My sister just bought a 92 Mk2 jetta for $2k with 85k miles on it, I have driven it and showed it to other vw people, and they agree its in very good shape. But, i didnt find out until after I got it home that it makes a huge cloud of blue smoke when its cold, and uses about 2-3 quarts of oil for every tank of gas. Anyway, my reason for posting this is that I want to do a compression test, but the spark plugs are firnly stuck. What is the best way to get them out without ruining anythiing?
Is it an 8v or 16v engine? Either way, start soaking the plugs with pb blaster or other high powered penetrating oil.
If you get a serious oil cloud on start that points towards worn valve guide seals and possibly guides.
A quick check for bad piston rings: loosen the oil fill cap with the engine idling, if it bounces in place your rings may be ok, if it is launched off by blowby gasses your rings are definitely hosed.
Its an 8v. Yeah, im guessing the valve seals are bad, im suprised with 85k miles it would be burning oil so bad. It only smokes when its cold, once its warm it seems perfectly normal.
I think for VW's the accepted method is to use a sawzall and simply cut away the portions of the head that surround the spark plug.
Not sure if that will work for a stuck spark plug, but it works like a charm if your lugnut ever gets stuck.
Seriously, I would think pb blaster is the best bet.
+2 on the PB Blaster.
Gotta love previous owners that don't believe in using anti-seize compound with aluminum heads.
if worse comes to worse and the plug hole threads strip out, helicoils are not that hard to install (although, I have no VW experience and could be completly wrong in this case)
Getting a helicoil in wouldnt be too bad, im more concered one might snap off in the head. I did go spray it with PB blaster, and I will try it again tomorrow.
First thing before spark plug removal: make sure the engine is warmed up good! Drive it around, get it to operating temprature, shut it off and immediately grab das plug wrench growler and unbolten sie. That's what the Mercedes diesel guys do before removing glow plugs. The manuals will tell you to do it with a cold engine, but when they are stuck the engine heat and expansion helps tremendously. Of course, be careful.
If the plugs will turn maybe 1/2 turn that makes it much easier to get PB to soak down in the threads, thus easing removal.
Good one J-Man! I was going to suggest heat to break that galvanic bond between dissimilar metals (steel plug, aluminum head).
Valve seals show themselves as smoke on start up; oil runs down the valve stem into the chamber, expells on start up. Using 2 - 3 quarts for one tank of gas sounds like a big deal, but the compression test will show what's going on.
You didn't mention any oil leaks, did you look? Yeah, every car has drip lines down the block, but put cardboard under the car when you park it. It may be more than you think.
Dan
Jensenman wrote: First thing before spark plug removal: make sure the engine is warmed up good! Drive it around, get it to operating temprature, shut it off and immediately grab das plug wrench growler and unbolten sie. That's what the Mercedes diesel guys do before removing glow plugs. The manuals will tell you to do it with a cold engine, but when they are stuck the engine heat and expansion helps tremendously. Of course, be careful. If the plugs will turn maybe 1/2 turn that makes it much easier to get PB to soak down in the threads, thus easing removal.
nice tip! that should go in the magazine.
early mk2 jetta and golfs had odometers that would reset them selfs back to 0 after turning over 300km (in canada) your car may have more miles then you think. as for spark plugs, i but a 3" extention on a the spark plug socket and hit it with a hammer. that usually helps with rusted bolt too.
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