Advice appreciated, intake valve on number 2 cylinder stuck open

After a light polish, I’d use it.

 

But you couldn't know that before you got your other parts and did the calculations. What you went through is just normal engine building. Gone are the days when you could buy like for like VW made parts and just bolt them on plus changing the capacity will always require calculations and adjustment.

 

I am still torn between polishing the top of that piston and replacing the one head or getting a top end engine rebuild kit.
Sorry if this is a silly question but, if I go top end rebuild route, can you use a 1640 engine rebuild kit on a 1600 type 1 block without any other engine mods. And would I need an additional external oil cooler if I went down this route? (I have no thermostat and as far as I can tell, the fan housing has no air flaps)

 

Yes you can do that but the extra moped's worth of capacity won't light it up like a dragster - no need for additional oil cooling.

 

You might want to consider getting a cylinder head temperature sensor (worry guage) as part of the work you're doing.
Other guages might be worth considering - oil pressure, tachometer etc.

 

I'd be thinking if something is up with one of the heads, is the other head about to have the same problem?

So I'd probably go for a matching pair of heads

 

My boy has cleaned up the heads a bit and can't see any cracks



However, the seat worn a decent dint in the Ali on the head at the edge of the seat housing which I guess still makes this head non repairable.
There is loads more carbon build up around this valve so looks like it's been running a distance with the seat displaced, so I think she did well to get us home.
I think I'll go for a full top end rebuild kit to be sure.
Anyone got any recommendations on which company / kit to go for?

 

VW

 

I would just go for replacing the head. Its going to be about £300 for a quite good EMPI head that even the VW Engine Company uses these days.

These end up being better finished than the genuine VW / Autolinea heads I bought about 8 years ago (slightly better inlet/exhaust ports and less metal flash on the cooling fins).

Going deeper into the engine, more tools and more chance of getting dirt inside the engine..

 

I'm liking this option Mike
She has given many years of service with no problems til we hit that heat in Italy so I'm thinking I've got a good un and I shouldn't mess with the bottom end.
Still a novice but now I've done my first engine extraction I'm a bit more confident that if something else goes amiss I can whip it out again if need be.
I've been looking at the Empi heads so do you think I could get away with just the one?
The dilema is, if I should be changing both that's about £600 but, the full engine rebuild kit with both heads and new barrels and pistons is about £700 soooooo......
Wot dya reckon? Obviously, any advice is totally without liability as I know there's never a right or wrong

 

Made by who?

 

Hi snotty,
Not sure, JK have the kits for £700, Heritage have them for £900. Not clear who they are made by????

 

Just wondered. You might ask them. Mahle B&Ps are good, but if it's JK you might end up with Chinese stuff.

 

Ok thanks, I'll check
I can't tell you how brilliant the old bus did over massive hill climbs through the mountains and hills in Greece, Italy and Switzerland and ok, if if I've killed her and I need to do some major work, that's fine. But I don't wanna fix what's not broken and end up worse off

 

JK do have a habit of selling ok parts singly and kits made up of the cheapest available so it looks like you save buying a "bundle" but really it's cheaper because it's cheaper parts.
Nothing wrong with Chinese AA parts either, I have AA B&Ps on my 2.4L type-4 engine and had there big valve heads + B&Ps on my previous stroker type-1.

 

Heritage tell you the makes in the Q&A.
1600 kit "The Barrel and Pistons are Kolbenschmidt and the Twin Port Heads are from EMPI in the U.S.A"
1641 kit £50 cheaper - "Empi heads and AA performance barrels"

 

Petrol.

 

While we’re all at it….you got any endfloat?

 

Oh bugga, fkd if I know, I will check
,.,.,...,.. how do

 

I check