VW Golf Engine Help

marshy09, Aug 10, 10:18pm
My son recently purchased a 1997 VW Golf a couple months ago. Its only done 170xxx kms. Hes only been taking it out for driving lessons during the weekends when hes had time to. Its recently gotten a cracked head in the motor and has been told to buy a whole new motor for it. Is it worth looking for a new motor or is he wasting his time with it and should sell it and look for something else? Thanks.

budgel, Aug 11, 12:14am
If he is able to change the motor himself it may be worth replacing, but there is not much value left in a golf of that age. I would be inclined to put the money towards another car.
How does he know it has a cracked head? Is he 100% sure that is what is wrong with it?

msigg, Aug 11, 7:05am
Well all depends on how much value the car is. For a 3k car I would dump it. For a 6k car it might be better to drop another engine in it. Either way it is a dog and he will dump it in the end, the gearbox is probably next to go so he needs to think long term and cut his financial drain. This is not unusual for these things. Good learning curve. I would stick with a Toyota at that km, they are only just run it. Good luck.

tamarillo, Aug 11, 7:26am
More misinformed clap trap. Why do you toyota girls always think you just have to shout out your allegiance, a sign of weakness maybe?
An old golf has a regular auto so no problem there. There are examples of these with a million miles plus. Poor servicing and overheating can happen to any car!
OP, there a VW aftermarket repair shop near you, see Andrew at autocraft on tahunanui road. Sometimes when head is off the block is good enough to salvage and a reconditioned head will work. Has it been driven much like this would you thunk? These are not known for this.

intrade, Aug 11, 7:53am
well the problems are Was there rusting water circulating in the engine?
We all know by now this country is one of the worst in the world for people not servicing there cars. its also why people think vw are somhow worse cars then asian ones. fact is vw comply to way tuffer emission laws a 97 will be compariable to a 2010 corolla . The problems will be the same as the treating is the same. and the toyotas are just about due to all start popping for them ignorant owners.
Now The aseesment has to be made on this vw . was it neglected for years or has just a hose burst of old age leading up to this overheat event. What caused it and what are the underlying problems.
The exact same thing will happen to any car if you buy a neglected one and keep ignoring it.
Fixing neglect is way more expensive then maintaining it.

intrade, Aug 11, 7:58am
So if to fix or not depends on the cause of the overheat. fitting a other engine if the whole cooling system is complet shot = make no sense its due for scrapping as you also have to rip out the dashboard and fix the heater core all hoses radiator= ultra mega bux to fix correctly .
if however it overheated cause the hose blew the G12+ coolant that should be in the cooling system Then its a headgasket or head and gasket and a hose and freash G12+ coolant and it be good to go again.

poppy62, Aug 11, 10:14am
Cracked head is rare on these motors, may be a blown head gasket. If it was my sons car i’d Put a 2nd hand engine in it, one that I can hear running before purchase. Wreckers can set up a unit to be heard running and usually Offer a guarantee on the motor. Check out the car parts listings here on Trademe, Under the VW selection type in Golf Engine there is over 1000 listings depending on you model engine size.

apollo11, Aug 11, 10:24am
The last time I was told by a mechanic that it was probably a blown head gasket causing power loss and overheating it ended up being a leaky coolant reservoir and bad spark leads. Get a compression test done if you haven't already.

poppy62, Aug 11, 10:38am
You’ve become a Troll on anything European. You offer no assistance and are here to merely make a name for yourself among the Toyota fans. Haven’t seen a post from you that offers a single remedy other than Buy Toyota. Can only assume that because you have one you need assurance from all, that you made the right decision. Don’t suppose it cars occurs to you that others have different tastes. I’ m willing to bet your other half wouldn’t mind the chance to drive /own a Mercedes/ Audi/ BMW if he/she was allowed to make their own choice.

franc123, Aug 11, 11:06am
Who has confirmed that its got a cracked head? I would be suspicious of that, especially if the cooling system was in well maintained condition. I would be more suspicious of either a blocked radiator or perhaps a water pump impeller fault, I cant recall if those cars use the plastic ones ot not.

poppy62, Aug 11, 12:03pm
Yes! Good call Franc123, I think if the coolant was mixed with non prescribed stuff it turns to a jelly like substance (recall reading that somewhere).

kazbanz, Aug 11, 1:32pm
On what basis do you say its got a cracked head?
ie what symptoms has it got that indicate that's the case ?
Why I ask is that if the symptom is that its running like a bag o poo it MAY just be a case of it needs a bit of a 'thrashing" as best case scenario.
Or may have fouled plugs from stop /start driving.
I'm not for a second saying I'm correct just a theory based on recent purchase and only used for driving lessons occasionally.
beyond that I would suggest getting a correct diagnosis because as others have posted theres a few other possibilities as to whats going on.
If in fact it DEFINITELY has a cracked head then I would price up both options. replacement engine vs head.
Now normally I'm loath to suggest this but given its current purpose if it has a cracked head or blown head gasket I would suggest throwing one of the chemical sealants into the cooling system. It will only postpone the inevitable but given its only short drives its used for it gives time to save up to find another car or a proper solution

msigg, Aug 11, 4:31pm
Well this is not a classic and in my opinion if the engine needs 2k work on it then i would dump it. If tam and poppy want to throw their money away on it then that is up to them. Each to to their own. Hopefully we will see what the op does with it. But yea the toyota is well built.

marte, Aug 11, 6:54pm
I dunno if this engines got a oil cooler on it, but a badly maintained VW products cooling system will weaken anything like this.

We really need more facts OP. Symptoms, cause, how this has been tested & found it.

poppy62, Aug 11, 7:44pm
This is exactly why Tamarillo and I consider your posts as I’ll informed. Dodsons parts are advertising for Sale on TM a complete Golf engine for $560.00 with 6 months warranty. There are cheaper ones to be had as well. Yet you pluck $2k figure out of the air and use it as a reason to scare the OP into buying an over rated Toyota product. Do some research before giving advice. After all it’s all about trying to help the OPs with their problems.

franc123, Aug 11, 8:28pm
Quite right. I know you're a bit of an old school thinker and I can kinda guess where you are heading with this one. If it was my son in this position and we had confirmed there was a problem with the head we would be fixing it or replacing the motor. Get that engine, new water pump and cam belt, sort the radiator and get the thing running should be achievable for under a grand and a good education for the young lad too. It's worth bugger all to sell as is and what else of a car are you going to get for that money? Piss all these days

marte, Aug 11, 8:48pm
Cambelt & roller kits expensive, might as well do the oil seals Inc rear seal.
So oil & filter. Make that 2 of each 'cos yah wanna do a oil flush anyway.
Dipstick tube & oil cap.
Did anybody mention the Oil cooler ( if there's one )
Coolant flanges since it's not been maintained properly, heater core since the coolants worth $70+ distilled H2O.
Crankcase ventilation system cos the last thing you want is water vapour building up in it, and freezing if it's cold enough, pressurising the crankcase & blowing all the nice new seals out.
Or cracks letting air in to mess up the MAF, and oil mist out to mess up the engine bay.
A resiviour bottle because the old ones lined with rust & a new white one looks good with G13+ coolant. And it's like only $25 anyway.
O ring seals for the coolant hoses, but replace the bulged one.
Drive belts. Camshaft & crankcase cover seals since you want to clean under them given the chance & so onwards to the oil pump. water pump, thermostat & Coolant temp sensor.

car__parts, Dec 7, 10:56pm
Find out what is wrong with it. Is it overheating, or is it blowing the water out, I am familiar with these engines, so come back with the exact syptoms, it is likely it can be fixed and will last a season or 2.