The "Old" Golf

We've had our '90 Golf (GL 4Dr Wolfsburg 1.8 manual) for 11 years and
100,000 miles (It has 162,000).

It runs great for its age (20!). I've taken care of it and used good
gas. It's still fun to drive and has lots of power- especially in
the
middle band.


Lately it's been burning oil- about a quart every tank. When it
comes
to a stop it burps a big white puff out of the tailpipe. I've heard
a
few backfires, too.

Advice?

Blown head gasket, check the coolant water level and see if has dropped.

SFC

"B Briggs" > schreef in bericht
...
> We've had our '90 Golf (GL 4Dr Wolfsburg 1.8 manual) for 11 years and
> 100,000 miles (It has 162,000).
>
> It runs great for its age (20!). I've taken care of it and used good
> gas. It's still fun to drive and has lots of power- especially in
> the
> middle band.
>
>
> Lately it's been burning oil- about a quart every tank. When it
> comes
> to a stop it burps a big white puff out of the tailpipe. I've heard
> a
> few backfires, too.
>
> Advice?
>
>
>

On Dec 31 2010, 9:14*am, "SFC" > wrote:
> Blown head gasket, check the coolant water level and see if has dropped.

It is NOT a blown head gasket. It's not pouring out... just a puff-
as in BURNING OIL.

Thoughtful advice needed.

"B Briggs" > schreef in bericht
...
On Dec 31 2010, 9:14 am, "SFC" > wrote:
> Blown head gasket, check the coolant water level and see if has dropped.

It is NOT a blown head gasket. It's not pouring out... just a puff-
as in BURNING OIL.

Thoughtful advice needed.


It doesn't need to be pouring out. Water can also be sucked into the
cylinder and will give that white smoke. This is sometimes it's difficult to
diagnose because the engine appears to have no leaks on the outside or
bubbles in the header tank. Again check the coolant level.....


SFC

"B Briggs" > wrote in message
...
> We've had our '90 Golf (GL 4Dr Wolfsburg 1.8 manual) for 11 years and
> 100,000 miles (It has 162,000).
>
> It runs great for its age (20!). I've taken care of it and used good
> gas. It's still fun to drive and has lots of power- especially in
> the
> middle band.
>
>
> Lately it's been burning oil- about a quart every tank. When it
> comes
> to a stop it burps a big white puff out of the tailpipe. I've heard
> a
> few backfires, too.
>
> Advice?
>
>


Sell it , scrap it, part it, or rebuild the engine.

End of problem.

"SFC" > wrote:
>"B Briggs" > schreef:
>On Dec 31 2010, 9:14 am, "SFC" > wrote:

>> Blown head gasket, check the coolant water level and see if has dropped.

>It is NOT a blown head gasket. It's not pouring out... just a puff-
>as in BURNING OIL.

>Thoughtful advice needed.

>It doesn't need to be pouring out. Water can also be sucked into
>the cylinder and will give that white smoke. This is sometimes it's
>difficult to diagnose because the engine appears to have no leaks
>on the outside or bubbles in the header tank. Again check the
>coolant level.....

Indeed. It could just be a fine track through the fire ring of the
gasket.

That's what it was when I blew the gasket on my GTI a long time ago,
after shifting from third into second instead of fourth; having
almost redlined it in third.

After the head was pulled, there was only one place where the gasket
had blown, between the cylinder and the coolant channel. Less than a
millimetre wide. It drew only a little coolant into the cylinder and
there were no "bubbles" visible in the expansion tank with the
engine idling or being revved under no load.

The only time when there was a large cloud of steam was the first
time after the engine was started, following the clumsy gear change.
(I'd pulled the plugs to check the cylinders weren't going to go
hydraulic, before trying to start the engine again.)
--
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
\ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an
X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
/ \ and postings | --HL Mencken

What's wrong with all of you? Haven't you ever heard of BLOW BY?

Morons.

SFC, DogDiesel, WHAT"S WRONG WITH YOU? Haven't you ever heard of BLOW
BY?

Negativity never solved a problem. I'm calling you both Cassandra.
Look it up.

Yes of course I heard of that but this is usally the case with turbo
engines. Also blow by doesn't cause any white smoke out of the exhaust just
crankcase (oil) vapour.

SFC

"Noplacia" > schreef in bericht
...
> SFC, DogDiesel, WHAT"S WRONG WITH YOU? Haven't you ever heard of BLOW
> BY?
>
> Negativity never solved a problem. I'm calling you both Cassandra.
> Look it up.