Just call me 'lucky'..... after searching for weeks, I finally bought a '93 Polo 1.05 for my wife on Friday, full service history, low milage, very good nick. The first time she drives it, the timing belt snaps I spent most of last night fitting a new one, praying that there was no internal damage, but on cranking it became obvious I only had compression on one cylinder - so I'm looking at at least three bent valves at best, or big holes in pistons at worst.

This morning I started the work to get the head off, but have had to stop as I don't have the neccessary splined socket for the head bolts, nor a tool to lock the camshaft to get the pulley off.

Does anyone know what socket I'll need for the head bolts ?, and is there a tool I can buy to lock the camshaft pulley ? The Haynes manual shows a DIY one, but I don't have any steel bars laying around, and if they're cheap enough, I may as well get the proper tool - though obviously not from my local VW dealer !

The engine is the 1043cc AAU single point injection. I'm really worried that there may be piston or bore damage - can anyone suggest how likely this could be on this model ? What's also bothering me is the state of the old belt - it looks in excellent condition, the car has only done 41,000 miles (all mot's support that it's genuine) and I'm guessing it's never been changed - but it just snapped, as if the water pump or camshaft seized momentarily - though they both turn freely now.

Any tips / advice / prayers that the pistons are fine, gratefully accepted !

Many thanks,

Cheers.

I know draper do a three piece set of splined tools and adapter to use in a socket wrench, One fits the driveshaft bolts and the other fits the head bolts so quite handy to have both.

To lock the cam pulley off, you can use a spanner (I forget which size, I think it's a 22mm) to lock the camshaft pulley against the engine mount.

Good luck with it all!

I know draper do a three piece set of splined tools and adapter to use in a socket wrench, One fits the driveshaft bolts and the other fits the head bolts so quite handy to have both.

Cheers !

To lock the cam pulley off, you can use a spanner (I forget which size, I think it's a 22mm) to lock the camshaft pulley against the engine mount.

Not sure I understand here.... I'm trying to remove the camshaft pulley, and need to stop it turning whilst I undo the nut.

Are you suggesting I put a spanner on the nut and wedge it against the engine mount ?, if so, how's that going to get the nut off ?

Sorry, if you get the spanner with two open ends. With one end, have the spanner through one of the holes in the camshaft pulley and the other end resting on the engine mount. Go to turn the camshaft with a socket and ratchet as if you were undoing it, and as the pulley turns make sure the part of the spanner in contact with the pulley is locking it into place against the engine mount.

It's a pretty rubbish description, sure I could grab a couple of photos tommorow which would make it a whole lot clearer!

Such an awful drawing, but I think you might what I mean! This is just one way of doing it that worked quite easily for me. I'm sure there are other ways people do it.....

Ahhh!! I see what you mean !. I'm not sure how well that method will work on my wife's car though - the engine mount is on the wrong side of the sprocket for one, great if I'm tightening but... not for undoing. I get the general idea though and I'll see if there's anything I can do with a spanner on that side. Thanks for your help.

I use the same technique,and with that car you could pass an extension bar through the spokes and have it rest along the front of the head. Alternatively,there is a 10mm bolt hidden behind the wheel,just hold a socket on a bar over that. Its all about jamming the wheel with something (at a suitable angle so as not to damage it by leverage).

yeah I've done the thing with the 10mm socket on an extension bar onto the bolt behind the sprocket. Henry's spanner idea sounds good too.

It's all well and good only having 41k on the clocks but 14 year old rubber belts aren't likely to be reliable, I think they should be replaced well before then regardless of mileage.

How much damage is done just depends how lucky you are. Sounds like you've got at least three bent valves. Getting a new head from a scrapyard would probably be the cheapest option, unless you can fit new valves yourself.

yeah I've done the thing with the 10mm socket on an extension bar onto the bolt behind the sprocket. Henry's spanner idea sounds good too.

It's all well and good only having 41k on the clocks but 14 year old rubber belts aren't likely to be reliable, I think they should be replaced well before then regardless of mileage.

How much damage is done just depends how lucky you are. Sounds like you've got at least three bent valves. Getting a new head from a scrapyard would probably be the cheapest option, unless you can fit new valves yourself.

Is it a specialist job then relapping valves into a head?

Could Joe blogss not do this with basic tools.?????

When you pop the head off then can you take a pic and post the damage? Also GSF sell the spline socket you need for doing head bolts and driveshaft bolts in one package - about £6 iirc...!!!

Dave

Lapping in the valves isn't too hard, but if the valves are bent they might have fucked up the seats.

I changed valves and I know nothing.

you need a special removal kit. It is used to push the valve springs down so you can remove the collets. apart from that the only thing I suggest you have is a magnetic stick.

only 8v but its a fiddly job. not to mention lapping valves is a very long/boring process. lapping valves is just spinning the valve so it grinds into the seat, so they sit flush

you may as well change the valve stem oil seal while your there. not hard either

A valve spring compressor is required. And you'd have to change the valve stem seals anyway. Besides you're going to be buying a head gasket kit.

TBH, I'd either take Andys advice and buy a replacement head OR believe it or not I think it's actually an easier job to swap the whole engine. You can get 1 litre engines for next to nothing because there is no real demand.

Well, after locking the sprocket with a spanner, I bent my T-bar almost 90 degrees trying to undo the pulley nut ! In the end, I used a length of scaffold pole over the end of my brand new ratchet (no, I know they're not meant to take that kind of leverage, but I was desperate ! - ratchet seems unharmed). It took some bloody force though. So, pulley off, head off.... the result ? - six bent valves & trivial marks on the piston crowns.

I'm going to replace all the valves and the stem oil seals (I'll just get a head set and change everying that's in that). My only minor worry now is that there might be valve guide damage. I'm hoping not. What's the easiest way to tell if the guides are buggered ?

I think the seats are OK though..... I can lap in the new valves to compensate for any minor dings in the seats. I quite enjoy lapping valves - quite theraputic :-)

Right, now I know it's repairable, I've got to get some more tools - like a torque wrench, a new T-bar, a valve spring compressor, a valve lapping stick and some paste. ..and parts: 8 new valves, new head bolts, a head set, oil, filters, antifreeze & new plugs. The Haynes manual says to put "suitable sealant" on the mating faces of the camshaft bearing caps no's 1 & 5 on reassembly.... anyone know what 'suitable sealant' is (inst gasket ?) and more to the point - WHY ? !!

Fuck knows why - darn that haynes book of lies...!!!

Anyone shed any light on this information?

Would be good to get some pics of the work in stages you do to the head.... - id love to see the stages / process involved if you have time!

Thanks

Dave

All i know is that not using 'a suitable sealant' is perfectly fine - and in accordance with the MK2 pre-facelift version Haynes manual. When the valves are out,id pass some cotton fabric strips through the guides to clean them,then look through them for any scoring or marks. But i think any damage would only be at the very tip,of the end in the port,anyway.

I've taken a night off from it tonight - I'm too tired ! I probably will photo it all as I go along if anyone's really that interested ! Talking of Haynes manuals - I'm not impressed at all with the Polo one - much thinner than the Haynes manuals of old, and nowhere near as helpful. e.g. - it doesn't say you've got to remove the engine mounting and drop the bugger down on a jack in order to get the alternator pulley off, and on removing the crank bolt, it says only "slacken bolt" !! (not that I'm undoing that for a head job, I hasten to add !). "slacken bolt" - no hints you may spend five hours attempting it :-) ...and what happened to the colour page with the different sparkplug pics you always used to get - champion sponsored if I remember. .......eehh, I can remember when this were all fields, etc.

Still, better than nothing....

Anyone shed any light on this information?

Would be good to get some pics of the work in stages you do to the head.... - id love to see the stages / process involved if you have time

Thanks

Dave

I got a mate to help me out becuase I wasnt 100% sure. The timing is the hard part. Apart from that I managed to do most on my own.

Pic of the engine bay. All the surrounding stuff removed. With the head taken off

A pic when I was changing the oil seals

Oil Seal is the green 'washer' type thing on the left

Edited 12 June, 200719 yr by ---Ripley---

I'm just ordering a pile of parts here and I'm not sure what oil to put in it. Haynes says any 10w40 to 20w50. GSF sell a plain old 20w50 for £5.25 or Fuchs XTR Semi synthetic 10W40 for £10.70.

What would be better ? I'm thinking maybe the 10w40 as I've read Polos really crank out the oil pressure and are prone to leaking from the head gasket over the alternator and the 20w50 might give an even higher pressure than the 10w40. ...or doesn't it really matter ?

I use 10W40W Synta Silver IIRC for my G40...

I was under the impression this is what VAG put in and sell - so just use that!

GSF sold it - but i heard they no longer were stocking it now....???

Ask though!

Dave

The Fuchs 10w40 is what GSF now sell instead of Synta Silver. That's the one I'd go for.

I need to change the head on my car so a how-to guide with pictures would be brilliant! I've never worked on an engine before so its quite a daunting task for a mechanical virgin hehe... I'm guna put a new head on cause i know theres a problem with the valves on cylinder 2 and i don't know how to fix the current head, might as well just swap a working one straight on.

When you've done it all, a thread with a step-by-step guide would be amazing help!

What is in the head kit? And is this a silly job for a total noob to try?

I'm having a hell of a time trying to work out what valve spring compressor will do the job. Those springs look like they're very deep in relation to the top of the head. I've just ordered a Laser 0288 - but I think that's not going to do it, looking at Ripley's pics. What do you think ?

I was hoping to get it all done this weekend, but without a suitable compressor, I'm buggered. :(

I can get a deeper reach one, but not by the weekend... well, not without paying more in postage than the item is worth ! Any suggestions ?

the top of my clamp was interchangeable. this allows different size springs to be changed.

The deeper they go down the easier the collets are to get on/off.

I have never touched an engine before I did this. I was shown how to do one valve and then as you go on you get better

Yours looks your one is better than the one I used. yours is spring loaded so you don't have to unwind it every 10 seconds

Hmmm. My concern is that the collet release adaptor isn't long enough, and I'll squeeze it to compress the spring and the frame will hit the top edge of the head before the spring is squeezed enough to get the collets out.

Whilst I'm here - can anyone point me to the thread about getting the head lined up right so the cam belt rides in the centre of the pulley ? I read it the other day and despite searching for over an hour, I can't find the bugger again !

Hopefully the big box of stuff from GSF should arrive tomorrow: My shopping list was:-

4 inlet valves

4 exhaust valves

Complete head gasket set

10 new head bolts

Water pump (may as well whilst I'm at it)

Oil & filter

Air filter

Antifreeze

Spark plugs

That lot came to £170. I've still got to buy a spring compressor (which will go on ebay immediately after the job), a torque wrench, a lapping stick, some grinding paste & a bucket of degreaser.

Also whilst I'm here..... is there any way of telling from the timing belt whether it's the factory fitted original one ? I've still got the snapped belt and it's got lots of VW markings on it. I'm trying to work out if it really is 14 years old and just snapped due to age, or something more sinister - like something seizing and tearing it apart. When I fitted the new belt (before I knew the valves were buggered), I found a loose 10mm nylock nut sitting just underneath the water pump pulley, held there by the inner belt cover. I still have no idea where it came from - any thoughts ?

Well, so far, so good. I had to use a large spacer on the end of the compressor as my suspicions about it not being deep enough proved correct. The valve stem seals were an absolute bugger to remove, but eventually they came. I degreased the head and started lapping the new valves in. Halfway through, I opened the third inlet valve packet and noticed it was larger than the others... and so was the fourth. GSF had sent two incorrect valves. My local GSF branch didn't have the right ones, and the nearest one that did was 90 miles away. Grrrrrr. That's my weekend rebuild buggered. I'm working in Bristol on Monday, so I'll swap them out there and hopefully continue Monday evening.