Date:         Fri, 1 Jun 2001 08:35:43 -0500
Reply-To:     wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Air Cooled Technical Question
Content-Type: text/plain

Over the past seven years I've had the opportunity to open up about six
of the type IV, 2000cc engines that were dead because of heads that lost
valve seats or had broken ring groves on the number 3 cylinder.

I have personally noticed that my TypeIV has oil burned to the outside of
the head under the valve cover at #3 cylinder.
Although I don't claim to be any type of engineer, it would appear that
fitting the first and second ring on this #3 piston slightly looser than
the specification could be a measure of preventive maintenance.

In addition I made up a full loop fuel rail and used it on my 83
Aircooled, and after a six hundered mile trip I find that the #3 cylinder
isn't running as hot as it was previously (I had cleaned the burnt oil
off the cylinder head before the trip with Berryman B12 Carbuerator
cleaner).
I can't but speculate that # 3 cylinder was leaning out prior to the fuel
rail modification.
I also suspect that the previous engine rebuilder didn't double check his
ring end groove clearance prior to installing his new rings or piston
sleve sets.

I invite your comments on this matter. *fitting the first and second ring
on this #3 piston slightly looser than the specification could be a
measure of preventive maintenance.*

Stan Wilder
83 Westfalia Air Cooled
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