Engine Rebuild Progress and New Wheels

Last time, we were mostly stuck waiting. The timing tools had still not arrived, and progress was moving at the speed of international shipping updates. They did eventually show up, which let us get on with the job I had been dreading most: removing the cam adjuster bolt that holds the timing assembly together.

Thankfully, that part went far better than expected. I had seen a hundred videos and forum posts where that bolt stripped, snapped, or had to be drilled out. Ours came out in one piece. For once something went our way.

That said, the timing tools themselves turned out to be a mess. The set I ordered cost around 150 euros by the time it got here and the quality was terrible. It snapped in half before we had even put much force on it. Like a lot of cheap tools it was held together with weak hardware, and those bolts gave up immediately. So instead of using the tool I had paid too much for, we welded it back together to make it usable. After that it was just strong enough to do the job.

I would not recommend buying from STR Performance based on this experience. The tool arrived in an Amazon box, inside an Autodoc box, then shipped on to me, which does not inspire confidence. With the quality being what it was, it felt like a cheap tool bought elsewhere and resold at a much higher price. After the injector trouble I should have known better than to gamble on a seller I did not fully trust. I would rather wait for stock at a reputable shop than do this again.

With the timing side dealt with we could keep tearing the engine down and start working out what caused the oil consumption. The top end is apart, which gave us a much clearer view. The first thing that stood out is how much carbon has built up on the valves. They are caked in it. The engine stopped running rich once I switched to proper OEM injectors, but the amount of carbon in there is still something. Whether that buildup was causing a problem on its own is hard to say, but it has to be cleaned before the head goes back together.

We checked the hydraulic lifters and they varied quite a bit. Some felt firm, others much softer, so they need a clean and a closer look before anything goes back in. We also prepared the piston rings and checked the end gap against spec. I bought access to Erwin to pull the repair manual for the Edition 35 CDLG engine, which says the end gap should be 0.2 to 0.4 mm with 0.8 mm the maximum. I do not know what the old ones measured, but given how much oil this engine burned, the theory is still that the rings were gone. The valve stem seals looked fairly decent. I do not think they were the main problem, but the engine is apart, so they are being replaced anyway.

We honed the cylinder walls and they look much more promising. We will go over them once more before final assembly, but the block is starting to look ready to go back together.

Another job underway is cleaning up the head surface. Not resurfacing it in the machine shop sense, just carefully removing the old sealant and gasket material with a flat scraper, slowly, because the last thing I want is to scratch it and make more work for myself. I did consider sending it out, but that could cost around 800 euros and I do not see the point. The head seems fine and this engine has been resurfaced before, so I would rather not take more material off without a reason. Once the sealing surfaces are done, the plan is to clean up the intake and exhaust ports. They are full of carbon. Last year we cleaned the intake valves without removing the engine, using soda blasting, but this time we are properly inside it and can go much further.

On the parts side we are close to the stage where everything needs checking before final assembly. One thing to confirm is whether the bearings I ordered are the right thickness. The repair manual says factory engines use specific sizes depending on the colour markings on the block and crankshaft. This engine has around 160,000 km on it so we are not treating that as gospel, but I did order original bearings so we should be in the right ballpark. We will use Plastigage to verify clearance before anything goes together permanently. I have also ordered a pile of stretch bolts we did not have. A lot of the work right now is preparation: cleaning, checking, measuring, and trying to avoid stupid mistakes later.

Then, completely unrelated to the engine, a much better package turned up yesterday: new wheels.

I ordered a set of OZ Formula HLT wheels from dekk365.no with Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres. Credit to dekk365, the price was good and the wheels arrived complete with mounting hardware, OZ-specific lug nuts and centre caps. The full setup is:

OZ Formula HLT 8x18 ET48 5/112
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 225/40R18 92Y XL

I went with 18s this time. I had 19s before and never loved how they looked. The thinner sidewall looked slightly off to me, and for a car I still daily, 18s make more sense: better proportions, a bit more compliance, still plenty of performance. I chose the Pilot Sport 5 because I wanted something that performs but lasts. The 4S is great, but for how I use the car I suspect it would disappear far too quickly. This GTI still does daily duty, so I need something sharp that is not worn out after a couple of seasons. The Pilot Sport 5 should last three or four years instead of becoming another expensive consumable. I think it will suit the car well.

So that is where things stand. The timing tools arrived, the cam adjuster bolt came out without drama, the top end is apart, the valves are filthy, the cylinders are honed, the piston rings are prepped, and the head is being cleaned and readied for rebuild. We have moved from waiting around back into actual progress. There is a lot to do before this goes back together, but at least it is mechanical work now instead of delays, packages and bad sellers. And there is a fresh set of wheels waiting for the day the GTI is back on the road.