Date:         Tue, 6 Nov 2001 10:04:51 -0800
Reply-To:     Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Dan's Diesel Rebuild Part 8
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Well, here is another installment in my ongoing story. When we last heard
from out hero, we were deciding whether to mate the old Vanagon head to the
not-so-old Dasher block. Well, I finally decided that the old Dasher head
was good enough to put back on its old block, so that's the direction we
headed in...

After a wait of a few days, German Auto Salvage in Berkeley (510-525-6000,
ask for Joe--he's the diesel guy) came up with all of the parts I needed for
the rebuild of the Dasher motor. Their prices seemed to match the prices
I've found around on the Internet, maybe a little higher. I decided to go
with COFAP rings after some consultation with people on this list and
elsewhere.

To prepare the block, I had new intermediate shaft bearings pressed in
(theold ones were damaged by yours truly). I bought a can of engine
degreaser and and went to a carwash. I really hosed it out good, and then
after I was done, fogged the cylinders with WD-40 to keep them from rusting.
It is very satisfying to flush gunk out of the water and oil passages. I did
the same with the head. CAMS RUST EASILY, so be generous with WD-40 and or
engine oil after you are done.

The actual engine build took only an hour or two. We put in the new main
bearings, oiled them, and torqued them down with plasti-guage to see what
the clearance was. It was right on. We put in the pistons, with no need to
file the rings. By the way, when we finally put the crank in with assembly
lube and hadn't connected the connecting rods, it turned over like oiled
glass. Truly wonderful. There is this big huge hunk of iron and it spins
silently and effortlessly on this film of oil that is like .002 inches
think. Very cool.

We torqued down the head after we got #1 piston to Top Dead Center and got
the slot on the back of the cam locked in position. We are waiting to do the
first bolt stretch until the engine is in the van.

I went to ACE hardware and bought sawhorse brackets, and built a sawhorse
out of 2 x 4 wood. It fits in the back of the van, straddling the engine
cover. My plan is to hang the chain hoist from this derrick, and do the
engine lowering and lifting with it. I am pretty proud of myself. I also
layed a 2 x 4 across the engine hatch, and I will hang a strap from it, wrap
it around the transmission, and pull it up tight. This will support the
transmission while it has no engine to hold on to. Since I plan to do this
without jackstands or ramps, I have measured the ground clearance in the
back, and there is enough to slide the engine out (in) on its side on a
piece of carpet without any pumps or alternators attached. I will do that
stuff on the engines while they are in place.

Also, I have been haunting a few of the junkyards, and have picked up oil
pressure, voltmeter, and clocks gauges from Jettas and Porsches. There is
also an '82 westy (very bare and stripped out) that I pulled the center
dash/console off of to experiment with gauge placement. It looks like there
is space just below the radio for two or three 2" VDO gauges to go in a
line. They would look stock in that position, though they won't be right in
my face.

I have also gotten (for free!!--the guys at the yard always pity me) a few
oil pressure sending units that will run the gauge and the idiot light. I
have gotten advice from concerned people on the list that I should use a new
sending unit, so I'm torn.

Anyway, that's all for now. I plan to pull the engine and maybe put in the
new one this weekend, if SWMBO sees fit to dispense mercy upon me and
releases me from kid duties for a few hours.

http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/snow/vanagon/vanagon.html


Daniel Snow
PhD Student
UC Berkeley

'82 Vanagon Diesel
'78 Puch Maxi Luxe Moped
'01 Xootr Scooter


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