engine removal question

[jeffs2000bug]

hey gang new beetle owner here.i recently bought a 2000 bug with the 1.8 turbo engine.i bought it not running and cylinder head off.94000 miles.i bought it from a person who was going down the road when the timing belt broke.the valves got bent and they removed the head and noticed there are some marks in the pistons from the valves hitting it.there not really deep just enough to see them in the top of the pistons.my question is how would i know if i can get away with just replacing the head or is the motor junk?thanks for any and all help.ps... yes im going to buy a manuel, the bentley one,but i dont have one know.

[D2Beetle]

Depending on the amount of damage and/or corrosion, it should be repairable. This thread might be of some help to you.

[jason m]

Originally Posted by jeffs2000bug

hey gang new beetle owner here.i recently bought a 2000 bug with the 1.8 turbo engine.i bought it not running and cylinder head off.94000 miles.i bought it from a person who was going down the road when the timing belt broke.the valves got bent and they removed the head and noticed there are some marks in the pistons from the valves hitting it.there not really deep just enough to see them in the top of the pistons.my question is how would i know if i can get away with just replacing the head or is the motor junk?thanks for any and all help.ps... yes im going to buy a manuel, the bentley one,but i dont have one know.

All aluminum work hardens, this is normally not an issue but if the pistons have been hit you may have an issue. I have seen nuts go thru the intake and hit a valve and piston and known the engine to run another 50k miles once the valve was replaced, but I know of many that failed veryquickly with much less damage.

[jeffs2000bug]

thats what im affraid of when i seen the marks on the top of the pistons from the valves but when i seen the pictures that were sent in from d2beetle,it makes me feel better about mine, because mine kind of look the same way as his and look like they got cleaned up nice.im just worried about buy a new head and then to find out after its all put back together,the connecting rod or rods are bent.also as for corrision they look really nice not much if any to speak of mostly just the marks on the piston and a little scraps at the edge of the piston but nothing that got down to the first piston ring.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by jeffs2000bug

thats what im affraid of when i seen the marks on the top of the pistons from the valves but when i seen the pictures that were sent in from d2beetle,it makes me feel better about mine, because mine kind of look the same way as his and look like they got cleaned up nice.im just worried about buy a new head and then to find out after its all put back together,the connecting rod or rods are bent.also as for corrision they look really nice not much if any to speak of mostly just the marks on the piston and a little scraps at the edge of the piston but nothing that got down to the first piston ring.

If the damage to the pistons is only on the top part and mainly superficial I think you could get way with just replacing the head and hope for the best. If the sides of the piston or walls of the block are damaged then that would be another story. I would go ahead and get a used head and put it on and see. Spray a bit of seafoam spray (Deep Creep) onto toe pistons to prevent any corosion.
Good Luck and keep us posted.

[jeffs2000bug]

i think im going to do that with buying another head and hope for the best.i thank you for all you help on this!!hopefully someone on here will have one for sale,i will have to keep a eye out for one!

[Smileybug]

You can also go and check the classifieds over at VWVortex. I don't see many heads for sale on here.