Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 11:26:43 EDT
Reply-To: FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: diesel to gas conversion ongoing...WARNING!/2
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In a message dated 5/3/02 10:17:15 PM, dhundt@PCEZ.COM writes:
<< Now you've got me worried! My conversion is from an '83 gti, I'm wondering
if the pilot holes were year/model/engine code dependent. I have 290,000
miles on my tranny, 100k with the conversion, so it seems O.K.
but................. any insights? >>
I'll readily acknowledge that I don't know the answer here as to whether the
pilot hole depth varies by engine code. According to my notes, the JN engine
uses crank part number 026 105 101E, the GX, RD and PL engines use 026 105
021B, and the PF and RV engines use 026 105 101E again. I installed the RV
engine. Frankly I didn't measure twice and cut once as David wisely and
correctly admonishes. I merely inserted the pilot bearing and noticed no
problem, then bolted everything up.
As I indicated in the previous post, I had had the 3/4 hub failure with the
diesel and redid the trans about 20K before I did the gas conversion. I don't
recall the actual time after the conversion until I lost the 3/4 hub again
but it was at least several months. I was cursing my trans guy who kept
assuring me that he used the latest and strongest parts in the rebuild. I
insisted that this was a warranty call. Consequently, I stayed at the shop as
he took down the trans. The front of the trans shaft (tip) was blue, with a
ring at the tip that was polished. Plenty of good lubricant down in the hole.
When he took it apart, the 3/4 hub was cracked, at least one syncro locking
key was mulched, the bearing holding the gear cluster was damaged and a
circlip holding the something in the front of the case was gone (broken and
in the base of the case). As I recall, he assembled a jig or template (could
have been an old differential housing) on the rear of the engine (using my
bell housing and with input shaft) and showed me that the shaft was at least
a mm too deep into the case. When everything cleared, I paid for the parts
and he threw in his labor. I was chagrined, because the failure clearly
seemed to be my responsibility. (To assuage my conscience, I have done all my
trans work with him ever since.)
So that's my story.
Actually, not quite done. I just assumed that the problem here was that all
the engines we are referring to here (JN, GX, RD, PL, PF and RV) are all
designed for transverse mounting. Since there is no pilot bearing/shaft
arrangement in this clutch/flywheel arrangement, I assumed the issue was just
that of transverse vs. longitudinal mounting. I assumed that the pilot hole
depth on my Audi 3A 2.0L block would be such that the diesel input shaft
would fit. But now warned and burned, and intending to use the AC tranny for
this one (plenty of power so I'm intending to put the torque max at top gear
cruising speed) I measured and contacted Dave and others on the list for the
crank pilot hole dimensions. Finally, I coated the cleaned interior of the
crank pilot hole with a release agent and made a silicone gasket sealer mold
of the interior. (I have the engine on an engine stand and couldn't easily
measure everything - plus I was too lazy to demount and remount it). I have
now carved the new input shaft to clear the base contour of that pilot hole
by at least 1.5 mm everywhere.
To wit (David) the 3A hole was close but not the same as the diesel
equivalent!
Your mileage will definitely vary!
Frank Grunthaner
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