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Date:         Mon, 24 Dec 2001 13:28:36 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rebuilding an 81 Vanagon
Comments: To: harrisvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

If this engine is still running......... run some Gunk Engine Flush through it, just follow the instructions. Change the oil and filter and run 1 quart of Marvel Mystery oil in it for about two hours (don't overfill the crank case) If you can't dive the car just start ut up and run it long enough to get it to operating temp a few times before you pull the engine. You'll find that it reduces your engine cleaning time considerably. When you buy your Gasket set, be sure it has the front seal, rear seal in the gasket set. Order them extra if they aren't in there. Decide if you are going to run German rings or Brazillian rings. (I prefer the German rings, harder metal, takes a little longer to seat though.)

Contact JUSTIN 1-800-736-3550, This is IMPEX Justin@vwparts.com They will give you a good deal on good OEM bearings and parts. Tell them that you get 5% from BusDepot, 5% from BusBoys on orders over $100.00 and they will most likely give you 15%. I've got a new Clutch. Pressure Plate, Throw out bearing OEM Sachs for $90.00 if you need it. ------------------------- Engine Rebuild ------------------------------- The parts list below should be fairly close to what parts cost. Remember to add in for crankshaft polishing about $55.00 to $70.00 Lifter resurfacing, about a buck each. Rod rebuild. Piston end bushings about $8.00 per rod Machine shop cost of pressing the cam drive gear and distributor gear off and back onto your crankshaft when you install the rear main bearing, about $8.00 to $14.00 should cover it. Be sure that the bearing goes on right the first time; you'll have the crank with the bearing in the right position at the time you start on the press work. ------------------------------------ Cost on my recent rebuild on a 2000cc. [ITEMS PURCHASED]

2 Cylinder heads @ $305.00 each Total $610.00

Part number: 029198075OR CYLINDER & PISTON KIT Price: $225.00 Quantity: 1 Total: $225.00

Part number: 021198481A MAIN BRGS T2 2000cc Price: $53.02 Quantity: 1 Total: $53.02

Part number: 021198541 CAM BRGS T2 2.0L Price: $15.00 Quantity: 1 Total: $15.00

Part number: Shipping Shipping Charge Price: $18.89 Quantity: 1 Total: $18.89

Part number: 071198009A GASKET SET, Price: $55.67 Quantity: 1 Total: $55.67

Part number: 025198151 RING SET Price: $61.53 Quantity: 1 Total: $61.53

Part number: 039105701 ROD BEARING SET Price: $17.55 Quantity: 1 Total: $17.55

Part number: 029198141 CLUTCH KIT Price: $135.00 Quantity: 1 Total: $135.00

Part number: 111115107BK OIL PUMP Price: $18.95 Quantity: 1 Total: $18.95

Part number: Shipping Shipping Charge Price: $16.48 Quantity: 1 Total: $16.48

** GRAND TOTAL: $1,227.09

If you've never rebuilt an engine; I'd suggest that you get your hands on a Hayes or Bentleys repair manual and read through it (browse it mostly) and see what's involved. If decide to go ahead with your rebuild run a quart of Marvel Mystery oil with your regular engine oil for as long as you can before the teardown. It also doesn't hurt to run a 1/2 quart with every tank of gas up till you rebuild. The Mystery oil will clean your oil passages, crankcase internally, lifters, pistons, piston tops and groves and just in general remove all of the varnish buildup thats in there. While you've got the engine out go ahead and repack your CV joints and replace the boots. When you put your pistons into the cylinders, be sure that your flywheel is on the engine and the oil pump is NOT. The oil pump tends to jump out of the drive slot when you turn the engine backwards on occasion during the piston/ring replacement. Put your distributor drive and your distributor in with the 12 degree angle set while you can still see the top of the piston and the marks on the back of your flywheel. Consider using new rod nuts and crank case nuts and washers, new head bolt nuts and washers are a good idea too. If you have AMC heads be certain of whether you need head gaskets or not, AMCs normally don't use gaskets and OEM VW do use gaskets. Even if your heads look good you need to have them inspected by a qualified re builder, heads with 100K on them need new seats / valves and guides even if they look good to you. Use engine assembly grease on everything that looks like a bearing, replace the starter pilot bushing in your bell-housing and your clutch main shaft pilot needle bearing in the end of the crankshaft. Replace the felt seal and *O* ring in your flywheel. Don't trust new cylinder piston sets, check your end clearance on the rings for each cylinder. Clean and lubricate the cylinder walls before assembly and lube them good after assembly. If you can (within your budget) replace the camshaft and lifters, about an extra $180.00 on a good deal price. If you do the job right you could get as much as 140K out of your new engine before you have to go back in again. If you've got a 2000cc Type IV engine, set your hydraulic lifters at ONE TURN from just touching the lifter. NOT the two turns in any of the manuals. Often it is best to install a new oil pressure sending unit after the rebuild (just to be safe).About $5.00

*****************[ Very Important ]********************

There are four parts you absolutely must keep up with when you disassemble your engine: 1. Spring under your distributor, tie it to your distributor with a small bundle tie. 2. Thrust washer under your distributor drive, tie it to your distributor drive with a small bundle tie. 3. Three thrust washer/spacers on the flywheel end of your crankshaft, don't bend them, don't change the stacking order. They should be the proper thickness for your engine but you need to use a dial gauge and check crank end play before you reassemble the engine. 4. Fan spacer or AC pulley, if you install the fan without this spacer/pulley it will bind the fan against the fan shroud.

*************** [Best of luck to you!]*****************

Remember! Clean, Clean, Clean that is a big help in engine reassemble.

***************[ Engine break in]****************** Install 20/50 Wt engine oil, new oil filter. Run the engine at 2000 RPMs for about twenty minutes. It will take a while for the lifters and everything to settle in so you'll have noise, smoke and stink. Change the oil and filter after this 20 minute run in. Drive the vehicle at 2000 RPMs or less for 200 miles. Change the oil, filter and clean the strainer. Install 20/50 wt oil. Drive the vehicle another 600 to 800 miles keeping the engine at less than 2000 RPMs and change the oil and filter again. You should check your lifter setting at this time and check for any oil leaks. After you've got this break in done you should wait about 5000 to 8000 miles before you go onto the higher quality synthetic oils.

Go get em!

Stan Wilder 83 Air Cooled Westfalia (Dallas Texas) ________________________________________________________________

On Mon, 24 Dec 2001 00:35:51 -0800 Patrick Harris <harrisvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM> writes: > Greetings everybody, and Happy Holidays!!! > > I've been eyeballing going through my 81 Vanagon. Yeah, same one > I've been > trying to sell, but I figure since nobody wants to even call about > it, I'll > just rebuild the engine and basically refurbish the entire rig. > I'll just > keep it and see what I can use it for. > > Anyways, I've restored bugs for the last 8 years. But, I've never > restored > a Vanagon. I understand there's alot of similarities, however, > very > different. So, I'm looking for suppliers for parts. I can go to > like > Rocky Mountain and pay through my nose, but since I've been working > on bugs, > I've collected quite the list of suppliers. But, that's for bug > only parts. > No vans. > > So, to cut it short, can anyone give me suggestions for suppliers > for parts > for my Vanagon? I'm looking at doing the following: rebuilding the > engine, > replacing door seals, some electrical, wiper motor, sliding door > panel, some > exterior stuff, etc. > > Perhaps someone has a list or something? That'd be great! Well, > thank you > very much for everyone's help! Happy holidays! > > Sincerely, > > Patrick Harris > Longview, Washington > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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