Hi guys,

I’m new to the forum after buying a cheap pick up with a 1.6 engine swap with a plan to slowly get it back on the road and do some learning on the way. So with that said I’ll start with the issues I see and slowly (with your help) work my way through them.

Firstly it smokes, it’s starts slowly but as the engine warms up the smoke gets heavier. It’s white smoke with a sweet smell. But the cylinders are covered in oil (picture below) is this what I’d expect to see with a blown cylinder head gasket?

I’ve taken some compression reading of the engine both hot and cold and again attached a picture, do they look right?

Thanks in advance

Rob

32 minutes ago, Rsedmonds said:

do they look right?

The @Thefeliciahacker has done a rebuild in his engine,it's 1.3 but he has done an extensive job and can provide you with many infos.

1 hour ago, Rsedmonds said:

It’s white smoke with a sweet smell.

That suggests coolant perhaps by colour and smell.

1 hour ago, Rsedmonds said:

cylinders are covered in oil (picture below)

That could be a variety and mix of things.

Plenty of threads and posts here on head, gasket failure, engine stuff and sorting issues.

1 hour ago, Rsedmonds said:

I’ve taken some compression reading of the engine both hot and cold and again attached a picture, do they look right?

Not really, I've no idea of correct new engine figures but you don't get them in a standard used old engine but you want some sort of consistency of your test method and with he figures between cylinders with perhaps IIRC a variation of only up to about 10% for age and use.

Others know lots more than the very little I ever knew or can remember and certainly about the model and their engines.

Main issue nowadays is getting any decent modern made new parts (many can be crap straight out of the box/packet) or s/h parts but again the others will be able to advise on this.

Good luck.

Compression is excellent, as per VW specs...

New 10-15 Bar 145-217psi

Wear Limit 7Bar 100psi

Max deviation 3Bar 44psi

I see both a failed HG and gummed-up oil control rings. Remove pistons and drop them into the ultrasonic, check for flatness (50μm) and reassemble!

I bet there is no wear on reciprocating assemblies just... they are dirty, dip the whole piston into the ultrasonic and assemble compression is going to drop a lil bit. But don't care. If you so wish give them a quick stone hone, rings are good. Measure rod bearing with plasti gauge and report back. If need be replace them. I would highly advise against changing out the rings if they are not worn, OE quality rings are impossible to find. A good friend of mine replaced the liners and pistons as a complete set in a 1.3, and they seized within 30 minutes of idling.

Edited 23 November, 202523 Nov by Thefeliciahacker

2 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

dip the whole piston into the ultrasonic and assemble

looks like I’m going deeper into an engine than I’ve ever been but I’m up for the challenge. What alternatives are there to using a ultrasonic cleaner as I don’t have one?

2 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

Compression is excellent, as per VW specs...

New 10-15 Bar 145-217psi

Wear Limit 7Bar 100psi

Max deviation 3Bar 44psi

Have I misunderstood or are VW engineers margins that wide(!?).

So new, if going on +/- (?) 44 psi just simple maths (plural) would be 101- 261 psi?

And more than 10% across cylinder is fine and it's just my poor memory?

2 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

looks like I’m going deeper into an engine than I’ve ever been but I’m up for the challenge. What alternatives are there to using a ultrasonic cleaner as I don’t have one?

There are many alternatives but without mechanical agitation, I cannot guarantee the rings will be thoroughly cleaned in situ. Sadly removing them will cause them to fatigue after so many heat cycles.

In this situation, I would advise cleaning them as best as you can with alkaline detergent and warm water, followed by acetone and then emtpy a can of CRC GDI IVD and dip them in there. Let them soak...

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

Have I misunderstood or are VW engineers margins that wide(!?).

So new, if going on +/- (?) 44 psi just simple maths (plural) would be 101- 261 psi?

And more than 10% across cylinder is fine and it's just my poor memory?

A new engine from the factory will have anything between 10-15 bars, with the acceptable tolerance between each cylinder being 3bars. It doesn't mean that the accepted tolerance is 5 bars when new. It pretty much says that 5th and 95th percentiles will fall in the region of 10-15bars with a median of 12.5bars with an acceptable standard deviation of +-3bars in engineering terms...

10 13 12 11 is acceptable and considered new

9 8 12 10 is NOT acceptable

7 8 10 9 is acceptable and considered at the wear limit

2 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

looks like I’m going deeper into an engine than I’ve ever been but I’m up for the challenge. What alternatives are there to using a ultrasonic cleaner as I don’t have one?

You would be surprised how many times I have had great luck with engines that consume oil and show no cylinder wear by cleaning pistons as a WHOLE this way. Investing in an ultrasonic cleaner could be well worth it. Using basic household alkaline solutions heating and vibration does wonders on THE CHEAP

eBay UK

Professional Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner Ultra Sonic Bath...

(2L JP-010, 3.2L JP-020, 6.5L JP-031, 10L JP-040, 15L JP-060, 30L JP-100). Professional 10L Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner Stainless Steel Bath Heater w/Basket. Aipoi sonic. 1 x Ultrasonic Sterilizer. Pla

16 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

There are many alternatives but without mechanical agitation, I cannot guarantee the rings will be thoroughly cleaned in situ. Sadly removing them will cause them to fatigue after so many heat cycles.

In this situation, I would advise cleaning them as best as you can with alkaline detergent and warm water, followed by acetone and then emtpy a can of CRC GDI IVD and dip them in there. Let them soak...

I agree, the idea of having a sonic cleaner is very appealing but my useage would be once to twice a year. Don’t get me wrong, I would love one but I have limited space to store it. That said, If I find once locally at the right price I will snap it up but realistically the plan will have to be a degreaser/detergent worked in with a tooth brush.

2 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

I agree, the idea of having a sonic cleaner is very appealing but my useage would be once to twice a year. Don’t get me wrong, I would love one but I have limited space to store it. That said, If I find once locally at the right price I will snap it up but realistically the plan will have to be a degreaser/detergent worked in with a tooth brush.

I do impulse tool purchases, haha

Any progress?

23 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

Any progress?

Hi, I'm out in vienna doing my husbandly duties so no physical progress. I have however got carried away with the creditcard while I’ve been here and bought a sonic cleaner and carb cleaning fluid and a **** load of parts for when i return. I did put a little oil on each bore and before i left (48hrs later) there was no movement in any.

Realistically movement is going to be slow going due to work and xmas commitments but hopefully it will be sorted by new-year.

On 23/11/2025 at 20:57, Thefeliciahacker said:

A new engine from the factory will have anything between 10-15 bars, with the acceptable tolerance between each cylinder being 3bars. It doesn't mean that the accepted tolerance is 5 bars when new. It pretty much says that 5th and 95th percentiles will fall in the region of 10-15bars with a median of 12.5bars with an acceptable standard deviation of +-3bars in engineering terms...

10 13 12 11 is acceptable and considered new

9 8 12 10 is NOT acceptable

7 8 10 9 is acceptable and considered at the wear limit

Sorry I missed your reply.

Do bear in mind this is an English language site and that Rsedmonds put the figures up as psi and that most readers are not engineers.

So, if I have correctly understood what you have put, new engine 145 - 218 psi with tolerance of 44 psi between cylinders but a (median) average of 181 psi with an accepted difference of 44 psi.

145 - 189 - 174 - 160 - is acceptable as new

130 - 116 - 174 - 145 - is not acceptable

101 - 116 - 145 - 131 - is considered acceptable and at the limit of wear.

Either my memory is bad on this (very possible) or even for worn 1960s and 1970s British engines the allowable tolerances weren't as wide, generous, as the German engineers allow. If Rsedmonds's figures are correct it makes the engine acceptable and once sorted a top of the range. With decent oil and petrol it will fly.

6 hours ago, nta16 said:

Do bear in mind this is an English language site and that Rsedmonds put the figures up as psi and that most readers are not engineers.

I know but me and my brain can't really deal with PSI for anything other than suspension nitrogen precharge and tires. For everything else, I have to use bar or Pa (k,M,G), it's like I don't "feel" the thing I'm referring to.

Hi guys just a quick update with a few pictures.

• I’ve now had the head skimmed as it was warped and out of spec so is looking the bees knees now.

• Oil poured into the barrels as a trial and it sat there for over a week and I ended up scooping it out with rags 😂

• Sonic cleaner and carb clearer bought along with head bolts and gaskets.

• Sump removed and oil pickup removed.

With all that bought I thought it was time to get the pistons out and give them a clean and measure the con rod shells. So with that in mind here’s some measurements and pics.

• The con rod shells to crank gap all measured roughly the same of 0.2 which according to the Haynes manual is showing little to no wear and the crank shows no damage either.

• The pistons all removed and again showing little wear to no wear.

• 2 out of the 4 pistons have been in the sonic cleaner and though when removed the looked fine (to me) the ring are moving more freely and go deeper into the piston cutout than the previously did.

So that’s where I’m at right now but I’m going to be cracking on with it over the next few weeks.

Just have one question, where can I get a oil pickup gasket for a 1.6 EEA engine?

10 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

The con rod shells to crank gap all measured roughly the same of 0.2 which according to the Haynes manual is showing little to no wear and the crank shows no damage either.

Excellent, for the mileage EVEN more excellent! 50μm is perfect, I am super happy.

10 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

1. The pistons all removed and again showing little wear to no wear.

2. 2 out of the 4 pistons have been in the sonic cleaner and though when removed the looked fine (to me) the ring are moving more freely and go deeper into the piston cutout than the previously did.

Pistons don't just look better, they look brand new.

10 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

So that’s where I’m at right now but I’m going to be cracking on with it over the next few weeks.

Just have one question, where can I get a oil pickup gasket for a 1.6 EEA engine?

Its going to run sweet,

give me a moment to figure it out.

You are looking for the oval gasket 036115111

I can find it both at autodoc and skodaparts

https://www.autodoc.gr/elring/203886

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/036115111-suction-cup-seal-elring-26353.html

If you are there, you may give the gaskets a once-over

11 hours ago, Rsedmonds said:

with head bolts and gaskets

May I ask what brand of head gasket and bolts you choose.

As I've said many times, my favorite is Payen

Followed by Elring

Victor Reinz

Corteco

Ajusa

Bolts, I always choose either Payen, Elring or Ajusa

I mean, all of them make excellent gaskets, but for me, Payen takes the cake; it's the only company that still continues to research to this day.

Edited 16 December, 202516 Dec by Thefeliciahacker

11 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

You are looking for the oval gasket 036115111

that’s the baby, for the sake of £5 I’ve ordered on today. Thanks

11 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

May I ask what brand of head gasket and bolts you choose.

As I've said many times, my favorite is Payen

Followed by Elring

Victor Reinz

Corteco

Ajusa

Bolts, I always choose either Payen, Elring or Ajusa

I mean, all of them make excellent gaskets, but for me, Payen takes the cake; it's the only company that still continues to research to this day.

I’ve got a complete head gasket set from Erling and the bolts are BGA.

BIG TROUBLE OR IS IT?

I’ve cleaned the last two pistons tonight and notice an issue with number 3. This probably explains why when I did the compression test it was the lowest. Do I do what I would think is unscrupulous or replace the (what looks to me) bent con rod?

19 minutes ago, Rsedmonds said:

BIG TROUBLE OR IS IT?

I’ve cleaned the last two pistons tonight and notice an issue with number 3. This probably explains why when I did the compression test it was the lowest. Do I do what I would think is unscrupulous or replace the (what looks to me) bent con rod?

Yeah, it is bent. I thought I was seeing it, but I said my eyes were deceiving me.

These conrods are cast iron, you CAN unbend them using a vice and 3 wooden blocks.

There is no risk of snapping them.

The only problem with this bent conrod is that you are increasing thrust loading and causing more wear on one side of the bore.

I can see it’s bent and putting it in a vice does sound appealing but how straight do I need to get it?

Is close good enough or does it need to be perfect?

Can I apply heat to help it along its way?

13 minutes ago, Rsedmonds said:

I can see it’s bent and putting it in a vice does sound appealing but how straight do I need to get it?

Straight enough, if I were to give you a number, it would be L/1000, where L is the rod length, so if the rod is 250mm (which it is not) a deviation of 0.25mm is acceptable.

14 minutes ago, Rsedmonds said:

Is close good enough or does it need to be perfect?

It doesn't need to be nor will it ever be and most surely you can't measure it on a sand cast textured surface. If you have a laser pointer, it can help you visually, but trust me, where your eyes can't see the bend, the bend is acceptable.

15 minutes ago, Rsedmonds said:

Can I apply heat to help it along its way?

Categorically NOT, if you do, you run the risk of tempering the cast iron and depending on how it cools down, it can become either very brittle or super ductile.

Edited 16 December, 202516 Dec by Thefeliciahacker

After the treatment that con-rod's had, wouldn't it be a good idea to have it crack-tested after straightening?

Can't tell with the photo but is the bend only in one, or that. direction, it might be the optic of the photo and the way the rod is resting on the ground and in relation to the piston. You could support the bottom of the four pistons with a couple of lengths of say wood across a gap and see how number three rod hangs compared to the others at the four faces, put a light, straight edge, laser, whiteboard, whatever, just to check the angles of the dangles of number three being an outlier.

Edited 16 December, 202516 Dec by nta16
ETA: "or that"

48 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

After the treatment that con-rod's had, wouldn't it be a good idea to have it crack-tested after straightening?

In an ideal world, yes, but getting it tested is rather expensive.

as you see these machines existed back in the day, and tbh I believe there is no cracking, a DIY test can be performed with colored iron powder and an old speaker magnet