Death to the diesel

[hiho]

Hi all, **** news.
On our way back from Melbourne in our VW diesel which has just been rebuilt a radiator hose split open and the the radiator rapidly drained. The first i knew of anything being wrong was when it started to "run on" (when it runs on engine oil thrown into the intake by excessive blowby). It had never done this before. I calmed it down with the brakes but there was a horrible sound from the motor. I pulled over and opened the bonnet to find the radiator empty and the motor insanely hot. The temp gauge had only moved slightly away from its usual position and the idiot light did not come on.
One minute it was running fine, very light throttle to maintain a steady cruise, 30 minutes from home and then death. We got trucked home by RACV.
I started it tonight and altough it started ok it blows heaps of black smoke and runs rough as though its missing on one cylinder every now and then. I filled the radiator and located the leak, the hose that goes from the water pump to the head had a big split in it. After replacing the hose and restarting the motor, the coolant resevior bubbled and spat water everywhere.
Id say that the head is cracked and the bores badly scuffed, basically junk.
Like i said, **** news

[brackie]

Sympathy and empathy

My heart goes out to you mate

Same thing happened to me with a GLD. Burst hose, no indicaton on the temp gauge and then bang....Dead car.

Such a pity after all of the work and money that you put into it. Anything that I can do to help just sing out.

[evorobin]

Crap news mate. Chin up you'll find an engine just don't throw big $$$ at it.

[hiho]

Thanks Guys,
The weird thing about it was that we were on our way home after having just given a 1982 ford laser that used during the VW rebuild to a family near Camperdown. We didnt think that we needed it anymore and it was too rusty for a roadworthy. So much for good karma.

No matter what i do to my VW diesel Brackie, youve done it first. I think that the hose was weakened from diesel fuel over recent months with leaking injector pumps and numerous r&r of the injector pipes and hoses etc. The diesel fuel would soak the hoses there. For the diesel fans i strongly recommend replacing the hoses if you dont know the history of the car. I had this hose off recently and it appeared to be fine.

If i can be bothered ill whip the head off and have a look at the bores. Unfortunately my wife has had enough. I doubt that i could convince her that another engine is the way to go. Man i love that car, it looks like a heap but was so much fun to drive. Im off to england at the end of the year for work and plan to buy a MK 1 and put a TDI in it and take it to Germany and cut some laps at Nurburgring. That ought to make me feel a bit better!!

[brackie]

Sh*t luck

Thanks Guys,

No matter what i do to my VW diesel Brackie, you've done it first.

Yeah... and it's usually the bad things! How long in Europe? Would you be able to stay a year and bring a diesel back with you? That would sort of compensate us for the loss of a diesel here.

[gldgti]

bad luck mate....

i havnt done that, but in the last couple of months i've run out of coolant 4 times.... luckily each time, the very small increase in temp just as i'd run out was enough for me to pull over and check... and each time, no coolant - i've had a run of bad 2'nd hand hoses that were failing under normal warmed up pressurisation... but you get the idea...

i think we all need to find some kind of easily available CHT guage and develop a nice way for us to all integrate it into our diesels without breaking the bank etc. a CHT should be in everyones car..... i dont have one, but i'd love to put one in

[Edison]

I started it tonight and altough it started ok it blows heaps of black smoke and runs rough as though its missing on one cylinder every now and then. I filled the radiator and located the leak, the hose that goes from the water pump to the head had a big split in it. After replacing the hose and restarting the motor, the coolant resevior bubbled and spat water everywhere.
Id say that the head is cracked and the bores badly scuffed, basically junk.
Like i said, **** news

I am sure you should open her up first to see if that is the case, mine did the same when trying to start, and it was just the gasket. It let gas through into the coolant, the smoke and all is par for the course until she runs for 5 mins. any attempted starting = smoke upon actual starting.
If you don't want it, and reckon it's done for I'll pay shipping just to have it. for sure! check first, before you throw it out.

I so need to make a coolant level meter at tafe, and an oil level meter too! bring it all onto dials on the dash. and / or maybe an alarm for both.

[hiho]

Im getting good at this

Hello all, I whipped the head off again this evening (got my technique down pat).
The bores look fine and the cracks between the valves dont look any bigger. The head gasket has failed between the water jacket and No 2 and 3 cylinders. Tomorrow ill have the head checked and if it is okay crack wise ill have it machined and whack another (third for this rebuild) headgasket on it an bolt it back together.

If its not i have a spare head!

There may be life in my VW yet!!

[Oneofthegreats]

Sorry to hear the death of the diesel champ. Especially after mission's & hard work (which are memory's & can't be taken from you) you've been through with it.

I so need to make a coolant level meter at tafe, and an oil level meter too! bring it all onto dials on the dash. and / or maybe an alarm for both.

As for a coolant meter.

I'd buy, fit & wire up one out of a Mk1 GTI,mk2,3 et. to a warning light.

Mk1 coolant expansion tank 171 121 407F

Mk1 coolant level sensor (comes with o-ring. If not o-ring seal N 902 400 02) 215 919 372

For the oil level, I'd probably just hook up a oil temp guage. If it runs too hot (120+Degree's. The GTI runs @ 110 at times after a hard run) check your oil level

[brackie]

A second Phoenix?

There may be life in my VW yet!!

I know it's going to be a pain, but if it were me I'd push the pistons out too. Just because the bores aren't scored (yet) it doesn't mean that you haven't got broken rings. Also check for head warpage and piston protrusion.

I'm really pleased that there's hope!

[smithy010]

Hiho, you'll be the expert of all experts in getting the old diesels back together again. Perhaps you should come up and help me time my little diesel!

[hiho]

Hi Smithy,

You can buy a dial indicator and adaptor for the injector pump on ebay but they are not cheap. Ive been using a friends dial indicator and adapter whenever i need to time a motor (which is often atm). I also have a dial indicator without the adapter and it is a loose fit in the injector pump, not an ideal way to set pump timing. I have succeeded with this method but it is a bit ****, i repeat the measurement about 5 times to ensure that the indicator hasnt moved and given me a dud reading. If you plan on owning the car for a while, get a dial indicator and adapter!! The proceedure for setting the timing is outlined in any workshop manual, do you have one? Also, there are three bolts that hold the pump to the front pump bracket (and one at the rear of the pump). The lower of the front bolts is very hard to get at with the alternator bracket in place. You can either adapt a 13mm spanner by cutting the end off at a ~45 degree angle and welding it back on so the end is at ~90 degrees to the handle. Otherwise you can remove your alternator and bracket but that is a real nuisance just for one bolt. I have not yet modified a spanner as described. I hope that this helps you
Matt

[brackie]

Bent spanner

Hi Smithy,

You can either adapt a 13mm spanner by cutting the end off at a ~45 degree angle and welding it back on so the end is at ~90 degrees to the handle. Matt

The bent spanner is essential.

We dieselers should buy a dial gauge and adapter, also a compression tester between us and share them around. Postage is <$10 anywhere in Oz.

[smithy010]

Hey, thanks! I didn't expect this to become a "Advice for smithy" thread. but all the advice and assurance you can give will be worth it.

I think i will get on the lathe when i go home and make an adaptor for my current dial gauge. Not sure what's involved yet, but when i do it, i'll yell out, and i might have time to make one for other people's dial indicators.

[mmciau]

Loss of Coolant

On one of my prevoius cars, I installed a "manual water pressure" gauge. It was a full-circle dial and it was 0-20 lb/sq in.

It enabed me to get an "instant reading' if there was nil pressure at start up and if the engine was about to get real hot, the pressure gauge would go up to the pressure rating of the radiator cap and of course show 'blow off".

So if you get a split hose, the gauge would drop to zero. This is more reliable than the modern temperature sender which need to be immersed in coolant to work


Mike