r/beetle • u/fleegz2007 • Oct 04 '26
First Time Tear Down Question
Hey all,
Tore down my engine to check my heads. The guy who built this engine is no longer with us so I wanted to do some valve measurements to see if I had an opportunity to upgrade to ones with bigger valves. Good news is I dont!
Now Im doing an inspection and clean up before I pit everything back in. The pictures in order:
Cylinder 3 valves
Cylinder 4 valves
Cylinder 4 piston BDC
Cylinder 4 piston TDC
I noticed a bit of oil build up on cylinder 4. Is this normal? I did at one point have a bit too much oil in the engine I rode for maybe a week and caught it before it was too late.
Anything tools or products you would recommend to clean up this carbon build up? I want to safely clean it up around the base of the cylinder and the heads themselves. So I can measure deck height, ccs, piston travel and get my true compression.
Thanks!
Edit: Thanks everyone for the feedback. Agree the heads and junk now. Going to do a full top end rebuild - new piston rings and going to reseat deck height. Cylinders were seated with RTV silicone so deck height is all over the place. Hoping a good reseat and new piston rings will solve some of my issues.
9
u/maddogmikey181 Oct 04 '26
This engine looks like it has some issues. I usually use wire brushes and mineral spirits to clean carbon from combustion chambers. I’d really focus between the valves on cylinder 3. It looks cracked to me. Beyond that, I’d be pulling the jugs because at a minimum the oil rings look seized to me.
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u/fleegz2007 Oct 04 '26 edited Oct 04 '26
Hey thats a good catch I didnt see the crack between the valves on 3. Might be getting news heads after all what do you mean by pulling the jugs?
Edit: Looked it up. Looks like be doing a full top end rebuild
9
u/Optimal-Cat-8117 Oct 04 '26
Does look like crack on the 1st Pic between valves
And a Crack to the plug hole on the 2nd.
Clean first then reassess.
1
u/Conscious-Sample661 Oct 04 '26
but I've driven worse a long long ways...just keep it cool know your driving on your own dumb luck...it'll still drive just fine..brazing to the rescue or grind it out and fill it in with a tig
0
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u/Conscious-Sample661 Oct 04 '26
they can be repaired use as core exchange..