Date:         Wed, 16 Feb 2000 11:10:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Zoran_Mladen@AMSINC.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Zoran Mladen <Zoran_Mladen@AMSINC.COM>
Subject:      Re: 1.9l Home Rebuild?
Comments: To: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

My opinion would be to rebuild if you are capable AND you can get parts at
reasonable prices.  The biggest concern will be the heads.  If they have to be
replaced, you might as well get a rebuilt engine.  In some recent posting,
someone mentioned that their shop makes a habit of replacing heads on Vanagons,
we don't, and have had a high level of success with the old heads.  We have them
tested and rebuild the heads ourselves - lap the heads, replace valve stems if
necessary, replace valves if necessary, remove all carbon, etc.

If you are running strong now, it is likely that your heads are fine.  These
engines are very simple once the fuel injection components are removed.  There
are some difficult times, such as removing pistons and installing cylinders, but
all in all a fairly simple process.

The other important thing is to check all internal components and replace
anything that is not in very good shape.  Obviously all bearings, check the wear
on the camshaft, replace all seals, have a shop check out your crank, replace at
least pistons rings if not the entire pistons/cylinders based on wear.  Your
biggest problem is that you probably will not have the tools to check most of
these components yourself, such as a bore gauge to check the cylinders
(workaround - check the piston ring gap of a new ring when placed in the
cleaned, honed cylinder) or a large micrometer to check the piston diameter.

I'm sure lots of folks will recommend replacing a number of parts, I prefer to
be cost effective and try to keep costs down.

You can probably do this job as long as you have a competent machine shop for
checking/reworking your old parts.

Z





Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM> on 02/16/2000 10:46:59 AM

Please respond to Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>

To:   vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
cc:    (bcc: Zoran Mladen/AMS/AMSINC)
Subject:  1.9l Home Rebuild?



I am considering rebuilding my '85 1.9l motor myself, but it appears few
people are doing this.  The reason I am considering this route instead of a
re-man motor are mostly financial, but not entirely.  My current motor runs
well, but is frightfully low on oil pressure.  It has a new oil pump,
lifters, oil pressure spring, 8 collapsible return tubes, etc.  All this
would be gone on a trade in.  The compression is still good and it uses
little if any oil.  With 20W-50 oil and a VW filter, I get 75 psig at start
up, but it drops quickly as the oil thins out.  The pressure loss must be
at the main bearings.  I only have 10 to 15 psig once the engine is hot and
at 2500 to 3000rpm.   Is there something about the rods and crank that a
competent shop can't handle?  I rebuilt a Suzuki Samurai motor with
excellent results using a local shop that specializes in high end (racing)
engine work here in Delaware.  The waterboxer has some obvious quirks, but
are oversized bearings available if I have the crank turned and the rods
rebuilt?  Am I just asking for trouble?  Should I chuck this motor and go
re-man?  The motor has ~125K on it.

                                                             Jay Snyder
                                                             '85 Westy
                                                             '89 Jetta
Diesel
                                                             '87 Suzuki
Samurai
                                                             '65 Corvair
Corsa Conv.