Hi

just took the head of 3 and 4 and found a fair bit of oil in number 3, plus a lot of burnt deposits that side - 1 and 2 were much better.

can understand the deposits cos of the oil, but seeing as it hasn't had any oil in the motor for a few months was a bit bemused by there being wet oil in there - I have turned it over with a spanner a few times recently, but it hasn't been run for about 8 months now

I assume that if there's oil in the barrels it's getting past the rings, burning off and leaving the nasty black stuff in the head - yes?

or is it some weird and wonderful beetle thing that I haven't discovered yet!!

it's a 1600 single port btw - I was trying to get away without taking the barrells off, but it looks like I'm gonna have to...

any advice appreciated - before I have to take it apart even further

cheers

Terry

Leaky valve stem seals??
Do a leak test on em.

It's leaked past the #3 rings while in storage. Oh, DO NOT turn the engine over while in storage, it wipes the oil from the bearings...

happier with that idea, cos it means I don't have to do the stem seals - but it really doesn't explain the amount of burnt oil and carbon deposits in the head

maybe I should do the stem seals seals anyway while it's apart, though it wasn't smoking when it was running, and maybe I should take the barrells of too and have a look at the state of them, and the rings.

Maybe I'm showing my ignorance hear (but I'm not going to remove my rocker covers to check), but I don't think that I have valve stem seals in my 1600TP. I didn't think that the VW engine needed them as the valves were horizontal???

By valve stem seals I mean an umbrella shaped seal that sits under the valve springs. I have changed them in other cars before.

according to the haynes manual they do! they'd have to really, even horizontal oil would sneak down them and end up in the combustion chamber

I've also been told not to use the valve stem seals supplied in rebuild kits etc. The engine doesn't need 'em if your valve guides are good. They just break down over time and cause more trouble than they're worth. Can anyone verify this?
Cheers!
Toby

Yes ,
You usually find them in the oil strainer after the 1st or 2nd oil change, waist of time fitting them.

I also suppose that a little bit of oil on the guides can only lenghten their life because of the extra lubrication. I don't use excessive oil or blow smoke so the rubbers don't seem to be required.

the oil deposits that you see are a result of fuel grade and engine tune..ie poor grade fuel and an over advanced engine will cause the oil that normally runs in the bore to be burnt..therefore deposits usually no3 is the heaviest deposit...the rings on the engine will most likely be fine..check the compression ratio fuel grade[std unleaded i have found causes this deposit] and your ignition timing...best of luck..did you hear your engine ping under load as this may point to the ubove explaination.have you noticed oil consumption?. hope this explaination makes sense..cheers DSK member Steve