Blown Head Gasket or Dropped Valve? Cylinder Head Rebuild Advice

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#11

01-05-2014, 05:44 PM

AudiTurbo

2nd Gear

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Join Date: Sep 2006

Location: Lexington

Posts: 1,273

Just cranked it over a couple of quick times. cloudy liquid and I think so cause when I took out the plug it was wet. No other codes and I'm waiting to do a compression test

#12

01-05-2014, 05:50 PM

markymarc

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Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Des Moines, IA

Posts: 675

What kind of liquid came out of the spark plug hole? Oil or Coolant? What color was it?

White smoke is generally coolant.

Is your coolant level normal? At the right mark in the reservoir? Or is it empty?

Do you have oil left? Where's it at on the dipstick? Is the oil MILKY?

As others have asked, any other codes? If it's running that badly, the VAG will throw out some more codes....

I'm guessing it runs, but makes a noise? 'Thumping' is a bit vague of a description.

Could be the cam chain tensioner failed/skipped a few cogs, and you bent a valve, head gasket failed, but that's VERY rare....

#13

01-05-2014, 06:23 PM

AudiTurbo

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Location: Lexington

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the liquid was cloudy, coolant is lower than normal. No other codes but the misfire ones. coolant blowing behind the turbo (gasket leaking) compression in the bad cylinder 70 = blown head gasket

#14

01-05-2014, 06:30 PM

HBAudi

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Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: Huntington Beach, California

Posts: 113

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaseDrifter

HBAudi, it is not a matter of the sodium finding a path to escape from the valve. The sodium changes form over hundreds of thousands of miles of use and heat cycles...

That is very interesting; what does the sodium change into?

#15

01-06-2014, 08:04 AM

Huskerbob

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Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: Concord, NC

Posts: 296

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudiTurbo

So, last night when getting on it a little bit merging onto the highway, the car started to spit and sputter a lot and hesitating a lot. The battery light came on and the check engine light started flashing and the car shut off. When trying to start it up it was pouring white smoke, stumping and ticking. The check engine light said multiple misfire (cylinder 3), so I looked at the plug and it has some fluid on it and I changed the coil pack and it took the check engine light go away but it's still thumping.

What do you think it is? If I have to rebuild the head whats some good advice to make it nice and strong with a little bit more power?

Thanks

IF you have to rebuild the head, which I doubt, it will run you about $200 to $300 plus new valves. IF you need to do it find a machine shop with experience in multi-valve heads. Ask the question. Some shops can't do the work.

A leak down test would be a good starting point for diagnosis.

As for stronger see the comment above regarding valve springs. That would be the only area where you could improve the strength of this little head.

#16

01-06-2014, 01:45 PM

AudiTurbo

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is 150 a good price for the machine shop to mill, pressure test and fix the valve stem seals? 300 for labor and 100 in parts?

#17

01-06-2014, 04:39 PM

Huskerbob

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Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: Concord, NC

Posts: 296

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudiTurbo

is 150 a good price for the machine shop to mill, pressure test and fix the valve stem seals? 300 for labor and 100 in parts?

Sounds about right. Why plane the head? Is it warped? Stem seals and machining seats for sure. New springs and valves as long as he's in there. So $400 total? Your numbers add up to $550 which would get you a total head rebuild.

Leak down test first. Not just compression. Do a leak down or have it done.