TheSamba.com :: View topic - HELP! VW Fox 88 cylinder head seizure/oil pressure

Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:19 pm

Here are the facts:

Car: Volks Fox 88. 1.8L

It was -20 celsius outside.

On the way to work oil light started blinking. Stopped and checked the oil. Quantity was good. Thought it was a short, so I continued driving as I had to get to work and it was 5:30AM.

A few minutes later buzzer buzzer went off then there came a screeching noise from under the hood.

Result: Timing belt stripped and the upper cam seems to be seized. I assume I lost oil pressure and it seized.

Questions:

Should I scrap the car?

What can cause oil pressure loss? I thought the oil pumps rarely fail. Has anyone run into this?Is it difficult/expensive to change?

Is it worth changing the head. I can take one from another vehicle.

Would loss of oil pressure also do damage to the lower components?

Thanks for any advice.

Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:08 pm

Pumps do fail, but rarel. Could be the pickup screen trapped some stuff in it and shut the supply down

Head needs to come off and have the cam followers repaired
Not is all lost.

Oil pumps are reasonable

www.getcoolparts.com

basically if you enjoyed the car and need it, fix it. Replacement cars are expensive and who know what you get

It talked to a guy today who has a 90k 1998 A-4 2.8 Quattro which lost coolant and fried the head
willing to let it go for 1200 hundred, I offered him 600

Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:15 pm

Too bad that on a Fox you have to drop the subframe to get the oil pan off - which you'll have to do to get to the oil pump. Plus I'd at least check the rod bearings while you're in there. It's a bit of a pain because you have get a hoist or come up with some method to lift/support the engine from above.

While not on Foxes, I've seen other watercooled models have oil supply problems where the plastic baffle fell apart and the pieces clogged up the inlet - or the oil pan got dented up enough to block off the oil intake.

Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:32 pm

Luckily for him, those 1.8's are dime a dozen, he can find a used motor for cheap. I have a garage full of those engines

Can't hardly give em away