Hiya All,
Admittedly, there is not a great deal of difference in the building of an AutoStick engine as compared to its manual cousin. Still, there are some differences. Now, there are any number of references for the building of a Volkswagen air-cooled engine but none (that I have found) detail the specific put-together of an engine intended for use with an AutoStick. To that end (and since I have to assemble an engine for my Bug anyway) I am going to do this step-by-step thread on AS engine building.
I will add an entry for each session I spend with the engine. Hopefully, that will be each evening. I'll take lots of pictures to help illustrate any points I might be trying to make. We'll go all the way from parts preparation to breaking in the new engine. I am not promising that this will be a smooth process and handled in a time-efficient manner. Quite the contrary, it has been my experience that something usually goes wrong and requires redoing, even in well planned and prepped projects. And it has also been my experience that predicting those mistakes or hang-ups is next to impossible, so you'll just be along for the ride on this rebuild, bumps and all.
And to give you some context...........this engine will be a relatively stock 1600 single port. This was the engine that was originally installed in my 1970 Bug. However, I will be using a post 1970 case (an "AE" series case) because it is a dual relief case with 10 mm oil passages. Additionally, I'll be installing a doghouse fanshroud for more efficient cooling. I have already started some facets of this rebuild (machine shop work and reconditioning engine tin, for example) but I'll catch you up on those steps. I'll also outline any tools you might need besides those tools one might commonly find in any garage. I'll do my best to give you prices for parts and services.
Should you have comments on this step-by-step engine build, don't hesitate to chime in. If there is one thing I do know, it's that I don't have all the answers or a corner on the best techniques. If you know a better way, let's hear about it.
Tomorrow we'll talk tools and supplies for an engine build.
Hiya All,
In order to get a VW engine together you will need a few special tools besides the usual wrenches, sockets, and screwdrivers usually found out in the garage. You can substitute for some of these tools, others you just gotta have. I'll try to alert you to those you'll definitely need as we go along. You'll also need some supplies and there is actually quite a wide range of products to choose from. I'll show you what I use for the most part.
One item you will definitely need is a tool for measuring the endplay of the crankshaft as it sits in the case. As well as rotating round and round, the crankshaft can actually move in a forward and backward direction. The amount of this movement is referred to as endplay. Volkswagen has set endplay tolerance at between .003 and .006. Yet when most engines are assembled the endplay is usually measured out between .035 and .040. To bring that endplay into the range of tolerance shims must be added (we'll go through that procedure later). And to properly add shims the endplay has to be measured. Here's a tool that helps with this important chore......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1237.jpg)
One may also use a dial indicator but the tool above when used in conjunction with a set of feeler guages has proven accurate and reliable. It also has the advantage of being cheap - about $5.00
You'll also need a way to keep the flexplate from rotating when you tighten/loosen the gland nut. While one can use the old VW mechanic's trick of stuffing a length of rope in one of the cylinders, a more conventional method is using a set of four flexplate clamps.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1234.jpg)
These clamps are attached to the flexplate loosely with the flexplate bolts. The flexplate is then rotated so that the clamps align with the bolt holes in the crankcase for engine mounting. The mounting bolts are put in place and tightened down. And then the flexplate bolts are tightened down. This will freeze the flexplate in place. However, be sure to use at least three of these clamps when removing or installing the gland nut. Anything less than that and you risk warping the flexplate. These were homemade from scrap.
And for the gland nut you'll need a 36 mm socket. Gotta have it! There is no other way to get the gland nut off or on. And definitely go for a 3/4 drive. These gland nuts take between 260 and 300 ft/lbs of torque. That amount of torque will break a 1/2 drive. Take a look at the sockets, breaker bar, and cheater (4 feet of cast iron pipe)
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1242.jpg)
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1243.jpg)
By the way, the other socket in the picture above is a 30 mm for the main pulley nut. You may be able to remove that main pulley nut with a crescent wrench, but I like using the socket. All of my 3/4 drive sockets are from Harbor Freight. The entire set of sockets (19 mm - 50 mm), wratchet, and breaker cost $42.95
When you assemble the clutch components you will need a clutch pilot in order to center the clutch disc. I got a plastic pilot from my local FLAPS for a couple of bucks.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1235.jpg)
You will also need a ring compressor in order to slide the cylinder over the piston assembly. VW ring compressors are pretty simple and straightforward affairs. Basically, it is just a sprung steel band which is compressed with a pair of pliers. Cheap at $5.00. But be careful because VW ring compressors come in two sizes. One for pistons up to 87 mm and one for pistons over 90 mm. Make sure you buy what is appropriate for your build.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1236.jpg)
Here's a handy little item to have............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1240.jpg)
This a digital scale which will weigh up to 600 grams. This is great to weigh pistons. And it can also be used with this....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1241.jpg)
This is a homemade jig for weighing the small end of the connecting rods. Weighing the connecting rods and the pistons will enable you to "mix and match" rods and pistons in order to equalize the weight of the rotating mass. More on that later. The scale cost $16.00.
This wrench/driver....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1238.jpg)
was made to remove and install the nut which holds the oil filler assembly to the generator stand. It's quite handy and I can actually get some torque on the nut by slipping a Phillips screwdriver through the holes in the handle end.
During actual assembly I use this engine stand from Harbor Freight.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1244.jpg)
Now this stand does not have the regular VW attachment arms which allow one to also work on the clutch and flywheel. However it does a nice job of holding the case in a good working position and I can rotate that case as needed. Cost was $37.00.
Of course I have to have some way of getting the engine up to the stand. Since I have no helpers and I am on my own I had to rig up some basic machines to help me with moving "dead weight" around. For that I fabbed an A-frame and set up that A-frame with a come-along. Take a look...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1245.jpg)
Now this picture has a busy background, so here's a better shot of the come-along I use to raise and lower engines....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1246.jpg)
And at the end of the come-along I use this harness to attach to the engine.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1253.jpg)
And here is what it looks like in use.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bus/IMG_0992.jpg)
Of course for removing and installing the engine a good floor jack is necessary. Many folks have been using ATV jacks for this purpose. Although I have an ATV jack (you may have noticed the motorcycle in the pictures above) I find that a floor jack is much more convenient for me. My 3 tonner from Sears cost $59.00 when I bought it (a long time ago!) and it came with a set of jackstands also. The jackstands are super important. Don't use any substitutes for a good set of jackstands.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1248.jpg)
If any other tools come up during this engine build, I'll try to remember to pause and describe them.
Mike,
That's a legendary rod balancer! Ditto for the gramme scales!
I haven't had much luck with oil breather gland nuts and have gone for the doctor. A 1 inch internal pipe wrench resides in my tool box now.
Regards
Sean
Hiya Sean,
Thanks!
I was at my local machine shop and the owner was giving me a tour. We spent some time looking at and playing with the rod balancer. While I was doing that I thought I could make one of these from scrap lumber, so I decided to give it a try. I built it so that the rod sits level on top of the digital scale when the scale is placed on the jig's platform. I get little or no variance between separate weighings of the same rod. I always weigh each rod at least three times and then average out the weights (if needed). While this may not be as accurate as a commercial model, I reckon that it will give me reliable data for pairing up connecting rods to pistons. And that's what I'm after.
Good idea about the internal wrench for the oil filler nut. I hadn't thought of that!
Mike,
The only warning with using the pipe wrench is to make certain the rotating claw is contacting the gland nut 100%. It will rip the alloy to pieces if it's positioned incorrectly.
Back to normal programming ;D.
Regards
Sean
Hiya All,
There are some expendable supplies needed when assembling an engine. And before we get into them, please understand that the supplies I have listed are those that I have chosen to use. There are many other choices out there in the market. Perhaps others will chime in with their particular selections..............
You are definitely going to need a sealing compound when you mate the case halves together. One product is almost universally mentioned as the standard for comparison. It has been around for years and has given excellent service in all applications. That's why I use Permatex 3H, usually referred to as Permatex Aviation for sealing the mated surfaces of the case halves.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1252.jpg)
I use Curil for the "add-ons" like the generator stand, fuel pump assembly, and oil pump. It's a little less "gooey" that Permatex and a little neater to apply. I have also heard (and I'm not vouching for the truth of this) that Curil was the sealant used in the factory while assembling engines. Whatever..............I have found both of these products to be outstanding.
I also use two lubricants in the actual assembly of the engine. Many folks use lubrication compounds especially designed for engine assembly like.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1251.jpg)
I use a combination of STP and 30 weight oil. I mix STP and 30 weight in a 60/40 solution in my oil can. It makes for easy lubrication and this stuff stays where it's put, but can be smeared around. It's cheap (compared to the assembly lube above) and I like to goop it on liberally.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1249.jpg)
And I also use White Lithium Grease. This stuff is especially nice to use on cam lobes and lifter faces where you need a little extra protection until the oil arrives.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1250.jpg)
And about shop towels................. Generally speaking I use cloth towels for me! I wipe may hands and clean myself off with cloth towels. But I try not to use them on the parts that are going into the engine. That's simply because most cloth towels will leave lint or threads behind and I want to keep the inside of that engine as clean as possible. So, when it comes to wiping up in the engine I use a lint-free paper towel. While they are less likely to leave anything behind, one still has to be a bit careful. They will tear and some chemicals will dissolve them to an extent.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1254.jpg)
Next up: Cleaning and weighing.
Hiya All,
Cleanliness is the name of the game when it comes to engine building. You cannot get the engine parts too clean. And rebuilding an engine with dirt or other contaminants is asking for trouble. So, by all means take the time (and it will take plenty of time!) to get your parts clean. Interestingly, I'm not just referring to parts you are planning to re-use. This goes for brand new parts also.
Now on this particular rebuild I've opted to buy a new set of pistons and jugs. Although I could have re-ringed the old pistons and had the cylinders honed I'm impressed that a new set of cylinders and pistons costs only $160. That comes down to $20 per cylinder and $20 per piston (plus wrist pins and clips). A pretty good deal, if you ask me. I bought a set of Mahle pistons and jugs...............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1255.jpg)
I've had pretty good luck with this product. The original factory specs from VW were that all pistons (and that includes wrist pins and clips) should vary by no more than 5 grams. I've not had any set exceed that amount. With each set you get the following times 4............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1256.jpg)
But, as I mentioned before, these parts have to be cleaned before installation. There's even a warning on the box cautioning the user to clean the parts. That's because the factory applies a preservative (I've been told that it's cosmoline) to keep the parts from corroding. That preservative has to be cleaned off. To do that you'll need mineral spirits, soft bristle brushes, hot water and dishwashing soap.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1257.jpg)
Using a small bucket, pour in a gallon of mineral spirits. Brush both cylinder and piston (no need to remove the rings). You'll notice the preservative come off and you'll see it at the bottom of the bucket. At $11 a gallon, I filter the used mineral spirits and reuse them. Give both the cylinder and the piston a good scrubbing. From there it's on to the hot water and soap.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1258.jpg)
Again it's the scrubbing routine. This time you want to be sure that all the mineral spirits are gone. Use plenty of soap and make sure your water is as hot as you can stand it. Rinse with clear hot water and dry. Just like doing the dishes. However, make sure that you wipe some oil (I use the STP/oil mix) on the inside of the cylinders. You don't have to use a lot of oil, but enough to give the inside of the cylinder a thin even coat.
When I clean pistons and cylinders I do one set at a time. This allows me to dry and oil everything in a timely manner and I keep the piston and the cylinder together.
But other parts need to be cleaned also. I probably spend more time on the case than any other single part. It has to be clean inside and there are many nooks and crannies in which dirt can and does hide. Now this case.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1259.jpg)
may not look sparkling clean, but believe me it is clean. The magnesium alloy Volkswagen used in their cases tends to grow gray as it oxidizes over the years. This particular case is 37 years old. Try thinking of a mechanical device or casting that looks this good after 37 years of heavy use. This case was cleaned chemically and mechanically five separate times. Twice by me, then into the machine shop and their cleaning process, and then again twice by me. Before I took it into the machine shop I cleaned off the grime with a putty knife (oh yeah, it was that bad). Then I sprayed it with aerosol brake cleaner to remove the grease. It then went down to the local self-serve car wash for a dose of degreaser and spraying. After I got back from the machine shop and their chemical dip bath I went after the interior surfaces with a Dremel and tip brush. I was careful not to touch and mating or bearing surfaces with the brush. They must remain pristine. I then soaked the insides of the case halves with a Kafko product, Oil Eater. Following all that I washed the case halves in hot water and soap. They were left to dry under 500 watt Hologen shop lights.
I even went so far as to remove the oil pickup tube so i could clean the case in that area.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1260.jpg)
And don't forget to make sure that the small oil passages are clean.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1262.jpg)
This is a shot of the oil return passage just under the forward cam bearing. And notice that the groove for the cam plug is nice and clean. The details really do make the job!
Finally do not forget to thoroughly clean all threads in the case studs.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1263.jpg)
When you go to button up the case each nut will have a torque requirement. If the threads are dirty or rusty you'll never be able to get the required torque - and that is very important in VW engine construction. So, take the time now to clean (a wire brush attachment on a drill works great) and chase the threads on all these studs.
Fantastic thread Mike. Keep it up!
I'm starting mine next week so this has given me some addtional motavation to keep pace and finish my project (1776).
Thanks for the great pics and tool suggestions!
Bob
Hiya Guys,
Thanks!
I have had to take a short break. Real world problems have intervened and I need to deal with them right now.
However, I should be getting back to the build in just a couple of days.
Hiya All,
OK..........back to engine building..............
Once you have the cylinder and pistons all washed out in both mineral spirits and hot soapy water, followed a good rinse in clear hot water you need to do one thing for sure and maybe another. You'll decide on what's best for you.
After you pull the cylinders out of the hot rinse of water you want to make sure thay are dry as you can get them in the cylinder bore. If you have never experienced the natural phenomena of "flash rust" you definitely don't want to start now. To that end, once you have the cylinder insides nice and dry coat the insides with a this layer of oil. I use the STP/oil mixture. This will prevent any rust from forming on the inside cylinder walls. It sure wouldn't hurt to put a little oil on the piston rings either.
I also elect to treat the outer surface of the cylinders. I give them at least two light coats of high temperature flat black paint.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1281.jpg)
The paint serves two purposes. It helps to seal the surface against rust and it also helps to promote more efficient cooling of the cylinders themselves. Now there are those out there in VWLand who will dispute this saying that it's not necessary. And I will admit that you can certainly build an engine without painting the cylinders. But I do think that rust prevention and more efficient cooling are worth the time this step takes.
With the pistons now dry it is time to weigh them. Before we get into that however, a word or two about this process. Many folks do not pay any attention to this step. They take the parts out of the box and assemble them into an engine as it were. But it is definitely a good idea to to try and balance the rotating mass of the engine as much as is feasible. This will produce a smoother running, longer lasting engine. You can have this done much more precisely at your machine shop. They call their service dynamic balancing and it's pretty high tech. The machine shop will take your rotating mass (crank, flywheel, rods, clutch pressure plate) and balance it as a unit. Were you building a high performance engine this is certainly a service you'd want to check out.
So, how to weigh a piston? I place my digital scale on my connecting rod weighing platform (it's easy to level) and place the piston, wrist pin, and wrist pin clips (2) on the scale.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1275.jpg)
I weigh each piston assembly three times. Now, truth be told, with a good digital scale there is little to no difference between the weighings. But I do this just to be on the safe side of the equation. Notice in this following picture...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1276.jpg)
I am noting each piston weighing. I am about to weigh Piston B for the third time. By the way, I label each one of the pistons A, B, C, or D. That help to keep things organized (their respective cylinders are alphaed likewise) and will help when we get to weighing connecting rods.
Once all the data has been noted I calculate the average weight for each piston......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1277.jpg)
and then figure out the range of the weight. I've listed the pistons at the bottom of the page in order from heaviest to lightest. Looks like I have a range of 3.4 grams in these pistons. Factory specs say all them should be within 5 grams, so it looks like I'm doing just fine at this stage of the game.
Now we move on to weighing the connecting rods.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1278.jpg)
Actually, "weighing the connecting rods" is a bit of a misnomer, at least in this case. A full service machine shop will weigh both ends of the connecting rod for you. I am only set up to weigh the "small end" of the connecting rods. But even the folks at the machine shop will tell you that the small end, the end that is thrown by the crank, is the important one to weigh.
Now, weighing the small end of the connecting rod will produce more varied results with each individual weighing than we experienced with the pistons. That's due to a number of factors, exact placement on the jig being the big reason for variation. This makes multiple weighings and averaging the weights very important. And with the connecting rods when I list them in order (I number each one of the connecting rods) at the bottom of the page I do it in lightest to heaviest order. Just the opposite of listing the pistons.
This gives me the information I need to match up the heaviest piston with the lightest connecting rod and vice versa. Take a look at how this works on paper........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1279.jpg)
As you can see, by matching the lightest with the heaviest I did pretty well. The first two pistons/rods are almost identical in weight. However, my problem is going to be the last piston/rod assembly. To get all the piston/rod assemblies dead equal I will have to lighten each of the first three assemblies by the amount listed at the bottom of the page. The figure in the parentheses is the amount I'd have to lighten each one to get everything within one gram. And that's VERY acceptable.
So, tomorrow we'll look at lightening those assemblies.
Mike,
A scrap piece of beautifully sawn 3/4" dowel, a longer screw that'll pass through the dowel and your Conrod Big End piece there and Bob's your fathers brother!! Just a thought for later down the track.....
Regards
Sean
Hiya Sean,
That's the ticket! I'll give that a shot. Great idea.
Hiya All,
Down to balancing the rod and piston assemblies. After this we start to put the beast together.
Given you understand that a rotational mass operates most smoothly when all its components are in balance, you can understand that it is best that all piston and rod assemblies weigh the same or very nearly the same. For our purposes in this assembly, as I mentioned before, we are not weighing the entire connecting rod, just the "thrown" small end of each rod. Certainly if you are building a performance engine a more thorough weighing of the rods is indicated and, as has been mentioned, the dynamic balancing a machine shop can offer should be investigated.
Inasmuch as this engine will be an almost completely stock setup the balancing we are doing will go a long ways toward making the rotational mass a happy one. And when that rotational mass is fairly well balanced it is much easier on the bearings and the case journals. Less wear, less heat, more mileage out of the build.
However, getting the piston and rod assemblies to just about the same weight can be a bit of tricky endeavor. Ideally, we would want to take the weight off the component furthest out on the "throw" That, of course, would be the piston. The main problem is that the piston is cast from aluminum and very lightweight. I'm not comfortable taking any more than 2.5 grams out of the piston. That's a bunch of lightweight aluminum. When I have removed about 2.5 grams I turn to taking weight off the connecting rod.
There are problems with removing weight from the connecting rod. One, VW rods do not really have weight pads which can be ground away to remove weight. Two, remember that the small end weight of the connecting rod is an average. It will be difficult to tell EXACTLY how much weight has been removed. Three, the connecting rod is not at the end of the "throw" and while it's less desireable to remove weight at this point, it is often necessary.
So, how does one remove the weight from the piston? I use a Dremel type rotary device with a variety of bits. The overriding caution in taking off material is Never take much from any one spot and try to balance what you do remove Let's start off by looking at where to remove material from the piston........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1282-1.jpg)
Take a look at the arrows. The bigger they are, the more material can be removed. The red arrow indicates the spot of the factory weight pad on the wrist pin boss. This weight pad is minicule and about the most weight you could you remove here would be about .3 grams. The yellow arrow indicates the sides of the wrist pin boss. These can be shaved down somewhat, but be sure to shave each side of each boss equally. Expect about .5 grams from these areas. The blue arrow is pointing at the skirt of the piston. When I remove material here I try to bevel the skirt wall inward. Doing each side (remember the balance) it's good for about .2 grams.
Before we go on with weight removal, a word about organization. Be sure that you remove a little and then weigh the piston. Typically, I'll weigh the piston twenty or thirty times during the weight removal process. I definitely do not want to be in the position of removing too much material. And I can get a pretty good idea of how much weight I'm removing while I'm actually working by doing these constant weighings.
The meat of the removal will be in the piston floor surround. I use a technique called dimpling. With a drill bit attached to the Dremel I push hard enough to engage the steel drill bit into the aluminum piston. Once the drill bit starts to grab, I pull it out. Think of the dimples on a golf ball........that's the idea here. By going all around the inner diameter of the piston you can expect to remove about 1.5 grams.
Is it possible to remove more material? Absolutely. Some may suggest other areas (such as the flat floor of the piston) but I tend to be a little conservative at this stage of the game. Once I get to the 2.5 grams removed, I want to look elsewhere for weight. And that means the rods.
While many connecting rods from other makes do have weight removal pads, VW merely has a generous seam at the small end of their rods. This seam can be ground down with an angle grinder.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1286.jpg)
Again, one needs to proceed with caution, removing just a bit of material and then weighing the rod. Also going in small steps helps greatly to keep the accumlated heat from friction from doing anything bad to the rod itself. Small baby steps here. But, since the rod is steel, the weight does come off pretty fast.
Oh and one last item to check out...........you can play mix and match with the wrist pins. To be honest, wrist pins do not vary that much in weight. However you might be able redistribute them to pick up or lose .2 or .3 grams here and there. Don't bother with the wrist pin clips. They are uniformly 1 gram apiece. I did switch wrist pins in the example below.
I thought I'd give you the before and after for the Piston A/Rod 2 assembly. Here's how it looks...
Old Weight New Weight
Piston A .................444.8 Piston A ...............442.4
Rod 2 ....................186.2 Rod 2....................184.0
Wrist Pin ................111.6 Wrist Pin ...............111.3
Clips ...................... 2.0 Clips .................... 2.0
Total .....................744.6 Total ....................739.7
If you'll recall, I wanted to remove 4.4 grams from Piston A/Rod 2 to get down to 740.2 (the weight of the lightest piston/rod assembly) I actually went past that just a bit, but inasmuch as there will always be some variance in the weight of the connecting rod small end, I'm not too concerned about the present difference. Besides I could always go back and reswitch the wrist pins and that would make the result closer yet.
If you cannot get all four of your piston/rod assemblies really close (within one gram) think about doing this............... use the two heaviest piston/rod assemblies across the crank from each other. They will work to counterbalance each other (but definitely do try to get those two close to each other in weight) and lessen the stress on the bearings. Do the same with the lighter pair of pistons.
Hiya All,
Let's take a look at the heart of the engine, the crankshaft. Here's a typical VW crankshaft.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1294.jpg)
These cranks are really over-engineered. They might be what you'd term "Super Heavy-Duty". With such a robust build these cranks can be used over and over again. But before you use that old crank of yours, you HAVE to take it to your local machine shop. Actually, you need to take it in for a variety of reasons (which we'll get to) but the most important reason is to have it reground. The shiny sections of the crank above are contact surfaces with bearings. As such they have to be smooth. Regrinding those surfaces assures that the surface is smooth and that it will play nicely with a new set of bearings. Even a crank that has seen very limited use needs to be reground before it is used in another engine.
Then too, the techs at the machine shop can check the crank for any sort of defect. They can even straighten out a crank that has been bent along its axis, provided that the bend is a small one. There is no way I'd do a rebuild without first having the machine shop inspect and grind the crank. That's just good common sense.
But there are things you can do also. Let's take a look at the rear end of the crank above and explore a little of its geography.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1296-1.jpg)
A key to the picture above....
1. Main Pulley Nut
2. Main Pulley Nut Washer
3. Oil Slinger
4. Rear Main Bearing
5. Distributor Drive Gear
6. Camshaft Drive Gear
7. Main Bearing
Now all of these parts above can be removed from the crank. Numbers 1 and 2 come out simply by unscrewing the Main Pulley Nut. Numbers 3 and 4 come out after removing a woodruff key which is located just to the rear of the oil slinger and just out of sight in this picture. Oh, and note the orientation of the oil slinger. That will come in handy later. Numbers 5 and 6 can be removed with the even application of heat. And in the reverse process of assembly of this section, all of this can be done by you. Most folks just let the machine shop remove these gears when they take the crank in for regrinding. Once they have been removed, the main bearing simply slides off the crank.
And let's take a look at how the crank is oriented in the case and matched up with its piston/rod assemblies by cylinder number.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1297-1.jpg)
Imagining that the front of the engine is at the top of the picture, we find the flexplate. By the way those components inside the case are in white, those outside the case are in yellow. The labeling actually gives you a pretty good idea of how the crank is set up. Notice that Cylinders 3 and 1 are out at full throw while Cylinders 4 and 2 are all the way in. This also gives you a good visual reminder as to why it was important to balance those piston/rod assemblies.
Next time, we'll assign each piston/rod assembly to a cylinder position and begin the assembly of the rotating mass.
Hiya All,
Based on the total weights for each piston/rod assembly, I have assigned each assembly to a cylinder. I took my two heaviest assemblies and put them in cylinders 1 and 3. My two lightest assemblies went into cylinders 2 and 4. Now all of my piston/rod assemblies are pretty darn close to being the same weight. But this is a good approach you can use to assigning piston/rods assemblies even if you have a more noticeable weight difference. A hint: if that weight difference is more than 5 grams you probably want to work a bit on evening that difference out somewhat.
Now I want to show you a very useful component in an AutoStick assembly.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1301.jpg)
I know what you're thinking...........what is a blinking flywheel doing in this thread? And on an AutoStick website to boot! Well, actually, I've found flywheels to be useful little critters. Even in an AutoStick rebuild. I take the crank and attach it to the flywheel with a gland nut. I then tighten it down as much as I can - good and snug in any event. Turn the entire assembly up on the flywheel and you have an excellent working set-up for assembling the crank.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1302.jpg)
Oh, and take a close look at the crank. Do you see that I have also slipped the front main bearing into place on the crank? That will prove useful later. Now let's take a look at getting the connecting rods in place. Of course, you'll need the connecting rod bearings...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1303.jpg)
They come in a blister pack like this. My rod bearings (like my main bearings) are .025 over standard. That means that the bearings are .025 thicker than a standard bearing. Why? My crankshaft was ground down to a true round on the journals. That means some material was removed from the crank journals. These larger bearings make up for that missing material. This is probably a good time to mention that your old crank and rods (as well as your case, camshaft and lifters) should really be inspected and machined, if needed, by a good machine shop. Attempting to rebuild on the cheap by skipping the machine shop is gonna cost you in the end. Sermon over...........
In any event, the connecting rod bearings should be pushed into both halves of the connecting rod....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1305.jpg)
There is no difference in the rod bearings so they can go on either part of the rod. Just make sure the anti-wiggle dent in the bearing goes in the corresponding slot in the rod on each side. Pretty easy actually.
I like to make sure that I have the proper clearance between the rod/bearing and the crankshaft journal. To do that I use a measuring tool called Plasti-Gage.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1304.jpg)
This stuff is nothing more than an extruded plastic/wax thread. Take a portion of that thread (cut the thread to fit across the face of the connecting rod bearing........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1306.jpg)
You do that by just cutting the envelope the thread comes in to the proper width. Then pull the thread out and place it on the face of the connecting rod bearing.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1307.jpg)
Place the rod on its proper crank journal and tighten the nuts down to 25 ft/lbs. Make sure you do this without oiling up either the journal or the connecting rod bearing first. Once you have the nuts tightened down, undo them and disassemble the rod. You can then measure the width of the squished thread against the edge of the Plasti-Gage envelope. It will tell you the clearance between the rod bearing face and the crank journal.
My clearance was .0016 inches and that is comfortably within specs. Ok for me to clean up the Plasti-Gage, oil up the bearings and the journal (I'm using the oil/STP concoction for assembly), and install my first rod. When I get to the tightening up of the rod nuts (by the way, these guys are one of the very few 14mm nuts you'll find on a VW) there are a few things to be aware of.
1. If you look carefully at your rods you'll see that both ends are stamped with numbers on one side only close to their seam. Those numbers/sides must be placed next to each other in assembly.
2. If you look carefully (a lotta careful looking in this assembly!) at the rod nut and the its seat on the rod end you'll see a couple of interesting items............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1309.jpg)
The red arrow points to a skirt on the rod nut and the yellow arrow points to a groove in the rod end. The nut skirt is to be peened into that groove after you torque the nut to its proper spec (25 ft/lbs). I also put a drop of Blue Locktite on the rod threads for a little extra insurance.
3. The bump in the rod MUST face up when the rod is in its installed position.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1310.jpg)
I cannot stress how easy it is to foul up on this step. You really have to have your wits about you when you do this. Imagine that the rod is out and into the cylinder on an assembled engine. Check to be sure that the bump is up by taking all the rods (after they've been installed) and moving them to one side of the crank. If all the bumps are pointing the same direction - you screwed up. Two (3 and 4) should be facing one direction and two (1 and 2) should be facing the other direction. If they are facing opposite directions when they are one side of the crank, take 3 and 4 and place them on their proper side. Then take 1 and 2 and place them on their proper side. Now all bumps should face up.
I also like to check the clearance between the installed rod and the crank body. This is called the rod endplay and it is simply measure with a feeler guage like so........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1312.jpg)
My rod endplay for number 3 cylinder is .010. In truth, this space is usually never a problem given that there is a pretty wide range of measurement allowed (.004 to .016). But it's nice to know and this is your only chance to do this.
And as long as we're talking endplay, remember that I told you to slip the front main bearing on the crank before tightening up the flywheel? Now you can go back and directly measure the all-important crankshaft endplay.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1308.jpg)
It's as simple as sticking your feeler gauge in between the main bearing and flywheel. This measurement does not take the place of measuring endplay indirectly when the engine is complete, but it does give you a solid figure to compare with when you do later measure endplay. My endplay was .034. Looks like I'll have to go out and get get about .031 in shims because I want the final shimmed endplay to be between .003 and .004. More on that later.
Hiya All,
OK...........before I install the crank into the case there are a few jobs which need to be done.
First off, a job which, hopefully, will make laying the crank in the case easier. Truthfully, the laying (or installing) the crank into the case can get a little difficult. This little job may provide a "trick" to help with that task.
Take your rear main bearing and your front main bearing (you'll have to remove the flywheel if you went with that set-up) and take them on over to your case which you now have mounted on your engine stand...............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1314.jpg)
Before you get the bearings over to the case, install the crank dowel pins into the case.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1315-1.jpg)
The other side of the case also has one hole for a crank bearing dowel, don't forget to install it also! Now you're going to want to dry fit both these bearings into their case journals. Make sure you look over the crank journal and the bearing. You'll see that (on the front main bearing) the hole for the crank bearing dowel is offset to one side. Take a look.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1338.jpg)
So, once you are sure you have the bearing lines up with the journal and the crank bearing dowel, simply press it down and into place. It should be a nice snug fit. No wobblies at all. Now, with the bearing in its proper place, mark it at the sides with a line (a Sharpie is good for this) and at 180* opposite of the crank bearing dowel with a "T" (for top!).......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1339.jpg)
Now, when we drop the crank into place, all we have to do is to rotate the bearing so that the "T" is facing straight up (and the lines match up with the journal seam) and the crank should settly nicely into place. But we're not quite at that step........yet.
Now I need to install the rear main bearing and the oil slinger. This is a pretty straightforward operation. The rear main bearing simply slides onto the crank. Make sure you lube it up before you put it in place. And take another look at this picture...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1296-1.jpg)
Notice how the rear main bearing is oriented. The circular hole opens to towards the front of the engine. Also notice how the oil slinger is oriented. Its cupped side faces the rear of the engine. Both are held in position by tapping the woodruff key into the crank just behind the oil slinger. Oh, and make sure that woodruff key is all the way into its slot and level. The main pulley will later have to fit over that woodruff key and it should be a snug fit.
And speaking of orientation, the big front main bearing also has a front and back. Now you have probably already figured this out after doing the marking for seating the crank. But take a look at this picture anyway...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1340.jpg)
Notice the "cups" in the bearing? These should face the flywheel when installing the bearing. And do that now. Make sure the front main bearing has a good liberal dose of lubrication and slide it on the crank.
One last thing to do before we attempt to install the crank..............We have to install one of the number 2 main bearings. Journal number two (just to the rear of the front main bearing journal) uses a bearing that is split into halves (this for ease of installation). Take one half of this bearing and slip it down and into its journal making sure that it is well seated into the journal and the crank bearing dowel. Then lube it up.
We are now ready to take the big step - installing the crank. Pick your crank up by the Number 1 and Number 2 rods. Rods 3 and 4 should just dangle straight down. Very carefully lower the crank into its position in the case........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1341.jpg)
Do NOT expect the crank to seat itself. You'll have to do a little manuevering here to get to that point. First......rotate the bearings until you get that "T" facing straight up. Then make sure the bearing is centered on its journal. This is especially true of the rear main bearing which has a bit of play. Then too, the front main bearing can get one of its shoulders hung up on the journal, so take a good look around.
I have found that that it's easiest for me to seat the crank by working from the rear forward. In other words, once everything looks generally in place, I start futzing around with the rear main bearing to seat it. This usually means that I have to pull up on the crank a bit to give me a little room to move the rear main bearing around a bit. Once I have that bearing seated, I move on to number 3, then number 2, and finally to the front main bearing. Be patient with this process. It has taken me as long as a half hour to get everything into the correct position. The crank in the picture above laid down in less than two minutes! Yay!
But let's make sure that crank is properly seated. Get out the other half of the number 2 bearing and place it on top of the crank at the number two journal (where it be when in position).
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1342.jpg)
It should fit snugly atop the crank with no wobblies. If it does, you just succesfully fit the crank to the case. If it doesn't.......................well, remember what I said about being patient.
Mike,
Devils advocate question ;) . Why measure end play when the crank is seated in a manual flywheel? Or have I jumped the gun somewhat?
Regards
Sean
Hiya Sean (you devil!),
Considering that I'll be changing out to a flexplate, that's a very good question.
Actually Sean, I have just gotten into the habit of going through this step because most of the engine rebuilding I have done in the past has been manuals. Basically I've just had the camera along as I put this AS engine together. I suppose if I had planned through the steps before I actually went through with them, I probably would have left that out. On the other hand, it is a nice little trick if one does wind up doing an engine for a manual application.
Hiya All,
The next step for me is to seat and install the distributor drive pinion. This little guy............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1349.jpg)
I know that some folks who have built engines do this job after the case halves been bolted together. They say the entire operation is just about as simple as correctly orienting the dristibutor drive pinion and dropping it into the case. I don't like this approach for a couple of reasons. I have found that the distributor drive pinion usually does NOT go nicely into place. It has to be prodded and poked. If in the resultant jiggling around the shims are dislodged, the case may have to be reopened to fish them out. Also it is difficult to tell if the distributor drive pinion is completely seated when the case is closed. Then too all of these problems are non-existant if the DDP is installed with the case open.
The first thing to do is to take the two end shims in the picture above and coat them with a good sticky grease. I use a little wheel bearing grease to stick them together. I then insert a long screwdriver through them. The screwdriver is then inserted into the DDP case hole while I hold the shims on the screwdriver shaft. When I let the shims go they ride the screwdriver down to their proper seating position. I tap them down to secure their position and now it's time to insert the DDP itself.
First, remove that little spring that lives between the DDP and the distributor. Now, take a look at how the DDP is oriented as it approaches the case hole.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1351.jpg)
It's very important to note that the distributor drive slot in the top of the DDP is offset. That offset must point towards the front fuel pump stud as the DDP is slipped into its hole in the case. I insert the DDP in this fashion and it usually hangs up somewhat in the hole (note its position in the next picture) even though the DDP and the case hole have been well lubricated. That gives me the opportunity to temporarily set the main pulley on the end of the crank. I do this so that I can line up the TDC mark on the pulley with the case seam. That will make sure that the number 1 rod is all the way out at TDC.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1352.jpg)
Now I can ahead and push the DDP down and into position. I can also do a just a bit of wiggling with the crank to help the teeth of the DDP engage the distributor drive gear on the crankshaft (another good reason for doing this operation with case open!). When the DDP is all the way in and seated the distributor drive slot on the top of the DDP should be oriented in this fashion......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1358.jpg)
This is the classic TDC position for the DDP. I install the small spring that lives in the top center recess in the DDP. Now I install my distributor and bolt it down.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1359.jpg)
I loosen up the distributor adjustment bolt a bit and rotate the distributor body until the number 1 notch on the top lip of the body aligns with the center of the rotor. The glare from the flash washed out the image of the notch so I've marked it with an arrow. Even though this engine is not even close to being halfway finished, it is already in time!
Next up, we'll drop in the lifters, take the camshaft for a walk, and button up the case.
Hiya All,
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1361.jpg)
That's a dished VW camshaft and it's going into my engine.
But before we get to that, a couple of words about camshafts and lifters. Always think of camshafts and lifters as a matched set. An exactly matched set. If you are planning on reusing your present cam and lifters (and that's a perfectly valid option as long as they have some "life" left) make absolutely sure that you keep the lifters in order so that they can be replaced in the same hole from which they came. That's because the cam and lifters establish a unique wear pattern on their respective faces. Change that wear pattern by getting the lifters out of order and the cam and lifters will wear out quickly. Not a good thing.
Since lifter faces are slightly convex you can test them to see if they are still good. Just push two lifter faces together. Being convex they should rock or wiggle a bit. If they don't, they have flattened out and need to be reground. Don't forget to grind the cam also!
A closer look at the oil pump end of my camshaft
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1363.jpg)
reveals a dot imprinted in the gear ring. Make a note of that for it will be important later when we install the cam.
And if you look at the opposite side of the gear ring you will find a number.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1364-1.jpg)
Mine is a zero. This is the camshaft index. Camshaft index numbers can range from +7 all the way down to -7. Usually however, the numbers run from +2 to -2. So, what's the deal with the numbers? The gear rings sporting these numbers are actually somewhat larger (+ numbers) or smaller (- numbers) than standard (zero). No change in the gearing ratios or teeth, it's just that the outside diameter is larger or smaller. That's because when VW made the cases the journals for the crank and cam did not always come out exactly the same distance away from each other. There was some small (very small) variation in each case. But the crank and cam needed to be set to a finer tolerance. So the engineers at Wolfsburg came up with this way of matching the camshaft to the case. My advice is simply that if you take -1 camshaft out of a case, replace it with a -1 camshaft. In reality, that is not quite as easy as it sounds, although, if you are willing to look long enough you can probably find an exact replacement. It has been my experience that one can replace a specific cam with another that is close and have no ill effects whatsoever. We'll show you how to judge if a particular camshaft is suitable for your engine. And one last thing, if you case has been align-bored, all of the material in this paragraph can pretty much be thrown out the window.
Let's start with the lifters. Goop 'em up with your assembly lube....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1365.jpg)
And shoot a bunch of that assembly lube into each lifter hole. Spread it around with your little finger and set your lifters (remember the order if they are NOT new or reground) in the hole. They should set themselves into their holes under their own weight. They just sorta slide down and in. Then I coat the faces of the lifters with white grease.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1368.jpg)
Notice in the picture above I have also set the cam bearings in place. The wide cam bearing with the shoulders goes to the rear, and the skinny cam bearing goes to the front. The middle sized cam bearing goes in the......................middle. Make sure you place a generous amount of assembly lube on the cam bearing faces.
And with that, it's time to set the camshaft in place. Remember that dot on the gear ring? It's about to play its role in the assembly. First however, take a hard look at the crankshaft cam drive gear (you may have to do a little crank rotation here). You should see a couple of dots on that gear ring. They will be spaced on adjoining teeth. The idea is that the single dot on the camshaft goes btween the double dots on the crankshaft, like so....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1369.jpg)
Then, simply roll the camshaft down and into place in its bearings. Remember I said that you could test the camshaft for compatibility with the case and crank? It's easy. With both the crank and the cam in place, grap the number 1 rod and the number 2 rod. Now rotate the crank counterclockwise. If the cam is a good fit it will sit there in its bearings and rotate happily. If it is not a good fit it will tend to lift itsel out of its bearings. If that's the case you need to look into getting a new camshaft (and lifters!) The camshaft is now (hopefully) oriented and installed.
We need to close up the case, but there are a few jobs to be done first.
The camshaft plug needs to be installed.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1376.jpg)
It goes into the circular groove in the case just ahead of the front cam bearing. Coat the edge of the cam plug with Permatex and push it into place. Generally, when tearing into an engine you will find this cam plug installed with the solid end facing forward. On the advice of a person who has done quite a few AutoStick engines, I install mine with the open end facing front. This eliminates any possible wear problems from the proximity of the flexplate.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1377.jpg)
Oh, and notice that I also greased my camshaft lobes?
Place the rubber gaskets around the main case studs and push them down and into place.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1375.jpg)
And we need to get the other case ready to mate up. Make sure that crankshaft bearing dowel is in place and then insert the half main bearing into place over it. Don't forget the other halves for your cam bearings either.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1372.jpg)
Place the lifters in their holes and grease 'em up. On the outside of the case we'll need to secure the lifters in position when we raise the case half up to mate with the other side. This can be easily done by cutting a wire coat hanger in half. Insert the ends into lifter from the outside and that pressure will keep them in place when you upend the case.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1374.jpg)
Now coat the seam of this half of the case all the way around with light but even coat of Permatex.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1378.jpg)
I also coat the journal end/seams. This side of the case is ready to mate up. But there is one thing left to do on the case half holding the crank and cam. I like to seal the bottom of this side with Permatex also...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1379.jpg)
I go from just under the oil pump in the rear to just above the cam plug in the front.
Now it's just a simple matter of lining up the studs and holes and easing the one case half down onto the other. The very first thing I do when the case halves are together (before any bolts or fasteners) is to plug up the holes..........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1381.jpg)
Trust me, you'll be glad you took the time to do this!
Now you want to go around the outside of the case and tighten down the 8mm case nuts to 14 ft/lbs.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1397.jpg)
Note that the numbers above are NOT a tightening sequence. Just an aid to location. All yellow numbers are 8 mm nuts. Number 12 is also an 8 mm nut but is on the opposite side of the case. A,B, and C are case bolts. I usually start with number 3 and then work back and forth on opposite sides of the case.
And about those case bolts, A, B, and C. Here they are
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1382.jpg)
Notice that the bolt in the center is just a bit longer than the other two. That bolt in the center goes in the A position.
Before I do any tightening I take a small brush and dab Permatex around the opening for the stud in the case.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1395.jpg)
This allows me to seal up a possible leak spot without getting sealant all over the threads which would affect my torque readings. Makes for a neater looking installation too.
After the outside case nuts and bolts are all torqued to 14 ft/lbs I do the main stud nuts. Pretty much the same procedure here with regards to the sealant. The special washer goes down and then the self sealing nut atop that. Torque to 18 ft/lbs starting in the middle and then criss-cross the outside nuts.
Oil/ATF pump next.
Mike,
A small diversion (still O.T!), I can see (ass*u*me :P) by your crank thrust bearing, you have a .25mm undersize crank and .5mm oversize case, correct? Any thrust cut on the case? Rod journals undersize too?
I can also see why fitting a 4 rivet cam is somewhat foolproof compared to a bolt together flat cam/gear! Those Scat jobbies appeal even more....
Back to normal programming....
Regards
Sean
P.S. No discovering a 48 hour day does exist? ;D
Hiya Sean,
Quote from: volkenstein on 09 April 2009, 11:48 .......I can see by your crank thrust bearing, you have a .25mm undersize crank and .5mm oversize case, correct?
You are correct, sir.
Quote....Any thrust cut on the case?
No, the machine shop determined everything was good-to-go in that respect.
Quote....Rod journals undersize too?
Yes. The machine shop ground the crank to a 20/20 (20 off the mains and 20 off the rods)
Quote....P.S. No discovering a 48 hour day does exist?
I'm working on it. Believe me, I'm working on it!
Hiya All,
We're going to talk a bit about this guy...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1318.jpg)
The AutoStick oil/ATF pump.
But before we get into that, I need to slightly revise something in my last post. Instead of tightening ALL the case bolts and nuts to spec, please leave nut number 8 and case bolt C loose. These are the fasteners closest to the oil/ATF pump position. To install the oil pump housing section into the case these fasteners should be loose.
Now, on with the oil/ATF pump. When an AutoStick owner rebuilds his or her engine it's almost a given that they will be reusing their oil/ATF pump. This is mainly because rebuilt or new replacements are close to impossible to find. Basically, that means cleaning and refurbishing your present oil/ATF pump. So, let's take a look at the oil/ATF pump. The inner housing (the housing inserted into the case) contains the engine oil pump...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1319.jpg)
The outside housing contains the ATF pump.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1321.jpg)
Of course, both of these sections of the unit should be thoroughly cleaned. The gears should be checked for wear and don't forget to take a close look at the tang on the main drive gear. That's the tang that protrudes from the oil housing and engages the camshaft. Interestingly, it's this part........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1325.jpg)
the divider plate, that is most likely to need attention. This seal...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1325-1.jpg)
separates the engine oil from the ATF. Actually, there are two identical seals at this location. They are simply stacked one on top of the other. To examine the inside diameter (the wear surface) you'll need to remove the gear shaft. That can be accomplished by tapping out the woodruff key that holds it in place.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1326.jpg)
These seals are readily available and not too expensive. Replacing them at the time of an engine rebuild would be a good idea.
And you'll want to take a look at the ATF pressure regulator assembly.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1323.jpg)
You'll find that under a 6mm allen head bolt on the outside of the ATF housing. All of the internals (a spring and piston) should be clean and shiny.
The oil/ATF pump goes back together just like it comes apart. It's really not all that complicated once you get into it. However, I do not reassemble the oil/ATF pump before I install it. Rather, I assemble the unit as I install it. Let's take a look.
I first prep the oil pump housing for insertion into the case. I place the oil pump to case gasket on the pump housing.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1383.jpg)
Note that I had to cut the gasket to allow the body pins to fit. This is because these gaskets are actually for a standard VW oil pump and they need a little customizing for use with an AutoStick pump. By the way, I used a hole puncher to modify these gaskets. Once I have the gasket cut and in place, I lay in a bead of Curil........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1384.jpg)
Curil makes a great non hardening positive seal against engine oil. I then insert the oil pump housing into the case. It should slide right in (or can easily be tapped in) if the fasteners are left loose near the oil pump opening. Once I have seated it all the way in and squished that Curil into a good seal, I fill up the the inside of the housing with petroleum jelly...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1385.jpg)
This will help the oil pump prime immediately upon initial turnover of the engine. The petroleum jelly will melt into the oil almost immediately and get drained out after our first run in. I shove in the gears (making sure I have engaged the main drive gear into the camshaft slot) and wipe away any excess petroleum jelly.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1386.jpg)
I use the hole punch on the gaskets which go on either side of the dividing plate. Then I coat them with Curil
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1387.jpg)
and rub it into the gasket on each side. The gasket goes into place and the divider plate is slid over the oil pump housing.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1388.jpg)
Gears for the ATF side are mounted up.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1389.jpg)
and a little bit (perhaps a teaspoon) of petroleum jelly is spread around in the housing recesses...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1390.jpg)
The ATF housing is then mounted over the divider plate. I place Curil on the ATF body around the mounting studs.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1393.jpg)
I then use self sealing 8mm nuts.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1392.jpg)
to tighten the oil/ATF pump to the case. 14 ft/lbs if you please.
Hiya All,
With the oil/ATF pump installed, it's time to take care of a couple of small jobs before we mount the pistons and cylinders.
The main case bolts need to be installed and torqued down.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1398.jpg)
I use self sealing nuts for this application. On top of that I dab Permatex around the case and stud under the washer before I install the nuts, By the way, make sure that you do have the washers for this application. I have seen them left out on some engines and they all leaked oil at that point. Torque these nuts down to 18 ft/lbs.
A word about torqueing........... steps and pattern are very important when securing parts to one another. I never torque a part down at its rated final torque. I always do so in steps. For instance, the torque rating on the main case nuts (above) is 18 ft/lbs. When I install these nuts I'll snug them up with a regular old end wrench. I'll torque them to 12 ft/lbs. Then I'll go back over and torque them to 18 ft/lbs. Whenever I torque (preliminary or final torque) I move the torque wrench very slowly. No jerky movements. Slow and smooth is the way to do it.
And all manufacturers will specify a pattern for torqueing when it is important. The main case nuts above can be torqued down in this pattern........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1396-1.jpg)
Interestingly VW does not specify an actual torqueing pattern for these main case nuts. Most manuals will tell you to start at the center and work your way outward while torqueing these nuts. The pattern above (this is what I use) follows that idea. But do be aware, when you see a torque pattern diagram in a manual, it is important that you follow the diagram. This will help prevent possible warping of the parts.
And it's also time to button up the bottom of the crankcase. That means the installation of the oil strainer and sump plate. Before you go about this job take a quick look at the hole in the bottom of the case........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1399.jpg)
You want to make sure that the oil pick-up tube is centered in the hole. If you are using an aftermarket case this can be something of a headache. I have found these pick-up tubes off center and worse, not "square" with the oil strainer. In other words, instead of pointing straight down the oil pick-up tube is slanted to one side. This is really an issue that needs to be addressed before the case is sealed up. The last time I used an aftermarket case I wound up replacing the oil pick-up with one from an OEM VW case.
With the oil strainer gaskets I do the same Curil thing I did with the gaskets on the oil/ATF pump. I coat them on both sides with Curil.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1400.jpg)
One gasket goes down on the case. The oil strainer should slip easily into place. Then another gasket atop the oil strainer. Finally the oil sump plate covers the assembly. Many folks have problems with the studs here. That's a result of over tightening the acorn nuts which hold the sump cover in place. Making sure I use the copper washers I place the nuts on the studs finger tight. I criss-cross when I am finger tightening the nuts. When they are all tight I pull out my finger wratchet and tighten each acorn nut 1/4 a complete turn. The center drain plug is supposed to be torqued down to about 25 ft/lbs. But remember that the underlying idea here is to crush the copper washer (and in doing so make a seal) under the drain plug. I usually keep a close eye on how that copper washer is compressing. If it is flattening out before 25 ft/lbs I stop there knowing that I have a good seal.
Hiya All,
A little "behind the scenes" entry tonight.
I usually have anywhere from 2 to 4 hours each day to work on this engine build. My wife insists that I have other pressing responsibilities around the house I must fulfill. You all know the drill. Well, I wish I could say my time on the engine is all spent productively but a certain portion of almost every day goes into looking for tools, running for parts, cleaning parts, and taking pictures. So, progress can be slow at times. Even so, I am actually quite a ways ahead of my posts right now. Turns out that it takes just a little bit more time than I had anticipated to compose these posts. But hang in there - I will. And like any worthwhile project, this one will get finished.
I thought I would let you see where the engine actually is as of this date.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1480.jpg)
Right now I'm anticipating about four more hours of work until the engine is "installation ready".
We'll resume with the regularly scheduled posts tomorrow. We'll be mounting the pistons and cylinders.
Looks great Mike.
I am curious though about your fuel pump. Isn't that the type of pump for use with an alternator?
Hiya Dave,
No, it's not.
The altenator specific fuel pump will be angled to the left in order to avoid the larger diameter of the altenator. That's how I tell the type of fuel pump at a glance. A generator style fuel pump will sit at a 90 degree angle to the top of the case. An alternator style pump will lean off at an angle to the left.
The fuel pump in the picture is a Brosol replacement pump. Apparently a relatively new design. I had not seen this type of pump until I rebuilt my Bus engine a couple of months ago. I also used this style of pump on that rebuild......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bus/IMG_1051.jpg)
Mike
I have been away from the forum for a while but I must say this tutorial is brilliant!!!
Steve
Hiya Steve,
And a big Thank You for waking me up!
The thread above is obviously not done. I had completely forgotten about the darn thing. When I finished up the engine in this thread I immediately went to work on another engine. This write-up completely slipped my mind. Yeeps! Looks like Bookwus needs to get his arse in gear and get this finished up.
I'll get to work on it right away!
Thanks again Steve. Had you not made that comment who knows how long this could have gone on not finished?
Hiya All,
OK.............back to the thread already!
The pistons and cylinders are next up in the assembly process. But before we go slapping these things on the case there is some prep that needs to be done.
First off, you need to determine which side of the piston faces the front of the engine. Check the face/head of the piston and you'll notice an arrow..............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1401.jpg)
The arrow should be pointing to the front of the case. I have been told that the reason for this is that the bore for the wrist pin is not exactly centered in the piston body. Consequently, each piston has a top and bottom. By arranging the piston so that arrow is pointing forward you have just made sure that the top of the piston is top and the bottom, bottom.
Next, the wrist pin needs to be started into the piston. Be careful when placing the wrist pin into its hole in the piston. It needs to be perfectly square with the hole when doing so. Otherwise it may bind. Its a very close tolerance. When I do this I slightly twist the pin as I engage the piston hole with it. Once the pin feels secure in the hole I tap it in so that a few millimeters of the pin protrudes from the interior piston shoulder..............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1403.jpg)
This allows me to place the piston on the rod and make sure that the wrist pin is in the connecting rod small end hole, By the way, before you actually put the piston and wrist pin into place make sure that you have gooped up the wrist pin and the small end hole of the connecting rod with your assembly lube. Seating the wrist pin into place is as simple as tapping it in with a mallet. I also use a socket as a driver when the pin gets close to the piston body. That way I can drive the wrist pin to its fully seated position INSIDE the piston.
That wrist pin also needs to be secured in place and that is done with piston clips. Take a look........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1404.jpg)
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1402.jpg)
Exercise some care with the piston clips. Basically these guys are small springs. If they go flying off your needlenose pliers they are headed for other universes, believe me. Very hard to locate these things when they have taken to the air. Been there, done that!
And a tip............Install one piston clip before you do any installation work with the wrist pin. When you later go to tap in the wrist pin the installed piston clip will act as a stop.
One last job with the piston before we slide on the cylinder. Make sure that the ring gaps are staggered. Check this out......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1406-1.jpg)
The oil ring will be marked with a spot indicating that it (the spot) should be at the top of the piston. The pistons I used in this build were Mahles and they use a red spot. I have seen them in other colors. The comression rings need to be staggered in opposite directions from the oil ring. I never stagger these rings so that they are below the centerline of the piston. Notice in the picture that they are at about 9 to 10 o'clock and at 2 to 3 o'clock. Once you have the rings in their proper position slather some assembly lube all over them. Then be sure to pull the piston you are working on out to its fullest extension.
Let's turn our attention to the cylinder. Most old VW hands will use a cylinder gasket where the cylinder meets the case. Lately it seems as if many have had just as good results omitting the gasket. I'm of the opinion that the gasket can make up for any differences between the machining of the case and the cylinder, so I use it.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1407.jpg)
I goop a little Permatex on the seal and the cylinder is just about ready to install. Just one last thing......... I wipe assembly lube throughout the barrel of the cylinder.
Now the cylinder is ready to meet its partner, the piston.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1408.jpg)
Both my hands were full getting the cylinder on the piston so I couldn't take pictures. But it's not rocket science at all. The cylinder slides into position ahead of the piston on the cylinder head studs. That you see in the picture above. Then the ring comressor is placed around the piston and rings. Clamped down it compresses the rings so that the cylinder can slide over them. At this point it's a simple matter of tapping the cylinder back toward the case. I do this with an open hand much as you might slap somebody. As the cylinder moves toward the case it pushes the ring compressor off the rings. Once the rings are all cleared the ring compressor can be removed and the cylinder driven home with a mallet.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1409.jpg)
All the rest of the piston/cylinder assemblies go in the same way.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1412.jpg)
Finishing off this job is an important step and NOW is the time to do it. The air deflectors under the cylinders on each side need to be installed.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1410.jpg)
There's not much to these deflectors. Basically, they are just a slightly angled piece of sheet metal. But they are absolutely critical in the proper cooling of your engine. They gotta be there! Installation is easy they simply clip around the cylinder head studs between the two cylinders...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1411.jpg)
Some folks have used a replacement for these OEM tins. They are usually referred to as "Cool Tins". They are in fact the under cylinder tins for Type 3. Some say they work, others say they do not. Do consider though that a Type 3 engine has an entirely different cooling "architecture". The cooling is directed at surfaces from differing directions than that of a Type 1.
Next time: Heads and pushrods/pushrod tubes.
Mike,
QuoteThe arrow should be pointing to the front of the case
. We are talking "VW Standard"?, ie Front = front of car? Which means the flywheel end of the donk?
Just for us L6/V8 recidivists ;D .
And...10mm case studs? Case savers or O.G.? Just out of interest...
Regards
Sean
Hiya Sean,
Front as in front of the car. The arrow should be pointing toward the flex plate.
The studs on this engine are 10mm OEM.
Time to get the heads on this engine!
Before we get to the heads we need to do a little prep work on the pushrod tubes. Pushrod tubes are, generally speaking, one of those parts that most folks reuse when they rebuild. That's certainly the situation in my case. So. I need to make sure that these reused tubes will not leak. And there's a couple of items to check with the tubes. [/img]
I don't want the seam of the tube on the bottom of the tube whan it's installed. So, I arrange the tubes and make a mark on the tubes opposite the seam. Take a look....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1413.jpg)
When I get into the installation process I'll make sure those marks are facing downward; more on that later.
Leaky pushrod tubes are a pretty common complaint. Most folks think that they may have problems with the pushrod tubes seals, and they might. But they also may have problems with the pushrod tubes suffering from compression. That is to say, their length is compressed so that they are no longer long enough to span the distance between the case and the head in a satisfactory manner. So, I make sure that the tubes are little too long before I start. Each tube is suppose to be 7 9/16 inches long from the end of the accordian pleats on one end to the end of the accordian pleats on the other end.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1415.jpg)
It's been my experience that most pushrod tubes are not quite this long. So, with a pair of channel locks, I stretch them out a bit.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1416.jpg)
I usually try to get them about 7 3/4 inches knowing that when I torque the heads in place they will compress the tubes in each position to a nice tight fit. In this case, it's much better to be too long rather than too short!
Last thing to do with the tubes is to put the pushrod tube seals in place. These doughnut like seals are placed on each end of the pushrod tube so that the beveled side of the seal is facing outward.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1417.jpg)
This allows the seals to fit into the concave depression around the pushrod tube holes in the case and head. Some folks use a sealant on their pushrod tube seals. I do not. By stretching the tubes and then torqueing down the heads I get a nice tight compression fit. I have not had problems with leaky pushrod tubes.
The heads should be spotlessly clean like this one...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1414.jpg)
Additionally, when doing a rebuild I'd recommend that you take the heads in and have good machine shop check 'em out. Remembering that your pistons and cylinders are brand new, your cylinder heads are the outside "wall" of the combustion chamber. As such it is imperative that they be in excellent shape. VW heads often crack between the spark plug hole and the valves. And that's bad news. This phenoma is actually a bit more prevalent in dual port heads than in single ports, but either way it's the knell of death. These cracks usually run pretty deep and welding, sometimes suggested as a fix, may or may not be effective. Then too, valves that have seen action need to be evaluated. You want your valves on good shape and able to make a good seal - a good reason for a valve job. While most folks think of a nice tight seal when the valves close (and that is important) one should also realize that a proper seat insures that the valve has a chance to bleed off accumulated heat. All in all, heads are both complex and important. I wouldn't think of doing a rebuild without having my machine shop go through them from top to bottom.
So, the heads have been checked out and they're ready to install.
Slip the heads onto the cylinder head studs that run through the cylinders. Put them on just enough so that the studs hold them; you do not want them touching the cylinders right now.
Now, with your pushrods in your right hand and your pushrod tubes in your left hand, begin to insert the pushrods into their holes in the head. As you do so bring the pushrod tube up into its approximate finished place. Then insert the pushrod into the pushrod tube (by the way, the pushrod tube does not have specific ends so it may be inserted either way. And remember those marks we put on the pushrod tubes? Don't worry about those right now) while you "aim" the case end of the pushrod tube at the proper hole in the case. The pushrod, being longer than the pushrod tube, will hold now the tube in place until you get the head torqued down.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1421.jpg)
Once you have all four pushrod tubes more or less in place, move the head closer to the cylinders so that the threads of the cylinder head studs are visible in their appropriate holes in the head. You may have to do some wiggling and tweaking of the pushrod tubes during this procedure.
At this point we are just about ready to finger tighten the nuts to the cylinder head studs. But before we do that be sure to put a bead of sealant (I use Curil here) around each stud hole in the head........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1418.jpg)
Be sure you have those extra thick washers in place around the cylinder head studs. Then finger tighten the nuts down. Once you have the nuts all finger tightened, turn your attention to those pushrod tubes again. Now is the time to make sure that the tubes are well seated in their respective positions and that those black marks are face down.
We are ready to torque!
First thing to know before getting out the torque wrench is that there are two torqueing patterns you need to use on the heads. The first one.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1414-1.jpg)
....serves to compress those pushrod tubes into place so that they do interfere with the final torque values. Notice how the torque (I use 10ft/lbs for this pattern. Most manuals recommend something a little less but my torque wrench only goes down to 10 ft/lbs. Never had a problem with this approach) is applied to the bottom studs first? That compresses those "too long" pushrod tubes snugly into place.
Now we are ready to move to a final torque on the heads. Take a look at the pattern for the final torque............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1414-2.jpg)
The idea behind this pattern is to apply the torque in such a way as to not risk warping the head. We're going to help reduce that risk even more. The final torque on these nuts is supposed to be 23 ft/lbs (but check the manuals for your specific rebuild - there may be some variations) and we are going to get there in steps.
First of all, before applying that final torque make sure that you have the heads on both sides of the engine ready to go. In other words, you have done the initial torqueing sequence to compress the pushrod tubes on both sides.
OK, now torque all the bolts (in their proper sequence) on one side to 15 ft/lbs. Then move to the other side of the engine and do the same for the that head. Now, go back to the original side and torque to 20 ft/lbs. Again, go to the other side and torque those nuts to 20 ft/lbs. Come back to the first side and torque to 23 ft/lbs. Then go to the other side and torque up to 23 ft/lbs.
Then walk away.
Come back in an hour or so and torque the first side to 23 ft/lbs. Then do the second side to 23 ft/lbs. I come in the next day
and do this step one more time. Kinda anal, but it does make me feel a bit more secure.
By the way, did you notice that I already had my spark plugs in the heads before I installed the heads? I like doing that. It saves me from doing the contortionist act later on and I can be sure that I easily get the proper torque on the spark plugs.
I am not up to speed on rebuilding a VW aircooled engine, but I enjoy following this thread as it explains how my car engine works. I am curious, did I miss a step along the way somewhere? Shouldn't there be some sort of gasket between the head and the cylinders? Usually on water-cooled engines this would be the "head gasket" that keeps getting blown? It would be great if we could get a shot or two of the valve side of the head before it is attached to the cylinders.
Keep this going. I am learning quite a bit.
Thanks
Bookwus,
I agree with with Carl. This is a great learning tool. I too have a request.
Could you talk about how you prep the valves? Do you recommend a three angle job?
I'm also interested in measuring the volume of the heads. I think it's referred to as cc'ing? Is it a critical step? Or just an FYI issue?
Dave
Hiya Carl,
If you go back up a couple of posts and take a look at the portion where the installation of the cylinders takes place you'll notice that there is a paper gasket that I installed around the cylinders' base. Also note that I mentioned the gasket was deemed uneccessary by some these days. Indeed, many folks just glop some Permatex (or whatever sealant they might choose) around the cylinder base and shove it on. It should be noted that whatever way one chooses to go, the cylinder should be sealed to the case.
Now, I'm guessing that this really isn't what you had in mind when you posted that question. So, the answer to your question is basically, no. There is no sealing device between the cylinder and the head. It's a machined contact surface. The heads are then torqued in place to insure that "machined" seal. However Carl, this does raise an interesting issue. After the engine has been run in a bit (everything has "settled" into its natural working configuration), these heads should be retorqued. That means pulling the engine at around 3,000 miles ands doing the retorqueing - most folks overlook that.
Finally, do know that there are shims for use on cylinders. These shims come in varying widths. They are used to adjust the volume of the combustion chamber. One will frequently see these shims on a performance type engine. They are sometimes used on stock type engines which have cases or heads that have been flycut. Basically though, if you are using all stock parts and your aim is to build a stock engine these shims are not needed.
Hiya Dave,
Definitely go with the 3 angle valve job. Good point!
The only reason I did not go into any depth with that aspect of the build is that the valve job is the domain of my machine shop. Frankly, all of the work done on a cylinder head is way past my level of knowledge and available tools. So when I take my heads over to them, I trust their expertise.
Measuring out the combustion chamber is actually quite important providing that you are not building a stock engine. Even folks I know who are building a stocker will measure out the combustion chamber - peace of mind. The information gathered from this measurement can then be fed into an engine spec calculator (these are a bunch of these around - here's one that I use - http://www.msgulfcoastvwclub.org/TechPages/Tech10.html) that can provide you with valuable info about the engine you are building. Using this information for example, you can add the shims I mentioned in the post above to reduce the compression ratio. Very neat.
And CCing (measuring the volume of the combustion chamber) is really not difficult at all. A good micrometer, a graduated pipette, alcohol and food coloring can get you there - along with a smidgen of math.
I did not include the CCing in this series because I didn't do it. Frankly, when putting a stock engine together (this assumes all stock parts and that nothing has been machined or altered) measuring the combustion chamber volume is not needed. Once the rebuilder begins to change this or that, then the need for measuring those combustion chambers becomes more and more necessary.
Thanks for the update. I never realized there were no "gaskets" between the head and the cylinders. For us novices, this thread is wonderful. I still wish, even tho you said you trusted the head work to a pro, you could have shown us a couple of shots of the other side of the head with the valves already installed.
Please keep this post going.
With the heads torqued, re-torqued, re-re-torqued, and maybe re-re-re-torqued (told you I was anal about this!) it's time to turn our attention to the rocker arms and setting the valves. But we have a couple of small jobs to do before the rocker arms.
I put the intake manifold gasket into its place at this time. On a single port engine it's as simple as placing the gasket (a metal doghnut type affair) into its recessed position in the head...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1420.jpg)
The intake manifold gasket for a dual port is even simpler. It just fits over the studs which you'll use to bolt down the manifold end castings.
The main pulley should also be on the engine now. But before instyalling the main pulley, the under-pulley tin needs to be in place.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1438.jpg)
This piece is held on by cheeshead tin screws on either side of the crankshaft.
The pulley itself is "keyed" so that it can be installed in only one way. It usually needs to be tapped into place on the end of the crankshaft. The pulley nut (don't forget the washer!) needs to be torqued down to about 35 ft/lbs.
And a hint: It's a good idea to paint a single mark (for cylinders 1 & 3) at your engine's primary timing mark (the exact spot will depend on the engine you are building but a typical dual port would be 7.5 degrees BTDC). And make a double line 180 degrees across the pulley from your first mark. That gives you the secondary timing mark for cylinders 2&4. Take a look...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1443.jpg)
Rocker arm assemblies are usually a pretty dirty affair come rebuild time.......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1439.jpg)
I always clean these rocker arms up. Actually, it's more than just a matter of being clean. It's also prolonging their effective life. Here you see a rocker assembly partly torn down.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1440.jpg)
Pulling this assembly apart is really quite simple. You'll find a squeeze pin at both ends of the rocker shaft. Simply remove that squeeze pin and all the inboard parts will just slide off the end of the rocker shaft. Notice that just inboard of the squeeze pin are three washers. Two standard flat washers sandwich a wavy washer - they need to go back on in that order so don't forget their order. I clean all the parts off the rocker shaft with a brass brush attachment on my drill. They all need to be nice and shiny. Once you have the parts from one end of the shaft clean turn your attention to the other end. Same procedure there and same treatment.
That will leave you with the dirty rocker shaft itself..............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1441.jpg)
See those brownish ares on the shaft? That is accumulated dirt and burned on oil. This accumulation can prevent oil from being disbursed to the shaft as it sits in its supports. Bad news. I clean the rocker arm shaft by sanding it with 220 grit sandpaper. I hold the sandpapaer in one hand and pull the shaft through the sandpaper while I (and this is important) twist the shaft. That will give me an even (as long as I pull evenly) diagonal sanding pattern on the shaft. I repeat that step only this time I twist in the opposite direction. The result is a nicely cross-hatched rocker arm shaft.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1442.jpg)
Of course, at this point the newly sanded shaft needs to be scrupulously cleaned. I wipe it down with brake parts cleaner several times at least until the rag comes out spotless. This cross-hatching will now actually conduct the oil between the shaft and its supports. And that's a very good thing! Remember too to cross hatch the insides of the rocker arm shaft supports.
It's time now to mention an old rebuilding trick I always employ. When I first remove the dirty old rocker arm assembly I make a mark on the outside left end of the shaft. When I reassemble I make sure that the mark is on the inside right end. In this manner I have turned the shaft so that the rockers will be mating up with unworn surface on the shaft. With the rocker arm assembly all cleaned up and reoriented it's time to lube (use assembly lube) all the parts and reassemble.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1453.jpg)
Big difference between this and what we started with. Nice and clean and well oiled, this rocker assembly is ready to get bolted into place. Simply slip the rocker arm assembly onto the head studs. Don't worry too much about the position of the rocker arms themselves right now. Just tweak them enough to allow installation. Then torque the rocker arm assembly down to 18 ft/lbs. Alternate your torqueing from one nut to the other and do this torqueing in steps, 12, 15, 18.
But be careful during this step also. It is possible to get the rocker arm assembly hung up on a case stud.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1451.jpg)
This happens when the case stud has not been fully seated in the case. It may interfere with some of the rocker shaft hardware. It's just one of those things to keep an eye out for. Fixing this situation can be as simple as turning the case stud in a bit more (but never force it - the case will likely crack).
Let's set the valves............ grab the main pulley and turn it counterclockwise until you see that single painted mark at TDC (the case seam). You now have either number one or number three piston at its firing position. But which one? You can easily check the distributor to see which position the rotor is pointing to. And/or you can pull the spark plug from the number one hole and gently push a pencil down and into the hole. If it immediately hits the piston top, you have number one up and in firing position. If you don't feel the piston top you'll need to rotate the engine (remember, counterclockwise) 360 degrees so that the single painted mark is again at TDC and piston number one is up and in firing position.
Now, with a 13mm box end wrench loosen the valve screw adjusting lock nut. You don't have to go far with this nut - you just want to break the contact between it and the valve screw. Now turn the valve screw (you may have to retain your 13mm boxend on the locknut during this part of the process) so it is just barely touching the top of the valve stem. Grab your .006 feeler gauge in your right hand, keeping the screwdriver in your left hand. Loosen the screw just a smidge. See if the feeler gauge will fit between the valve stem and the adjusting screw. An excellent .006 fit will make the feeler guage feel as if it is being very slightly tugged as you m ove the guage between the two surfaces. Once you have a good feel from the gauge go back to your 13mm boxend and attempt to tighten the locknut. Be advised that the tightening the locknut will want to move the adjusting screw as well. So you have to use your wrist strength to keep the adjusting screw in one place while tighteneing the locknut.
It's as difficult as it sounds. And truthfully, the whole procedure is a bit of an art form. So don't be too disappointed if it proves difficult to keep the valve adjusting screw in its .006 position. This takes a bit of practice.
In any event, that just got you through adjusting one valve. Seven more to go! Adjust and tighten the other valve on the number one cylinder. Then turn the main pulley (which way?) 180 degrees so that you bring up the double painted mark. Now you are ready to do cylinder number two. When you finish with number two rotate the main pulley up to the single mark and do the valves for number three. After number three rotate counterclockwise (you didn't forget, did you?) to the double mark again so that it's number four's turn at valve adjustment.
For what it might be worth, after finishing the valve set procedure above, I go through them all over again - just repeating the process.
At this point in our continuing saga this engine would basically be called a "long block" A true longblock would also have valve covers and a flywheel (or in our case a flexplate) but it would not be sporting a distributor. During this session we will add on those valve covers, the oil cooler, the fuel pump, the drain plate, and the oil pressure switch.
Let's get started with the valve covers. The valve covers and the pushrod tubes are the two most common sources of annoying leaks. We've already lengthened and then compressed the pushrod to minimize their chances of leaking so it is important that we take a good look at the valve covers.
First off, know that most folks will reuse their old valve covers. And that is fine as long as they are in pretty good shape. They should be clean (spotlessly so on the inside) and undented. You might want to set them down on a known flat surface to make sure they are not warped. Most important they should have a clean and smooth mating surface where they contact the valve cover gasket. Get yourself good valve cover gaskets. The rubber/cork gaskets do very well for me. Some like to use an affixative between the valve cover gasket and the valve cover itself. Curil might be used in that sort of application. I have never found it neccessary to use and affixative/sealant at this point of assembly. That's because I make sure that the bails that hold the valve covers in place against the head are VERY tight. One needs to use some muscle to force that bail into place with a long-handled screwdriver. If that means buying new bails, so be it. If the valve covers are in relatively good shape and the head mating surface is also in good shape, any subsequent leaks are almost sure to be due to a weak bail.
And a word or two about those super-groovy aluminum finned valve covers. Don't bother with them. They are notorious leakers. The boys at Wolfsburg got it right the first time. Go with the stock set-up at this point.
The stock VW mechanical fuel pump is a pretty reliable design. However, there are a number of things that can go wrong. We'll try to cover those problems as we add the fuel pump to the longblock.
The first thing to do is lay the bottom gasket on the case...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1423.jpg)
Note that I have covered both sides of this bottom gasket with Curil. Also note that this bottom gasket is mostly open in the center. You will also need a top gasket. The top gasket is the same shape as the bottom but it has only a small hole for the fuel pump pushrod. Once that bottom gasket is in place it's time to drop the fuel pump stand into the case. Take a look..........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1422.jpg)
........this fuel pump stand is made of a plastic compound. It tends to have one big drawback. Its rate of thermal expansion is somewhat different that that of the engine case. Consequently, it is not at all unusual to find that the fuel pump stand becomes permanently affixed to the case. That's due to the case expanding under heat and trapping the neck (blue arrow) in position. To stop that from happening it's a good idea to sand down the neck of the fuel pump stand so it meets with no resistance at all when you drop it in the case. If you can drop the fuel pump stand all the way into the case, you are in good shape. Other wise do the sanding to narrow the neck a bit.
On top of then fuel pump stand goes the top gasket with that little hole for the fuel pump pushrod. Lube up the fuel pump pushrod with assembly lube and drop it through that little hole (and in turn,) the fuel pump stand. Let's turn our attention to the bottom of the fuel pump.....
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1424.jpg)
Nice and shiny and ready to go.........NOT! The fuel pump will benefit a great deal from doing a lube job on it right now. That tongue looking piece of metal is the pump lever. It's actuated by the fuel pump pushrod and it will never get any lubrication except what you give it right now. So, cram a general purpose grease into the bottom of that fuel pump. When you are ready to install the bottom of the pump should look like this........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1425.jpg)
Turn the pump over and line it up with the case studs on either side of the fuel pump stand. You'll need to exert a bit of pressure downward on the fuel pump as you tighten up the nuts (don't forget the wavy washers) to 18 ft/lbs.
It should wind up looking like this.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1426.jpg)
There has been much written about generator only fuel pumps and alternator only fuel pumps. A generator style fuel pump is more upright that its alternator cousin. That because the generator takes up less space than does an alternator. An alternator's diameter is so large that its fuel pump must be bent or angled toward the distributor in order to fit. And this is MOST IMPORTANT...........each style fuel pump has its own unique length fuel pump pushrod. They must not be mixed up!
The fuel pump above, a relatively new design, is being sold by my friendly local auto parts store (FLAPS) as a generator style replacement. However, I'd bet that it might well fit in an alternator application also.
The oil pressure switch appear to be a pretty straightforward installation. And it is.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1445.jpg)
But there is a caution involved here also. The threads on an oil pressure switch are tapered. If you tighten the oil pressure switch too much you stand a good chance of actually cracking the engine case at that point. A good rule of thumb is to hand tighten the oil pressure switch as far you can. Then wrench it another quarter turn. That ought to do it. Because of the taper a sealant is not needed but Curil could be used in this application if so desired.
The whole subject of oil cooler installation can get very involved. Some folks like to change out their original oil coolers in favor of a doghouse style oil cooler (that is the way I went in this build), others use their originals and complicating all this is the fact that VW changed the size of the oil passages. All this results in a number of different kind of oil cooler seals. They can convert 8 mm to 10 mm, 10 mm to 8 mm. Or they can be straight through 8mm or 10mm. To make short telling of a long story its important that you know the oil passage size in your case, your adaptor (if you have one), and your oil cooler. If you play it smart and you're lucky all the passages will be the same size. In my case of converting a single port cooling system to a doghouse cooling system I got lucky in that my case has 10mm oil passages. So also does my adaptor and oil cooler.
I decided to convert to a doghouse oil cooler because this situates the oil cooler out of the direct airstream generated by the cooling fan inside the fanshroud. This is important because the single port oil cooler which is situated inside the fanshroud blocks a good deal of cooling air to the number 3 cylinder. This, to quite an extent, is a reason that number 3 experiences more failures than the other cylinders. VW tried a number of approaches to dealing with this problem until 1971 when they implemented the doghouse.
Let's take a look at the oil cooler before we get into mounting it to the case......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1432.jpg)
In this picture the oil cooler has been mounted to its adaptor plate. The adaptor plate is that portion of the assembly at the bottom of the page - more about it later. The black piece of OEM VW tinware is the "Hoover Bit", named after Bob Hoover who called everybody's attention to its importance in the cooling of a VW engine. It prevents cooling air from escaping the doghouse and forces air though the oil cooler. Both very good things. Make sure that you have a Hoover Bit in place when you assemble if you are using a doghouse set-up.
Notice also that the oil cooler has been wrapped with a thin (about 4 or 5 mm) covering of foam. This also keeps air from bleeding past the oil cooler. And the oil cooler has been scrupulously cleaned inside and out. Little bad things sometimes found in the oiling system like to go to the oil cooler and hide. If you are reusing your old oil cooler (and most folks do) the rule of thumb is that it cannot be too clean. So that means clean, clean, clean and clean it again. It took me 24 separate washings with brake cleaner to get the inside of my oil cooler to drain perfectly clear.
Here's my oil cooler adaptor plate.
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1431.jpg)
This is an original VW part designed to offset the oil cooler toward the front of the car. You're looking at the surface that mates up to the oil cooler. See the red seals? They're the 10mm seals I was speaking of before. Notice also the copper crush washers? They are there to insure an even fit between the oil cooler and the adaptor...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1452.jpg)
This picture shows the oil cooler in place, mounted to the adaptor and the adaptor attached to the block. The red arrow designates one of those red oil cooler seals while the yellow arrow is showing how the copper crush washer makes for an even fit between oil cooler and adaptor. But in actuality, before the the adaptor and oil cooler are bolted down to the case, another two oil cooler seals need to be placed on the case like so......
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1433.jpg)
With those two seals in place on the case the oil cooler/adaptor assembly is lowered down and wrenched into place. Be easy with this. The seals need to be in place tightly but not so tightly that they distort. Very delicate doings here. Torque everything to around 5 or 6 ft/lbs and you'll be fine.
The oil drain plate is pretty straightforward but, like the oil pressure switch, opportunities for foul-up do occur here. Here's how I go about the "straightforward" part of the business................
One drain plate gasket coated with Curil goes on the case slipping that gasket around the six studs. The wire mesh strainer plate goes dome-in into the hole again tweaking it a bit so that it fits the six studs. It's also important to make sure that the hole at the top of the wire mesh dome fits nicely around the oil pickup tube inside the case. Another gasket smeared with Curil goes on over the base of the wire mesh strainer plate. Then comes the drain plate itself. It is held in place with six acorn type nuts. They should be tightened to about 5 ft/lbs (figure finger tight plus a quarter turn with a 10 mm wrench) and the main drain plug should go in at 25 ft/lbs. Take a look.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1435.jpg)
And a couple of words about this drain plate assembly. Leaks at this point are often the result of over tightening the acorn nuts. Matter of fact, some folks like to wrench so hard on these little guys that they strip the studs right out of the case. Not a good thing so be careful here. And take a good look at the wire mesh on your strainer plate. It should be a fine mesh. There are aftermarket strainer plates out there with a wire mesh so coarse that small boulders could pass through.
Next time we'll look at generator stands, thermostats, and oil relief valves.
Superb write up, wish i'd had that when i was putting mine together (and someone about to tell me why i couldn't get the right end float - the crankshaft was too long).
Hiya Chris,
Quote from: FlamingChris on 12 March 2010, 13:33 .......someone about to tell me why i couldn't get the right end float - the crankshaft was too long.
Ouch! Wrong crankshaft, I presume? A friend of mine was putting together his engine at about the same time I was building the engine in this thread. He opted for an aftermarket counter weighted crankshaft from CB Performance, a reseller with a good reputation. It turned out that his crankshaft also was a bit too long. He had no problems with his endplay but did have a problem at the other end of the engine. He could not get his main pulley to align properly with the generator pulley.
By the way, how are coming along with your project?
I do believe that I'll leave the thermostat and its hookups until a later installment. Truth be told, some of the engine tin needs to be in place before dealing with the thermostat. But we ought to be installing the thermostat in not too long a time.
So, we do need to need to install the generator stand. A couple of words first.............. There is a physical difference between generator stands and alternator stands. Fortunately for this series the differences are all in the portion of the stand that "marries" to the alternator or the generator. An alternator has a bigger diameter than does a generator and the stands for those parts must reflect that. However, the procedure for mounting the stands to the case are the same.
First thing to do is to lay one of the paper stand gaskets in place, before I do that I place a bead of Curil around each stand stud and then link the four circles of Curil with a line of the same stuff. Then I place the paper gasket home and I make the same Curil design on top of the in-place paper gasket, like so.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1427.jpg)
Now we are ready to put the generator stand baffle in place. This baffle is supposed to go in place in one way only. Here's a tip for you.......... the four stand studs are not in an EXACT square. Inside to outside the distance (center to center) is about 59mm. Front to back the distance is just a bit shorter at 58mm. The baffle goes over the studs easily when it is correctly oriented. When it is not correctly oriented it can be forced into position. This is also true for the paper gaskets involved in this installation. So, take care and go nice and easy here.
And about those vents. The idea is that they should open downwards and toward the front. You want to have oil drain into the crankcase freely and not get get hung up by the baffle. Then too you also want the crankcase gases to be able to escape freely up through the baffle. So the baffle fits down on stand gasket (and the Curil!) as in this picture...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1428.jpg)
Note the Curil being forced up around the studs. Another note on correctly placing the stand baffle. You will find that if you attempt to orient the baffle 90 or 180 degrees out of the position above it won't want to sit inside the hole provided for it in the casehalf. However it will sit there nicely in most any orientation if you turn it upside down (not a good idea for reasons stated above).
Anyway, once you have the stand baffle in place, do the Curil thing again on the metal baffle. Then place another paper gasket down and again Curil the topside of that...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1429.jpg)
That brings us to the generator stand itself.
But before we do the stand, a reminder on the order of sealing materials from bottom to to top.
1. case
2. Curil
3. paper gasket
4. Curil
5. baffle
6. Curil
7. paper gasket
8. Curil
9. stand
You'll find that like the baffle and paper gaskets the stand only wants to go on one way. I suppose you might be able to mount it reversed 180 degrees but that would put the generator right where the carburetor is supposed to be. Not a good thing!
Once you get the stand in place wrench the four securing nuts (and their wavy washers) down to about 12 to 15 ft/lbs.
By the way, I usually do not put the oil filler/road draft tube assembly in place at this time. I'll wait until the rear tin pieces have been loosely put in place and then fit the oil filler/road draft tube assembly. The darn thing just seems to get in the way for me. However, you could put it on now if you wished to do so.
You'll likely be dealing with a dual relief case when you rebuild. So what does that mean? Take a look...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1435-1.jpg)
The actual oil pressure relief valve lives in the case hole designated by the yellow arrow. It's there because the oil pump doesn't have the smarts to know when the oil is thick or thin. Pumping cold and thick oil under pressure can cause damage to fragile devices like oil coolers. So the pressure relief valve shuts off oil from going through the oil cooler when the oil is still thick and cold. As the oil warms up, the pressure relief valve opens up and allows the oil to flow through the cooler.
The valve sitting in the green arrowed casehole is not really a pressure relief valve in the sense that the other one is. It's actually more of a pressure regulating valve. And while we are here..........a single relief case will not have the casehole at the green arrow (it will also have 8mm oil passages in the case whereas a dual relief case has 10mm oil passages). Generally, rebuilders would prefer to rebuild a dual relief case whenever possible.
The valves themselves are piston and spring affairs.........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1436.jpg)
The longer assembly is the pressure relief valve (gets installed at the yellow arrow in the picture above). These valves are installed in their respective caseholes after receiving a good coating of assembly lube. The piston which goes in the hole first has to be inserted into the hole so that the piston face enters the hole first. You find that the springs will seem just a bit too long for the hole, but that's part of the design. Get yourself the biggest screwdriver you've got and twist those caps into caps into place. Make sure those caps are also wearing their washers.
For what it might be worth......... the pressure relief valve for the ATF (located on the face of the oil/ATF pump) is the same design as these valves although not the same size.
When both valves are in place you should be seeing something like this on the bottom of your case...........
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1437-1.jpg)
Mike,
QuoteGet yourself the biggest screwdriver you've got and twist those caps into caps into place.
Hmmm....getting them off can be an adventure in itself >:( .
I wound up ordering two replacements from Aircooled.net that take an allen key (rather than a screwdriver type
arrangement) because I destroyed mine getting them out......
For anybody reading, if you can find what is known as a 3/4" draglink socket (essentially an ultra wide screwdriver bit) you'll be doing yourself a big favour!
Enough hijacking, I have a serious question.....why put the oil filler baffle plate (steel one) on the way you have? Most of the manuals I've perused (and done myself) have it at 90 degrees to the way yours is oriented. I don't see that it would make any difference either way....just curious...
Oh, BTW, when are we eating off that donk? ;D
Regards
Sean
Quote from: Bookwus on 12 March 2010, 16:22
Hiya Chris,
Quote from: FlamingChris on 12 March 2010, 13:33 .......someone about to tell me why i couldn't get the right end float - the crankshaft was too long.
Ouch! Wrong crankshaft, I presume? A friend of mine was putting together his engine at about the same time I was building the engine in this thread. He opted for an aftermarket counter weighted crankshaft from CB Performance, a reseller with a good reputation. It turned out that his crankshaft also was a bit too long. He had no problems with his endplay but did have a problem at the other end of the engine. He could not get his main pulley to align properly with the generator pulley.
By the way, how are coming along with your project?
Sorry i didn't notice you replied on this, it didn't show up as unread for some reason.
My project's coming along nicely, I finally got all the engine issues sorted by scrapping the new crankshaft and having the old one inspected (to find it wasn't bent from the old engine dropping a valve) and ground. The car's now going off to the garage to have a few bits of paint touched up where my cat's took a disliking to the roof, then it's just onto the wiring. I should really do an update on my thread...
Hiya Sean,
Quote from: volkenstein on 19 March 2010, 12:48 ..........why put the oil filler baffle plate (steel one) on the way you have? Most of the manuals I've perused (and done myself) have it at 90 degrees to the way yours is oriented.
This is an excellent question.
Sean, I too have seen the baffle oriented differently from time to time. Quite honestly I spent a good deal of time taking a hard look at this little gizmo and how it fits on the case. To orient the vents downward and pointing at the case seam would have meant forcing the baffle down somewhat over the studs. On the other hand, the baffle simply slips into place in the orientation I show above. That tells me that the baffle is made to go on with the vents aimed at the flexplate. But there's more...........I could not get the baffle to seat into the case hole when the vents were pointing toward the case seam. And there's still more..........upon doing a bit of research I found that Tom Wilson in his book
How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine (ISBN 0-89586-225-5) makes a point of orienting the baffle with the vents pointing toward the flywheel (flexplate).
Now all that leaves me with a couple of questions. How the heck did you get that baffle to seat itself in that hole? And the other question is simply, I wonder if it matters all that much? The vents are pointing downward to allow the draining of the oil. The crankcase gasses can still make their way up through the baffle. Does it matter?
Hiya Chris,
Quote from: FlamingChris on 19 March 2010, 13:32
I should really do an update on my thread...
Yeah, you should! We'd all like to see how you're coming along with that project!
Great thread Mike.
One quick question to clarify, the seams on the push rod tubes, I'm a little confused. Up or down? I might have misunderstood your instruction, but I thought you mark the seams to orient them upward, but in the final assembly pictures, the marks are down, therefore the seams are down.
Myself, I would want the seams up, so if there was any kind of hairline crack along the seam, the sitting oil would not seep out.
Also, you've mentioned the seals for the ATF pump are easy to get, could you elaborate? I've been all over and anyone over a parts counter in my neck of the woods just look at me with a 'deer in the headlights' look and a 'are you kidding?' type smile.
Again, Great thread.
Cheers, Sid
Hiya Sid,
Quote from: Sidco7 on 21 March 2010, 18:52
One quick question to clarify, the seams on the push rod tubes, I'm a little confused. Up or down? I might have misunderstood your instruction, but I thought you mark the seams to orient them upward, but in the final assembly pictures, the marks are down, therefore the seams are down.
Aha! Being an old teacher I can see that you sir, are a visual learner.
You are correct about the desireability of having the pushrod tubes oriented so the seam is up top. Perhaps I did not make that clear when I wrote about that step. I made those marks you noticed 180 degrees out from the seam so they should be visible when looking at the bottom of the engine. That's my easy-to-see checkpoint for the correct pushrod tube install.
Quote.....Also, you've mentioned the seals for the ATF pump are easy to get, could you elaborate? I've been all over and anyone over a parts counter in my neck of the woods just look at me with a 'deer in the headlights' look and a 'are you kidding?' type smile.
Yes, I too have seen that awful blank expression. The internal seals for the AutoStick oil/ATF pump are available but you can look high and low at most VW parts retailers and you'll find nothing. It's almost as rare to find any of those catalog jockeys who know anything about an AutoStick. Here they are.............
http://www.evwparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=113115219&Category_Code=
or buy the complete reseal/regasket kit.............
http://www.evwparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=001198101&Category_Code=
And do visit the Parts forum here at VWAR. Dave (hercdriver) has put together a great list of "where to find it" for AutoStick parts. It's in the sticky at the top of the forum titled "Sources for AutoStick Parts".
Thanks for the info Mike.
I've also been looking for the o-ring that is on the one way clutch support (item 2 Fig 8-2) see attached (hope you can see my pictures)
Along with that the gasket item 3.
Looked around that site evwparts and found the ATF seals, but not the O-ring.
Any suggestions on that one?
Cheers, Sid
Quote from: Bookwus on 21 March 2010, 21:21
Aha! Being an old teacher I can see that you sir, are a visual learner.
Yes, Unfortunately I have that tendency. It really is a curse. I've gone back and actually read your text properly (instead of the usual scan through) and it very clearly describes your procedure on marking the tube. I have to apologize and I promise to read a little more carefully. ;D
Cheers, Sid
Sid,
IIRC "Crasher" made up a batch of the support tube gaskets. PM him and try your luck. That "O-ring" (No 20)? I think VW never actually fitted it. If yours didn't have one - don't bother. I've looked at two thus far and neither had them, or the place (groove) to fit them. Actually, ask Crasher to see if he has a part No on his EKTA fiche for it.
B.O.T.!! Dinner ready yet Mike ;D
Regards
Sean
Mike
Can you detail how you adjust the end-play using the feeler gauge method, Im familiar with this with a fly wheel on a manual transmission but on the AS
the flexplate seems less flat and even unlike the hard metal surface of the flywheel.
Thanks
Steve
Airhead
Hiya Steve,
In order to get your endplay measured with feeler gauges you'll need a measurement tool, feeler gauges, and a homemade bracket.
The measurement tool looks like this..............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/Bug/IMG_1237.jpg)
It gets bolted to the case flange like so............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1489.jpg)
So that it fits over the little homemade bracket that gets bolted to the flexplate as in this picture.............
(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/Bookwus1/AS%20Engine%20Build/IMG_1490.jpg)
Now it's important that the flexplate and crankshaft assembly is gently tapped forward to its furthest extent. Do this by tapping the main pulley with a rubber hammer. With the flexplate at it's furthest point away from the case adjust the measurement tool adjustable bolt so that it just touches the face of the metal bracket you installed on the flexplate. Now tap the gland nut (and consequently the flexplate) back in toward the engine until it bottoms out. Again, a rubber mallet is a good tool for this. Now, with your feeler gauges, measure the gap between the face of the metal bracket and the end of the adjustable bolt on the measuring tool. That will be your endplay.
Quote from: Bookwus on 19 March 2010, 18:41
Hiya Sean,
Quote from: volkenstein on 19 March 2010, 12:48 ..........why put the oil filler baffle plate (steel one) on the way you have? Most of the manuals I've perused (and done myself) have it at 90 degrees to the way yours is oriented.
This is an excellent question.
Sean, I too have seen the baffle oriented differently from time to time. Quite honestly I spent a good deal of time taking a hard look at this little gizmo and how it fits on the case. To orient the vents downward and pointing at the case seam would have meant forcing the baffle down somewhat over the studs. On the other hand, the baffle simply slips into place in the orientation I show above. That tells me that the baffle is made to go on with the vents aimed at the flexplate. But there's more...........I could not get the baffle to seat into the case hole when the vents were pointing toward the case seam. And there's still more..........upon doing a bit of research I found that Tom Wilson in his book How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine (ISBN 0-89586-225-5 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0-89586-225-5 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) makes a point of orienting the baffle with the vents pointing toward the flywheel (flexplate).
Now all that leaves me with a couple of questions. How the heck did you get that baffle to seat itself in that hole? And the other question is simply, I wonder if it matters all that much? The vents are pointing downward to allow the draining of the oil. The crankcase gasses can still make their way up through the baffle. Does it matter?
Hi Guys
better late than never... lol
but I think the baffle is around the incorrect way too???
can't remember... but I always put them in the same way...
but I'm thinking it would be 90 degrees out from yours..??
LEE
Here's my method to rebuilt and pump my engine ;D(1300cc to 1600cc, new cams, new carburetor WEBER 32/36 DFEV etc...):
http://www.coxautomatic.com/mes_images/reconditionnement_moteur.pdf (http://www.coxautomatic.com/mes_images/reconditionnement_moteur.pdf)
But I'm still at work...I hope I will drive my car in July 2011!!! ???
This is an excellent article written by Mike last year.
Sadly he passed away in March this year 2011..
All His mechanical work was excellent as You can see by His photos.
Everything is CLEAN and painted if He thought it should be painted... then He would paint it..
Sadly Missed
Lee Noonan in Australia
I am so sorry to hear this. The VW community and our VWAR community has lost a great one. I've learned a ton from Mike's wealth of knowledge and thank him for his willingness to share it. His passion is clearly shown in his work and has been inspiring to me. I'll be sure to raise a glass to him tonight.
Thank's for these instructions.... My engine is waiting to be mounted in my car...