Cracked head

[eyvind.spangen@c2i.net (Eyvind Spangen)]

I just pulled the head on my Audi 5k Turbodiesel, and I found this:

* The head gasket was not blown
* The coolant lines were rusted, but not bad.
* The head had hairline cracks between intake and exhaust valves on
all 5 cylinders and hairline cracks between valves and prechamber
"cover" on cylinder #2 and #5.
* All combustion chambers looked the same. No big deposits, just the
"normal" look.

I haven't measured the cracks yet, but I think it's best to get a
factory rebuilt head, as the oil --> coolant leaks had to come from
somewhere, probably the cracks. The block looks ok, no cracks. 

Does the 0.5 mm cracks = OK thing with the gasoline engines apply to
the diesel too?


Now I'm having four possible solutions:
1) Get a factory rebuilt head and install that on the engine.
(probably the cheapest solution.
2) Get a 5-cylinder TDI engine out of a wreck and install that.
(depends on cost and work needed)
3) Sell the whole damn car to somebody else. (not a good solution, as
the car is in mint condition except for the engine)
4) Transplant a 5-cylinder gas engine and transmission into the car.
Better construction, but I guess it's kinda expensive too..

--
ES