[Vwdiesel] carbon/soot build up

[James Hansen]

If easily removed, and soft, it's normal.  If hard, and like instant 
coffee granules, look at compression and injectors.

Bad injectors are usually visible on the glow plugs, as excessive firey 
breath blowing on one part of the plug leaves marks.

Bad rings just leaves hard soot from low compression and poor quality burn.

Soot on the head isn't that definitive, compression tests and the like are.

If it's all apart, it's not a big deal to scuff it and slide in a set of 
rings.

Trick with trying this block, and that block, if neither is actually 
tested, they are not really known to be good either, so if it's in good 
shape with not overly worn bores, a quick rebuild is pretty easy at this 
point, and not terribly expensive.  IT's a realy pita to get it 
installed, then have to yard it out again or try to do inframe work.
-james



-James

engle31 at comcast.net wrote:
> No gooey soot, just hard, dried soot. It was an even amount across all cylinders and valve areas. I haven't checked the backside of the valves, that's next on the list. I was just wondering if the soot build up condition was an indicator of bigger issues.
> 
> It had a 3 notch headgasket installed. I guess I could measure to ensure the proper headgasket was used last time it was replaced.
> 
> I have another block I could maybe use, it had a bad head that was removed some time ago and has been sitting open without a head in place.
> decissions, decissions!
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: LBaird119 at aol.com 
> 
>> In a message dated 8/8/2006 8:17:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
>> engle31 at comcast.net writes: 
>>
>>> I pulled the head on my 1.6 na last evening to replace the headgasket and 
>>> waterpump before installing the motor in my Caddy. The underside of the head 
>>> wasthick with a carbon/soot build up around the valves in the pattern of the 
>>> headgasket. Each set of valves per cylinder had this thick build up. I needed 
>>> a razor blade to scrape it away. 
>>>
>>> Is this normal? The motor has some miles on it, but it did run before it was 
>>> pulled from the Rabbit I scrapped. I've seen other heads that one could use 
>>> sone cleaner to clean up the underside of the head. I'm just wondering if 
>>> this is a sign of something else that should be replaced/repaired. 
>>>
>>> Also are the hex headed headbolts, stretch or non-stretch type bolts? 
>>>
>>
>> When they're gunky (usually kinda gooey too) it's generally not 
>> running right. Bad injectors, low compression, burning oil past 
>> rings or valves or bad valve adjustment. COULD be from loafing 
>> the engine also. Never heats up enough or runs fast enough to 
>> really keep it clear. How are the back sides of the valves? They 
>> might be so coked up that they'll need cleaned too. 
>> Hex bolts are 11mm non stretch. 
>> Loren 
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