Monday, 8 June 2015

How To Maintain Your VW Cylinder Heads

By Elaine Guthrie


The best way to perk up the efficiency of your engine is to regulate the air intake, develop optimum air and fuel mixing ratios, and improve the combustion process. However, cracks in the cylinder head may lead to improper fuel and air ratios, or leaks that might compromise the lubrication process. Fortunately, VW cylinder heads maintenance makes a huge difference, and any amount of money spent to repair its components will be worth it.

The Volkswagen Golf is renowned for sheer power, reminiscent of the Porsche and other racing cars of that ilk. Although this car has a relatively small engine, the cylinder head is more advanced, compared to other vehicles. Automobile manufacturers who focus on this key area are able to deliver faster and more powerful vehicles that give their customers the benefits they deserve.

The role of the cylinder head in engine performance was established through stringent theoretical studies and practical driving tests. Engineers discovered that a 2500 CC Volkswagen Touareg can lose its power if the head is flawed. On the other hand, the engineers recorded remarkable improvement after upgrading the cylinder head of a conventional Golf GTI. As you can see, by upgrading this part of your engine, you will notice a huge difference in fuel economy and speed.

The valves and spark plugs are key components of every engine. The intake valves ensure optimum air and fuel ratios, while the exhaust valves expel the combustion by-products from the system. The spare parts must be free of cracks that might let in more air than necessary.

Every automotive engineer understands how the components of a cylinder head work. Such knowledge is important when your vehicle breaks down. The ability to identify the damaged parts during the diagnosis allows you to get back on track as soon as possible. Since the damage caused by counterfeit or worn out parts can affect the entire engine, it is important to pinpoint the source of the problem as soon as possible.

If you want to increase the engine capacity from 1700 to 3000 CC, you might have to buy a stronger oil pump, or regrind your crankshaft to accommodate the new changes. While an automotive engineer can undertake these tasks without breaking a sweat, the exercise is quite daunting for the untrained motorist. If you omit a crucial task in the process, the results can be catastrophic.

In the 1990s, Volkswagen owners complained of recurrent head gasket failure. Most of the Volkswagen models released in the 1990s were equipped with shim gaskets. These gaskets comprised of several layers that were compressed to make a single unit. Since the layers were made of different materials, they did not expand evenly when heated. As a result, they formed gaps through which the combustion gases escaped, and the lubrication fluids evaporated. The resultant cylinder head failure had a knock-on effect on the valve seats, pistons and crankshafts.

The cylinder head is a complex system, and if the mechanic installs the wrong gaskets, the efforts to repair your vehicle can be counterproductive. The manufacturers developed the copper head gaskets to ensure that the entire unit is sealed properly. Since the modern Volkswagen owner has forgotten the problems of the 1990s, the prospect of rebuilding the old engines is very exciting.




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