major problem!

[missmouse]

today was not my day! car started bad missfire & lots of smoke, i stopped & checked under bonnet- lots of oil at back of coil cover. limped home & removed the cover, No 4 plug ht extension from the coil was burned out & plug was loose & threads stripped with lots of oil about.
No compression in No4 cyl. Looks like a burned piston? (possibly caused by poor ignition from the loose plug)
Question is--- can I get it out by dropping sump & pulling the head or is it (oh no!) engine out? (Its pissing down just now so Ive not looked at the access of the sump)

Simon

[SteveH]

Bad news Another loose plug incident, there was another only a week or two ago.

The pistons have to come out through the top of the cylinder, however, if you do have a damaged piston it will be an engine out job anyway Were you able to refit the plug or are the threads shot?

[missmouse]

threads ARE shot Steve, so plug hole needs helicoiled. Surely depends on the damage whether my engine has to come out? (assuming that it IS possible to remove the sump in situ) if there is a hole in the centre of the piston & no bore damage, then I should be able to replece the piston, no? Ive done this kind of job many times on other cars over the years.

thanks for the input tho,
simon

[Bibby]

Mine's being repaired at the minute from the same problem Simon.

All 5 plug threads are having Timecerts and the piston rings are being replaced.

As far as I'm aware the engine is still in the car but the head is off.

The car is at QRSport if you want to talk to them about it.

[Mark Halligan]

(assuming that it IS possible to remove the sump in situ) simon

Simon

yes it is (had to do it a few times myself), just need to lower the subframe to get at a few sump bolts.

Mark.

P.S. T-certs are far better than helicoils.

[rotoryboy]

T-certs are far better than helicoils

Totally agree

[kwlw]

Totally agree

What are those "T-Certs" ? Link anyone ?

Sau

[Mark Halligan]

What are those "T-Certs" ? Link anyone ?

Sau

http://www.timesert.com/

[missmouse]

phew1 not as bad as i thought!

seems the comp tester i used was faulty! piston is ok!
spark plug had come loose & destroyed the threads & the ht connector. i have now fitted an insert (blue point) & all seems well! (borrowed ht extension)
Just waiting for vagparts to deliver new cam cover gasket etc (oil leak caused whole problem) things seem a bit slow at vagparts just now - everything going ok martyn?

simon

[dan_b]

Fingers crossed for you that everything is ok. There seems to be a bit of a run on plugs going loose on our S2s at the moment, wonder why? I think everyone on the forum should go out and check their plugs just in case...

[RustyNut]

What is correct torque setting for the plugs?? I think i'm gonna get me a torque wrench!

[RustyNut]

Found a link. 30 NM.