Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 20:34:45 -0400
Reply-To: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: WBX 2.1L Engine Case - Reman
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John
you know I can't resist to tell a tale when asked like old Billy bones
The Canadian rebuilt blocks come in all flavors some check out great and
some are not worth reusing. For instance I have one Canadian rebuilt block
in the shop right now with a great tale of woe. This is a turn in from a
customer that told me he had this block reassembled twice. It seems the shop
gave up when it did not have any oil pressure after the engine warmed up
both times. I can tell you that left me a little nervous about tiring my
luck building an engine on that block. But having been around the block a
time or two (pun intended) I tried a set of oversized cam bearing and
installed the camshaft only as I closed the block to see if the camshaft
would still turn when bolted together and shiver me timbers yes it did
mystery solved. The main bearing bore had been align bored and the cam bore
had been align bored as well. The other shop had perhaps never even heard of
oversize outside diameter cam bearings. I had another block remaned from
Canada that had the main bearing bores align bored and when I used my
alignment tools to true the main bore for measurement it showed that the
align bore had been done with the two half's shifted .005th This means the
cam bore would be off .005th at the parting line when main bearings are in
place.
The other notable things I've seen with the Factory rebuilds are 1.9 and
2.1 rods mixed on the same crank and 20 under cranks and 95 MM pistons
It boils down to this you need to have the block inspected and measure
with great care by some one that knows what to look for and can provide you
with the proper parts and tech support
Hey come to think of it I could do that !
so pack it extra nice and send it north with your crank, rods and what ever
you want me to look at and go over
I would as a mater of coarse alsoreplace the rods with a set Boston Bob
rods with new bolts have the cam reground, use new lifters, new AMC heads
with replacement valves and retainers, have the a new set of pistons and
cylinders clearanced to prevent scuffing
hope that helps
Going faster miles an hour with the radio on
I remain
Bob Doanlds
Boston Engine
all rights reserved
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 5:18 AM
Subject: WBX 2.1L Engine Case - Reman
>A question for Bob Donalds,
>
> I have the case and crank from my engine that failed back in 1999 at
> about 90,000 miles.. The engine was dismantled to determine the extent
> of damage. When it was removed from the Van, I discovered a yellow
> sticker on the case that said "Remanufactured by VW of Canada."
>
> The internal parts seemed pretty much ok except that cylinder that hand
> the meltdown. In considering whether to rebuild the thing, I was
> wondering if there are any special considerations or concerns I should
> have in regards to what VW of Canada may have done with the case and
> crank when they put it through the remanufacturing process. ie, align
> boring, oversize bearings, crank grinding, etc.
>
> I find it interesting that the mileage on the van when I bought it was
> 86,000 miles, so somewhere between "New" and 86,000 miles there had
> been another engine in the van before this "Remanufactured by VW of
> Canada" engine was ever installed. Can't help but wonder what happened
> to the original engine that was in the van from the factory. Given the
> fact of engine failure after I owned it for only 4,000 miles, I can only
> surmise that whoever owned it before, had simply driven the dog pooh out
> of it.
>
> Thanks for any info on the Canadian remanufacturing.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
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