B5 1.8t Timing Belt Failure... FML

[ActiveMonkey]

So yesterday evening I'm cruising down the freeway and the engine just stalls. Wtf?! I pull over and look around in the engine and then I see it. The moment I pulled the timing belt cover I see a good number of teeth are missing from the belt. AAA got the car home and the tear down will began. I sadly couldn't find my head bolt tool so the rest will have to wait until I can go find another head bolt tool. I do have my 2003 A4 parts car from which I can go harvest an AMB head. Then install the new head, gaskets, and a new timing belt followed closely by crossing some finger for the compression test.

Last night I did pull the plugs and send a borescope in to see the damage. It looks similar, maybe not as bad as pictured in the VW Vortex thread.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ed-piston-tops

Questions:

1 - Does anyone know of any reason why the AMB wont work in place of an AWM head?

2 - If/when the valves hit the piston, if the valves scratched or very slightly marred the piston head from the impact would I have to replace the piston head?

3 - Any advise or is there anything I am not thinking of?

[ActiveMonkey]

[Furly]

The AMB head will work but they are known to have a high rate of failure in the form of cracks and pin holes. But since you have a free head it won't hurt to use it.

[auditi]

Damn dude, that sucks, sorry to hear that!

[ActiveMonkey]

Update: Got it all back together on Tuesday and its running better than ever.

Pictures Failed Belt



Damage



After initial clean/buff. After this photo was taken I did clean the block surface and perform additional cleaning/buffing...



Head Gasket in Place and Pistons adjusted to TDC



AWM head on LEFT - AMB head on RIGHT (already adjusted to TDC)

[auditi]

Nice dude. At least you got her back up and going quick...

[Furly]

What head gasket is that? I dont remember mine being black.

[ActiveMonkey]

it is the Fel-Pro Head Gasket, part number 26182PT. It's what they had at Monument Car Parts (Seriously the best car parts store in the Bay Area).

[mr_milo]

WOW, that sucks but at least you got it going again quickly and without too much cost.
How many miles were on that belt? When I had my B5 I used to change the belt, idler pulley and tensioner every 75K. Always wondered if that was overkill but never wanted to find out the hard way.

[ActiveMonkey]

Assuming it had never been changed, it broke at ~119k