[V8] Rebuilding/ refinishing v8 heads

[urq]

I tend to agree with Tony on the engine swap ... unless you can get one you
know to be running well.  

What do you know about your car before the TB broke?  Was it smoking or
burning oil?  The PT engine is rather unlike Audi's I-5in that you may not
be able to pop the heads off and back on and be done.  I'm still a fan of
the V8Q, but you really should do a sanity check before getting too involved
with this.  You may very well end up dropping a lot of money into the car
and end up with a car worth very little.  

Does your mechanic have a place which has experience with the V8Q engine
specifically?  Make sure you know that the parts are available and how much
they cost.  Give serious thought to having the pistons pulled and rings
replaced.  There's a place out in the SF Bay Area of California called
Karmakanix which used to specialize in the Audi V8Q, but I'm not sure that
Steve Nechodom is still there or if they are that interested in engine
rebuilds on PTs any more.  

One option I know that others have selected is to replace the 3.6 with a 4.2
... 

Steve Buchholz

-----Original Message-----
From: v8-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of
Tony and Lillie
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2011 1:25 AM
To: Chris Brown; v8 at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [V8] Rebuilding/ refinishing v8 heads

If it were mine, I'd rebuild the original heads, and use them on the 
original motor. You know the history of the car, and therefore that engine. 
just replace the valves and lifters that were damaged, and if you want to at

that time, have the heads ported. You can use the lifters and valves from 
the "new" heads to fix yours, or you can buy new. I'd use the ones from the 
other heads. You really want a complete rebuild of them, that includes 
guides/guide seals as well as grinding/cutting the valve seats and faces.

When a valve head breaks off and destroys the cylinder wall/piston/head. 
That is the only time a head is damaged from valve/piston contact.

HTH,
Tony

Subject: [V8] Rebuilding/ refinishing v8 heads
>
>  I bought a 1990 V8 3.6 L audi over the summer and i got the car for a 
> song because the guy snapped the belt and the motor is shot. So over the 
> summer i bought a replacement motor for very cheap and took a gamble on 
> it. The replacement motor still had its time and was complete with heads. 
> So now i've got all the parts to my mechanic and after some testing he is 
> not comfortable putting this motor in because he isnt getting good 
> compression and tells me *several* of the valves are not seating properly 
> and if  go ahead and put this motor in it will most likely run awful and 
> smoke a lot. He tells me he wants to take the heads off and send them out 
> to be re-finished.  And then put it all back together. I really like the 
> car and i don't have much money invested into it so i am considering his 
> advice.  Will i be able to find someone to do this for me? Does anyone 
> have any suggestions for me? I would put the whole motor on a pallet and 
> send it somewhere to be done if anyone does it
> on the side. Basically i just need help with this situation.
>
> Or should i just but a motor that has been cleaned and tested and and has 
> a Gaurantee and just forget that motor?
> I am really in love with this car and it only has 76,000 miles and 1 
> owner, absolutely mint in and out.  I dont mind spending a little $ for 
> this low milage beauty.   Are the heads on the original motor with the 
> bent valves shot? When the valves bend does that damage the actual head? 
> I need advice.
>  Thanks guys. 

_______________________________________________
Audifans V8 mailing list
Send posts to: mailto:V8 at audifans.com
Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/v8

You can help keep the audifans site running by shopping at
http://audifans.com/shop/