1. Got my heads off, but this is my first gasket job and I don’t know what kind of wear I should be looking for. Can anyone give me a prognosis: How bad is that charring on the piston heads, and how best to clean it off? And do those valves look burnt to you, if so, what kind of attention should I give to them? Just wondering if all of this is normal wear (normal wear from leaking head gaskets, anyway).

2. I severed that green vacuum line, but I can’t find a replacement. It leads from the vacuum change over to that spherical thing (vacuum reservoir?). I’ve checked ECStuning, Pure MS, partsgeek... any where else I might find it (besides the dealership)? Or maybe I can just replace it with any vacuum hosing?

3. Also, I thought the cylinder in green was the #1 piston (on the passenger bank), but seeing as the cylinder in red is at TDC does that mean the RED is my #1 piston? Looking at the valves then, does that look like the correct positioning for cylinders #2 and #3?---> (When I turned my crank, I made sure that the position marker on the pulley matched the plastic guard’s marker- and that the two bigger loop holes on the cams were pointing at each other.)

Thanks ahead for any info.

1997 2.8L 12V quattro

 

As I'm not much of an engine builder, I'll answer the easiest of your questions and leave the rest to the smart guys

That green hard line is a PITA. On my 12v I yanked it out and replaced it with regular silicone vac hose. If you're set on replacing it with another plastic line, use this.

 

what CCA4 said about the green line is true.

i think the pistons are fine. the green should be #1, at least that's how it is on the 30v. i'd clean them up but don't sand them. carb cleaner should take that stuff off easily. remember to block the coolant and stud holes when you do cleaning.

can't rly see the valves too well so no comment on that.

also am i crazy or is your coolant green?

 

You can just scrub the piston tops to remove the carbon build up. You can use some carb cleaner.

Cylinders are always counted from front to back.

 

Green coolant?!?!