call it north london, not sure if im qualified for that?

[benjam_in]

Do you think your disappearing water problem and oil problem could be linked?  

[Harooshum]

the best part of an hour's drive from mine.  drop me a pm if ur passing through sometime, apart from my probs which is pissin me off badly, I have an excellent example of a mk2.  wot do u reckon of the work i need doing?  Engine too far gone??  H.