Advice - Head gasket replacement

J B

J B

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So unfortunately my car decided to spit its dummy out on my drive home friday. Engine managment light came on and the car was running really rough, I guessed I had blown a boost hose so pulled over in a layby but when I stopped I was greeted with a cloud of steam so wasnt what I assumed :(

IMG 0817

Coolant was flowing out from cylinder 2 almost like a geysir, so took off the expansion cap to release the pressure, and it slowed to a stop. It had popped the coilpack out the cylinder and thats bent too. Called the AA and got towed home.

Now I managed to strip most stuff off the engine, I couldnt take the cam belt off as im still not sure how to compress the cam belt tensioner is there a special tool? And I have ordered an M10 Ribe to remove the head bolts.

Now I just have a couple of questions, what are the chances of it being a cracked head and can you tell without pressure testing it?

Is it worth me changing anything else whilst all this stuff is off and out the way (waterpump, cam belt and aux belt ect were done less than 10k miles ago) maybe the engine mounts as they seem to be knackered? If I could afford to then I would love to change the exhaust mani for the xs power but time is short and I need to get all the parts ect by next wednesday.

My list of parts, should I be changing anything else at the same time?

Head bolt tool
Head gasket
Head bolts
Inlet mani gasket
Exhaust mani to turbo gasket
Rocker cover gaskets
Coolant
Oil
Oil filter
Coil packs
Spark plugs

Also wheres the best/cheapest place for everything gsf/audi
Any help and advice would be much appreciated :thumbsup:
 
Last edited:
Does the spark plug on cylinder 2 tighten down?
 
I'm sure to be honest, I did tighten it down the day before, but I dont think the threads are very good, I was going to put a timesert in at the same time.
 
cut the belt off, fit a new one when you rebuild it, the tensioner should be replaced at the same time, it will come with a pin in it, fit the tensioner and belt, keep it tight on the non tensioned side, then fit the idler and pull the pin out, the tensioner will tighten the belt and job done easy, id go with Euro for the gaskets as they use Elring, which is good stuff imho, get oil filter from TPS, replace the water pump, thermostat and plugs (get NGK plugs) and rebuild

Have fun dude
 
To be honest the cam belt and tensioner are both under a year old so was going to reuse, there's enough expense with all the other parts I'm going to have to buy! Already found the engine mounts and a cv boot that need changing.
 
Cut the cam belt and replace as they are peanuts to buy in the grand scheme of things... if the tensioner damper and/or water pump haven't been replaced at your last cam belt change then get those done too...

GSF and ECP sell genuine Elring gaskets, OE use Elring for head bolts too... ONLY use elring (ECP do them, dunno about GSF) or OE from a dealer on these...

<tuffty/>
 
audi upgrades
I'm confused, did the spark plug get forced out of the thread? If so there must have been coolant in the cylinder to create that much pressure. You could of had a bad experience of hydraulic lock and bent something.
 
Ok so on a previous occasion the spark plug had popped out of the cylinder, but I dont know if it did on this occasion, (my car is at my dads 60miles away) on this occasion it did pop the coilpack out as you can see in the picture I put up.

The cam belt tensioner, waterpump, aux belt, idler roller were all replaced last year so should all be good, I need to find a way to compress the cam belt tensioner, though for refitment if anyone can help with that?
 
I think you need to sort that spark plug thread out. Its only going to get worse :sadlike:
 
Scullies, I know, if the head is still ok then I will drill the threads and put a time-sert in, im just not going to know until I get back to the car to take the head off tomorrow night :(

Another question, is it worth upgrading the coil packs to the 2.0Ltr TFSI coilpacks? I also have a new coilpack wiring loom to go on as well.
 
RE the tensioner damper... if not replacing (advisable to do so if its never been done) then as you are taking the head off all you need to do is remove the damper and carefully/slowly compress it in a vice so that you can put the pin in... the 'tool' is more for in situe use...

I would strongly recommend you replace it though if you haven't already

<tuffty/>
 
It has been replaced, I said cam belt tensioner, forgetting the damper is a seperate item?
 
Ok so I'm really struggling with the exhaust mani to turbo bolts, one has cracked off but the other two wont budge they've been soaked in wd40 all week, I've tried a breaker bar with an 11mm socket with someone hammering the end like an impact driver but the socket just slips, any ideas??
 
They are a **** to do... have had to drilled the heads off before now...

As you are removing the head I suggest you leave the turbo/mani fitted the head for now, undo coolant lines from the block and the from round the cam belt side of the engine and the oil feed from the gearbox side....

Take the head off whole (its a proper c-unit but I do this all the time with my GT30) then you can properly attack the bolts

<tuffty/>
 
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It's the sockets that are rounding off! Crappy chrome vandium! How does the turbo bolt to the downpipe?
 
Do as tuffty says, or get some decent sockets mate, its hard enough with all the right gear!! The inserts are stainless in the turbo so they will go eventually (presuming you have a standard K04)
 
Get some heat on them and the area where the bolts go into the hotside. I rounded the bolt heads, so welded some hex nuts to the round head. The welding heat helped in the removing headache.
 
Update;

So I got the head off, ended up taking the turbo off with the manifold as tuffty said. I had it pressure tested today and the head is cracked :crying: so I need to find a replacement. So does anyone know of a good head for sale or a good source?
 
J B said:
Update;

So I got the head off, ended up taking the turbo off with the manifold as tuffty said. I had it pressure tested today and the head is cracked :crying: so I need to find a replacement. So does anyone know of a good head for sale or a good source?
Click to expand...

Drop Bill a call mate... he has a few on the shelf....

<tuffty/>
 
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