Date:         Sat, 7 Dec 1996 09:30:05 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Catlin <mjcatlin@wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us>
Subject:      Re: 1.6 litre diesel heads - regular vs turbo-diesel

On Fri, 6 Dec 1996, Gary Meek wrote:

>         Does anyone have any experience of using a regular head on a turbo-
> diesel engine, and with what results, longevity, etc.?
> 
>         I'm also putting out an APB for a 1.6 litre turbo-diesel head. The only
> condition is that it must be rebuildable.  Anyone have a head for sale? ? ?

Gary,  

I would check with Ben at European Engine Parts, in Eugene, Oregon, phone
503-485-5148.  He may have a valuable comment about using a regular head
on a TD.  According to him, he is a machinist who has developed some cost
saving shortcuts on VW TD rebuilds.  For example, he uses Metal Leve
(non-turbo, Brazilian) pistons and machines the skirts for oil squirter
clearance.  He uses less deck height than factory specs for reliability. 
On heads that have lost a pre-cup, he heliarcs the hole, remachines,
installs a used pre-cup from a junk head, then resurfaces it. He said he
has done these rebuilds for years with no failures and that some units now
have over 120,000 mi. on them.

Sorry if this sounds like an advertisement.  I haven't actually run the
head he rebuilt for me, so I can't comment on the quality of his work.  On
the negative side, it did take him about three months to do a valve job
and ship the part back to me. 

Mike
'82 diesel (TD in kit form)