Cylinder head damaged by company - help!

[montez]

Head is welded and is going back for a pressure test, The ports have been shaped with a diamond grinder so will need to be polished back smooth. Should have the head back together by the end of the week!

[montez]

Just a quick update, the head failed its pressure test and went back to the welder. He has spent days on the bloody thing and it just keeps cracking after he has grinded back the cracks and filled them. He is not happy that it will do the job and when he grinds it back he finds more and more cracks, he says it feels like the whole ports want to fall out and he has never had a head cause him this much trouble (wonder if it is a strange alloy). I am now going down the 7a route and will hopefully have a new head ASAP. Whilst all this has been going on I have had a good chance to clean (pictures to follow)

[Val]

What can you expect from almost century old head?

[simon20vq]

Surely that engine has been running to hot for a long time?

[montez]

It must have had a hot point before I had it, apart from that the water temp has been absolutly fine and it has a new sensor so it cant be a dodgy reading. It produced pretty good power at MRC last year but had a bit of a strange curve, thought it may have been a fueling issue. I have not done many miles in it since then but it has been using a bit of coolant. I have been chasing a strange running issue since I have had the car with it dropping boost at higher rpms.

[montez]

Two Centurys! I cant imagine how many heat cycles it has gone though!

What can you expect from almost century old head?

[montez]

Whilst I have been waiting on parts and third parties I have cleaned up and painted quite a few parts. I made my own sand blasting setup for £15 and it has worked supprisingly well.


I went over the block lightly with some scotchbrite to clean off any remaining gasket, I also removed and deposits from the waterways with the hoover


Water rail before using my sand blaster


Looking Cleaner


Blasted Rocker Cover


Thought I would try out some crinkle paint I have had in the shed for years was a bit worried when nothing appeared to happen for an hour or so


Wrinkle happened, and it looks ok. Not sure about the carbon effect but I had it lying around and it makes it a bit neater.


Sandblasted painted and polished intake manifold

[SteveH]

There are known issues with the quality of the alloy in some of the old Audi heads. Porosity can lead to issues like you've had, however it does look like a good cooking at some stage might have been involved. Who's doing the 7A water channels for you? I have a head that needs doing, so it may be useful to get the two done at the same time. Watch out for blasting media in the inlet etc.

[montez]

Yeah I thought I did a good job of sealing all the intake up to stop any blast media getting in but it still managed to get through. Got it out with airline, hoover, copius amounts of water and swilling with petrol + Gunk. I am getting the machining done in Hereford by a local firm.

[Christophski]

Im about to take the head off my car to do the head gasket... I hop eit doesnt have the same issues as I would like to take it off, clean it up, get it skimmed, replace the neccessary seals and gaskets and guides etc then put it back together. Yours seems to be a real pita mate! Good luck!

[montez]

It just seems as if I have been going around in circles, cant wait to get back in it. Especially as I am driving an automatic Custard Yellow Volvo T5R Estate (cant decide if it is cool or not) at the moment. Spink hopefully has a cylinder head for me so if I can get that machined up I should be back on for ADI Castle Combe

[Christophski]

Lucky having the T5R, im driving around in a bright yellow ex AA T4 with a boost issue so is smokey and slow! Hope you do get it sorted.

[montez]

The volvo is like driving a speed boat, ok in straight drag race but no good around corners. 270bhp through the front tyres is a bit of a handfull as well especially when it keeps switching around on the auto box.

[rj scotty]

Lucky having the T5R, im driving around in a bright yellow ex AA T4 with a boost issue so is smokey and slow! Hope you do get it sorted.

You still not sorted that T4?! I think that van hates you!

[Christophski]

Nah bud I gave up briefly as got other things on my plate ATM. I did get my mate to do the pump timing with the Dti gauges and it was great for 3 days then went again. I got another diesel pump reconditioned and ready I just don't have the time and whilst it's running I'm using it until the s2 is sorted and will then do the diesel pump swap on the t4. Hopefully by Xmas it should all be done. Basically it's not been good timing for anything as I got a house 5 weeks ago and it's needed doing up to move into so everything else is on the back burner! Sux huh?