TDI Head Problems: Common Issues & Solutions

Hello!
'My Eicher (Passat, 1Z, '96, ~235,000 km) is now slowly showing signs of a head gasket that's leaking oil. There's no burning, but oil is leaking down the back of the engine block. Replacing the head gasket itself isn't a big deal, and the gaskets themselves aren't that expensive... but: I know from several 1.6L VW diesel engines that cracks often form between the valves or between the valves and the pre-combustion chamber. What's the experience with TDI engines in this regard? Do the cylinder heads also crack? I don't want to take the engine apart, especially on a weekend, only to find out that I actually need to buy a replacement cylinder head...'
Sure, here's the translation:

'Thank you in advance!'

Dominique.

hello!
"In principle, these cylinder heads can also crack, but not like the old 1600 models with pre-chamber injection, which had thermal problems. If someone has driven it a bit more aggressively, then *crack* and there's another crack. A friend of mine had the block crack after installing an LLK (oil cooler), but we only noticed it after replacing the cylinder head for the second time!"
"Recently, the head gasket failed on my AFN engine (81 kW). I didn't notice it at first, but while driving on the highway, the pressure in the cooling system became so high that the overflow valve on the expansion tank opened. This caused all the coolant to leak out, and within seconds, the water temperature rose to 130°C. That was enough to make the damn gasket even leakier. Then, even at a water temperature of 75°C, I had 2 bar of pressure in the system, which is definitely too much!"
Have the head disassembled and inspected for leaks (NO CRACKS).
before I realized that it was the seal.
"I've already replaced the water tank lid, the tank itself, the thermostat, and the thermoswitch. Apparently, no one wanted to believe that something like this could happen at 85,000 kilometers! But it did happen!"
I hope I've been helpful.

Oh yeah, and he never smoked white (herbal) cigarettes, and the cooling water was always crystal clear!

'Could you check the camshaft seal? Mine was leaking, and it looked like the head gasket was leaking from the back, and the oil was running down the engine block.'

Check the camshaft seal. Mine was also leaking, and it looked like the head gasket was leaking from the back, and the oil was running down the block.

It would be nice if it were like that... }
'But it's not. The box is leaking on the left rear side, near the return port. The engine has always had some condensation, since I've owned the car (approximately 135,000 km...), but it's only recently, in the last few weeks, that it's become really significant.'

Best regards,

Dominique.

Replace the gasket and do an engine flush. I'd also replace the seals while you're at it, it's not a big deal!
Then there will be fun again.