Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2001 23:02:52 -0800
Reply-To: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Do-it-yerself engine rehab goings and what I've found-1.9 rod
bolts..
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Well, down in the garage, at this moment, sits an 84 vanagon without an
engine, a 2.1 block with no cylinders, and a auto tranny in the corner,
with which, I haven't decided what to do.
Here's what I'm doing: rods and rod bearings, new rings (since I'm in
there), new heads and gaskets of course, water pump (since i"m there),
heater hose and valve -it leaks, most of the fuel line so I won't burn to
the ground after all this work, and whatever else. I'm saving $1500-2000
repair costs. If I was to pay someone, I'd just get the rebuilt
engine....cheaper in the long run. But I'm poor and it's winter break here
(school employee) so I can't work anyway. If it turns out that the crank
bearings are the problem leading to the low oil pres, I'm not sure what i
will do....
Engine:
The wrist pins were certainly the longest going single job to work through,
but I got 'em out. THe cylinders are at a shop to get honed. I've been
queued behind a stack of other work and I won't see them till friday--even
though the job only takes 20 minutes to do. The rods came out fine, EXCEPT
they have 1.9 bolts on them. What's going on there??? The block is a MV
number, which = 2.1L......or does it? What is the physical difference,
besides the heads? The rods match the bostonbob rods I received. Is that
proof? or can 1.9 guts be put in any block? I'm sure that can't be the
story, but the rod bolts threw me for a spell and has put some hurt on the
Mr. Donalds theory of bolt stretch. I'm praying that the rod bearings are
going to solve this oil pressure plague!! Any insights are welcome.... I'm
going to phone boston engine tomorrow for additional insights.
As for the bearing signs, well I'm no expert! There is a commonality of
copper showings on the edges, the tops and bottoms are worn, whereas the
sides/edges seem less worn. Some have pockets of wear.....but all of these
descriptions are from someone just trying to describe something without the
correct vocab....
Transaxle:
The only thing I've done so far is scrape at least two pounds of grime
from the outside of the differential. Most of the AT is "clean" Does those
vents on top of the diff lead to oil spray resulting in the grime buildup?
My plan is to change fluids, gaskets and screen. I'm suspect that the diff
is "swallowing" my AT fluid, and I am almost certain the "front seal" oil
leak is rather a AT fluid leak. It always looked black, but maybe it was
all the grime that it filtered through. I'm hoping that my sluggish torque
converter at startup and downshifting/kickdown reluctancies will clear up.
Overall:
The job has taken much longer than anticipated. Of course. I'm challenged
for big garage tools. The powertrain removal took much of a day. If I had
a big-honkin' floor jack, cherry picker, and or a tranny lift, that would
have knocked off many hours. But instead, I got out some old rock climbing
equipment and did it the slow, but safe in its own primative way technique.
The garage is a mess. no matter how I tried, and I DID try, Fluids still
leaked beyond my control. Went I bought that 25lb bag of oildry. There
are so many parts I should have had to begin with. I will try to make a
master list of what I had.
Ciao for now....
Brian Cochran
Carnation WA
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