head gasket failure - confirmed

[John Cody Forbes]

E. Roy Wendell IV wrote:
> I thought that something seemed familiar so I dug in the archives and
> confirmed that you are indeed the person who upped their boost by
> defeating the ecu safety by way of the zener diode despite the
> collective wisdom of the list telling you it was a bad idea. Not two
> weeks or so later you suffer a head gasket failure. Coincidence? I
> think not. A blown head gasket if the first symptom of an engine
> experiencing detonation. Any chance one or more of the fire rings on
> the removed head gasket is distorted?
>
> As for installation of the new gasket, what you really need is tool
> number 3450 seen here:
> http://www.zelenda.com/VW/page3.html

Actually what he really needs are the ARP head studs. They solve the gasket 
alignment issue, the "nicking the cyl head during install" issue, and the 
"replace head gasket again in 3 weeks" issue.

Trust me, I have BTDT. You *WILL* need another head gasket very soon. You 
are better off just putting the car aside while you wait for the studs. I 
promise it's worth the wait.

With the studs installed I have ALWAYS installed the EM+turbo with the head. 
My K27 fits so tightly that it DOES NOT come off without either unbolting 
and lifting the engine up or removing the head. When I still had bolts 
though I would unbolt the EM from the head and slide the head 3 inches to 
the drivers side then up an out leaving the EM, turbo, wastegate, and 
downpipe all happily together.

-Cody Forbes
http://www.5000tq.com
'86 5k noT noQ
'86 5k noT noQ - Parting Out
'87 5ktq
'87 5ktq - Fast. Really Fast.