Any Tips on Removing & Replacing an ALH Cylinder Head?

[PDJetta]

This weekend I am working with another TDI Club member and removing his cylinder head to send to Franko6 to work his magic on. I've removed IDI VW diesel and other cylinder heads, have read the Bentley Manual on the topic and have all the needed tools (timing, VCDS, etc.), but I'd like any tips to make the job go smoother.

We are also going to replace the timing belt and all related components, including the coolant pump.

I plan on pulling the head and manifolds/turbo together. Should they be installed as a unit, or the head first, followed by the intake and turbo/exhaust?

Also, Bentley mentions use of special tool head mounting studs (2 of them). What else can be used to hold the head gasket in place while positioning the head?

Thanks,

--Nate

 

[Crankous]

To make your own guide pins. You can cut the head off one of the old head bolts and grind a slot for a screw driver in the top, so you can unscrew it.

 

[Growler]

To make your own guide pins. You can cut the head off one of the old head bolts and grind a slot for a screw driver in the top, so you can unscrew it.

came to post this.. leaving satisfied.

also, remove as a unit, but reinstall seperately. you do not want to be fighting the weight of the turbo/intake as you reinstall the pristine new cylinder head.

 

[ericgray1]

This weekend I am working with another TDI Club member and removing his cylinder head to send to Franko6 to work his magic on. I've removed IDI VW diesel and other cylinder heads, have read the Bentley Manual on the topic and have all the needed tools (timing, VCDS, etc.), but I'd like any tips to make the job go smoother.

We are also going to replace the timing belt and all related components, including the coolant pump.

I plan on pulling the head and manifolds/turbo together. Should they be installed as a unit, or the head first, followed by the intake and turbo/exhaust?

Also, Bentley mentions use of special tool head mounting studs (2 of them). What else can be used to hold the head gasket in place while positioning the head?

Thanks,

--Nate

There really isnt much to removing the intake manifold and moving it out of the way real quick to gain access to the turbo/exhaust manifold and removing the hardware and letting it sit out of the way behind the engine until you remove the head. I just keep it attached to the exhaust pipe and it supports it enough and allows you to move it around because of the flex pipe. The head isnt light weight to begin with and having the intake and turbo detached makes it alot easier to remove, especially all while having to finagle the head around a bit while removing the timing belt tensioner at the same time and guiding the tensioner stud out of the timing belt housing/cover (the tensioner wont come off the stud with the passenger side motor mount still attached).

Drain oil, drain coolant. Remove the egr valve and upper intercooler pipe. Removing those 2 things gets you all the room in the world to get behind the intake manifold. Remove or just push out of the way the EGR tube then remove the alen head screws holding the intake manifold on. Once that is removed then you can get easy access to the nuts holding the turbo on. Remove the bolt that holds the turbo in place from the bottom near the oil return line on the bottom of the turbo. Remove the nut that holds the feed line on to the exhaust manifold (you dont even have to remove the feed line from the turbo. It is forgiving enough). Remove all the nuts holding the turbo on. (one or 2 are a task because you have to get around the feed line to get to them. But I do it with a 1/4' drive and shall socket and go in from the side. Remove the coolant glow plugs and housing on the side of the head to get access to the other hardware holding the feed line in place. If you dont drain the coolant before now then coolant will go everywhere. And from this point there isnt much to it. Have someone shove the turbo off the studs while lifting up on the head and it comes off easy enough. You will understand about the tensioner when you get to it.

 

[Crankous]

came to post this.. leaving satisfied.
also, remove as a unit, but reinstall seperately. you do not want to be fighting the weight of the turbo/intake as you reinstall the pristine new cylinder head.

X2 removing them together and installing seperate.

 

[PDJetta]

Thanks everyone. This helps a lot. Since we are replacing the coolant pump, I will pull it before hand to drain most of the coolant, below the level of the head at least. There will be two to lift the head off, so I think I will first try leaving the manifolds/turbo on but installing separately.

--Nate

 

[PDJetta]

To make your own guide pins. You can cut the head off one of the old head bolts and grind a slot for a screw driver in the top, so you can unscrew it.

I may do that. For the old 1.6 diesels, I used wooden dowels per the Bentley manual.

--Nate

 

[vwdieseling]

With two people it goes much smoother, I have found. Also the use of used head bolts as guides work well, after removing the heads from the bolts and slotting the tops. With two people on on each end, I found the use of alighnment pins are not necessary. To each his own on this procedure.

 

[JB05]

Nate, you have some good, encouraging info here; so best of luck and please keep us updated on your progress. I pulled the warped head off a Chrysler 4 cylinder turbo charged gasser I once had. I did leave the turbo in place.

 

[PDJetta]

Removing the cylinder head went very smoothly. Took about six hours. The only two snags were somehow I had a brain fart and tightened one of the head bolts a quarter turn on its first quarter of a turn loose and we missed the steel bracket that connects the turbo to the block. We only tried about three minutes of 2X4 persausion trying to knock the head loose before sliding under the car and taking a close look with a light and finding the bracket.

The allen head was completely stripped out on one of the harmonic balancer bolt by whoever worked on the car before me, but I had an unused set of Erwin bolt extractors I broke out and they worked flawlesly and removed the offending bolt in seconds.

--Nate

 

[Crankous]

Those stupid harmonic balancer bolts are buggers for sure.... People strip them out all the time. I have found a 2 piece 6mm hex driver in 3/8 drive with the hex portion cut down real short, just enough to fully engage the head to be invaluable. That and a die grinder for when people have really messed them up.

 

[PDJetta]

We got the turbo oil feed line disconnected from the turbo witout it bending at all. Did not even counterhold the fitting on the turbo. Had the line on the work bench in about two minutes. So it was a really good day. I read that the line is nothing but trouble if it is not completely removed.

--Nate

 

[peteguenther]

I'm about to pull the head on my 02 alh tdi golf. I don' see mention of the cam here. I was planning to remove it but do i need to? just doing a head gasket. looks like the tensioner has to be wriggled out of the cover - so how does that get wriggled back with guide bolts in place? Hopingv to do this today so if you see this and have time to respond it could save me. Thanks

 

[wonneber]

I know it may be late but which tensioner?
Timing belt or alternator belt?
Guide bolts?? In the block for the head to drop down straight?
I've used two head bolts in the head to hold the gasket in place on the head and lower the head to block.

 

[03TDICommuter]

I'm about to pull the head on my 02 alh tdi golf. I don' see mention of the cam here. I was planning to remove it but do i need to? just doing a head gasket. looks like the tensioner has to be wriggled out of the cover - so how does that get wriggled back with guide bolts in place? Hopingv to do this today so if you see this and have time to respond it could save me. Thanks

Wow, seems like a lot of head gasket posts lately. I'm in the same boat - likely doing a gasket change over 4th of July weekend. I've read you need to remove the tensioner as it won't fit through the timing cover.

Question for you, are you going to skim the head or just clean head/block and replace gasket and bolts?

 

[peteguenther]

Well i left the cam in place and removed the nut on the tensioner as there’s not room to remove the tensioner itself. The tensioner will slide/ fall off as you tilt and lift the head out. I left the turbo and ex manifold on the flex pipe and held them back with wood blocks against the block. To re install the head i placed the head gently on the gasket and block with my bently manual under the driver side end to hold it at an angle and off the locator dowels. Then got the tesioner started, held it there with a folded sponge, had a helper remove the bently while i gently wriggled and lowered the head to the gasket. I did nothing but clean both surfaces as well as i could. Should reall have sent the head out though as I’m still blowing compression into the coolant though not nearly so badly-yet.

 

[03TDICommuter]

I did nothing but clean both surfaces as well as i could. Should reall have sent the head out though as I’m still blowing compression into the coolant though not nearly so badly-yet.

How bad was it originally?
Was the cause from overheating?
Did you check the head for flatness?
Whose gasket did you buy and did you install it dry?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[MukGyver]

There are some good comments from Frank on head heat warpage nuances and related issues down this page . ..

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/question-regarding-warped-head.202791/

 

[Nuje]

Helpful hints from the manual:

 

[peteguenther]

How bad was it originally?
Was the cause from overheating?
Did you check the head for flatness?
Whose gasket did you buy and did you install it dry?

Sorry for all the questions.

Good questions! I’ve only had this car on the road for a couple of months. It was given to me with a “siezed” motor. Actually it was hydrolocked with oil from a badly blown turbo!
The friend whi gave ti to me did say it had suffered overheating and he had some aircooled mechanics put a head gasket in. My bet was that they reused the bolts. I checked as well as i could with a straight edge and all seemed flat. Dry gasket. I did a honda once with head gasket spray gunk that held- i was tempted. It’s an Elring gasket from FCP. Two hole - did the other guys use the right one? I should’ve checked the piston protrusion- actually i did but was interrupted and forgot to record it!

 

[03TDICommuter]

Good questions! I’ve only had this car on the road for a couple of months. It was given to me with a “siezed” motor. Actually it was hydrolocked with oil from a badly blown turbo!
The friend whi gave ti to me did say it had suffered overheating and he had some aircooled mechanics put a head gasket in. My bet was that they reused the bolts. I checked as well as i could with a straight edge and all seemed flat. Dry gasket. I did a honda once with head gasket spray gunk that held- i was tempted. It’s an Elring gasket from FCP. Two hole - did the other guys use the right one? I should’ve checked the piston protrusion- actually i did but was interrupted and forgot to record it!

Thanks much! I'll be replacing my HG 4th of July weekend - at least that's the plan. I should have all the parts in before then, including the timing belt tools. I purchased the Victor Reinz HG and Mahle head bolts. I'm hoping my head is flat. I'm also hoping it's smooth around the cylinder perimeter so I can just clean it and the block up really well and get it to seal up. I keep searching forums as to whether to install the HG dry, with hylomar or permatex copper. Haven't come to a conclusion yet.

I did talk with Franko6 and he said one way to check if the head is warped is to see if the camshaft rocks in its saddles. He says these heads warp upward in the middle lengthwise. So I'll be checking that too.

 

[JohnTF]

A couple of biggies for many decades [ have not kept up the last couple ] --- blown head gasket --- drain coolant - OIL , coolant eats babit on bearings .
Preparing surface of both the block & head --- there use to be a tool , surface-comparator , this was a section of sheet metal that had variable surface types --- much like what different grades of sandpaper leaving different textures , each was referred to by manufactures --- both the engine & gasket manufacturers .
Focusing on the manufacture of the headgasket your using - they want a specific texture for the gasket !!!
Different tooling [ buffing pads etc. ] leave different textures .
" DO NOT USE ANY PREP CHEMICAL " unless the manufacture says !!!
Many yrs. ago there was something called "Copper-Coat " that was sprayed on the gasket before , do not do these type of things - unless directed - by the headgasket manufacture - of the gasket !

 

[Nuje]

I'll be replacing my HG 4th of July weekend - at least that's the plan

So, did the plan come to fruition? How did things go?

 

[03TDICommuter]

So, did the plan come to fruition? How did things go?

I got lazy and didn’t do it yet. I kept telling myself it’s running well, using very very little coolant, not overheating. Foam is only noticeable when there’s no pressure.
So laziness won out. I’ll still be doing it but in 2-3 months. By then Franko6 will be available in case I take it off and see that indeed the head needs to be decked. I’m not having any luck finding a good machine shop near me. They’ve all gone out of business or have never worked on a diesel head.

 

[Nuje]

I'm elbows deep in replacement here. Took a break because working out in the sun in 30C weather, while better than pouring rain....gets a little uncomfortable. Still toying with whether to remove intake/turbo with head (I have a cherry-picker type engine hoist to make life easier), or pull pieces off as if doing a turbo replacement and then pull the head.

 

[MukGyver]

Try these Russian FE mods. With these incredible wind drag savings run your AC all you want!

 

[csstevej]

I'm elbows deep in replacement here. Took a break because working out in the sun in 30C weather, while better than pouring rain....gets a little uncomfortable. Still toying with whether to remove intake/turbo with head (I have a cherry-picker type engine hoist to make life easier), or pull pieces off as if doing a turbo replacement and then pull the head.

If you can pull it as one assy go for it……but when reinstalling I’d do it separately.
If you pull the hood and rain tray it makes life easier, also when I’m out in the sun like you I have one of those portable tents that’s all one piece, it makes a world of difference in the shade, also if you got and old fan to blow air on you is also a plus.

 

[03TDICommuter]

If you can pull it as one assy go for it……but when reinstalling I’d do it separately.
If you pull the hood and rain tray it makes life easier, also when I’m out in the sun like you I have one of those portable tents that’s all one piece, it makes a world of difference in the shade, also if you got and old fan to blow air on you is also a plus.

The shade canopy is a good idea. I did that when I polished the hazy paint on the roof of my Jetta. Came out great but it was just the start of the clear coat going.

Nuje, I was not going to pull the head with the turbo and intake attached. The intake will come off and I'll set that aside in the garage. The turbo I was going to unbolt but leave attached to the downpipe and flop it back against the firewall. I think I read one can do that. Once the heads out, I'll pull the turbo and clean the actuator. That's the plan anyways.

Good luck with your work! Interested in hearing what you find, and also how good the mating surface is on the head when you clean it up.

 

[Seatman]

I'm quite fortunate to have a nice big tree for shade, mind you I live in Scotland too which helps lol

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• Seatman
• Jul 9, 2021

 

[csstevej]

Ohhhh …… and I thought that the new beetles were a pain to work on in the engine compartment……