Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 10:25:19 -0700
Reply-To: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Hydraulic lifter wear/cleaning question
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2007071114041815@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Wasserboxer 1.9L short block is said to be less likely need overhaul
especially if it has low or medium total mile age on it. I had dismantled
two 1.9 engines both at 110k mile age. Both had good short block. One
of them is now at 150k plus miles and it still runs and sounds great.
The other is my recent rebuild of my 83 westy. Could not see or feel
anything wrong with the short block. So nothing was done to the
short block either. I expect both engines to last up to 200k or more.
Your 1.9, based on your words, seems in reasonably good shape. You
probably only need to recondition your cylinder heads. Re-ring the pistons
or put in a new liner set which is not expensive and easy to do. Lap the
valves. It's a bit of work but it is very rewarding. You will know if they
need to be machined after lapping the valves yourself.
I did drain all lifters and repack them. They all worked fine as far as
I can tell so far. Check your fuel lines on the top of the engine. If
they are in good shape don't disturb any of the clamps. You can replace
all of them of course. Somehow in California those fuel lines seem to be
quite durable probably due to the weather.
I don't see experts from the list responding to your quest. These are my
opinions. You sure can go the expensive route by sending off the block
and the heads to a pro shop. They will do "everything" for you. That's
not what I did though.
Good luck.
David
--- Pascal Giasson <pascal.giasson@GNB.CA> wrote:
> Thanks for the tip on checking for wear. BTW I started off just going to
> replace the very small leaky head gaskets. The motor ran strong with good
> compression and leak down test results and good oil presssure. Well one
> thing lead to another...as some of you have noticed by some of my
> questions. What I ended up doing was opening "pandoras box" like my
> friend Mike Collum put it. I want to replace whatever is past it's wear
> limits (rings, clutch, coroded head studs, valve job, crank endplay
> shims), but I have to draw a line somewhere, otherwise I will end up with
> a completelly rebuilt engine when all I started doing was a head gasket
> job. This kind of reminds me of our house renovation project. We had to
> draw a line and stick to it otherwise all those little add ons, however
> small and seemingly insignificant, adds up to alot in the end. Like Ben
> H. often says "these things are getting old". I guess I just feel like I
> have to explain why I just don't buy all new head studs, cap nuts,
> lifters, pistons, cylinder heads if mine are servisable and worked fine
> before I started tearing things apart. If I had to pay for the work, yes
> I would put in new, too darn labour intensive to clean everything. Also,
> throughtout the course of this job I bought a 2.1 that I hope to have
> servisable should my "frugality" prove to be a mistake (it was originally
> supposed to replace the 1.9 but that did not work out). Anyway, thanks
> for all your advice to date...I am listening...however, having a science
> backgroound I always ask myself why when someone suggest doing "this"
> or "that"...so that I understand why I am doing something or why I am
> replacing a part.
>
> Pascal
> '84 westy
>
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