Deciphering watercooled head markings.

[bvolks]

I'm trying to figure out how to decipher the markings on the VW watercooled heads. Most have a clock looking thing between #3 and #4 injector (which nobody seems to know how to decipher either) but mine has a circle with the numbers (from top to bottom) 23 11 8. I want to be sure the head I have will work on it before I tear it apart. The head I have is the original head off my 85 Jetta (with the clock thing on it) and the motor in it now in the pic is supposed to be from an 84 Rabbit.
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1985 Diesel Jetta Coupe (temporarily retired at
756,000 km)
1971 Doublecab project
1995 Golf CL
1974 Beetle
1978 Westfalia

[glutamodo]

You know, I've never heard anyone mention those markings before, nor seen them referred to in any factory manuals. I thought they were casting or production code numbers that were mostly meaningless.

As long as the engines are both 1600s, and you choose the correct thickness diesel head gasket, I think it should work OK.

[cub]

They are a build time/date stamp. I asked this many, many years ago to a retired VW tech but that's all I know.
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I love old cars

[vwpikup1]

yes they are manufacture markings nothing that is importance to the consumer !but you mention using a 84 head on a 85 make sure your 85 is not hydrolic because the 84 is mechanical! and stick with the same size head gasket! piston stick up past the top deck of the block is determined by the thikness of the head gasket and you did not change any of that !
Duane

[glutamodo]

I thought that on Diesel engines, 1985s still had mechanical lifters and didn't go hydraulic til 1986. Or wait, hold on, was that a mid-year change?