Smoke!

[Dagger99]

My 88 Jetta with 1.8L is smoking like a steam engine. How can I tell if it is related to the top (head) or the bottom (block)? Tia!

[gmcgough]

I dont think smoke would be caused by the head........oil leakage into the cylinders is almost always caused by bad rings and/or scored cylinder walls.

[boschmann]

If it's steam then the head has to come off anyway. Once it's off you can check both the head & block for warpage and cracks. I've never run across a cracked block on a 1.8, it would have had to get extremely hot to warp or crack the block. I'd machine the head regardless.