Date: Sun, 8 Sep 2013 22:19:50 -0500
Reply-To: JRodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: JRodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Mobil1 15-50 and setting a new piston ring
In-Reply-To: <3D9D37EF-0FCB-42A7-ABB2-D9C4CD398EDA@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Paul,
I think it's all been said about the oil - use straight 30 wt for 300
miles, then change the filter and the oil. IF - and that is a BIG IF -
the ring job was right - then that should be all you need. BUT - to the
IF - it wasn't - you've got a problem.
Scott nailed it:
>>>
'bad rings' don't just happen, except for an installation mistake.
What was the ring endgaps when installed ?
what is the ring clearance in the piston ring grooves?
what's the condition of the cylinder barrel walls ?
how are the rings end gaps staggered when installed on the pistons ?
>>>
If these things weren't taken into account - then you will have nothing
but problems.
I would drain the oil, put on a new filter - add the straight 30wt -
and drive it the 300 miles and see what happens. It may settle down -
then again maybe not - but there is no real way to know short of tearing
it down again - unless you run it. Be sure and cut your filter open when
your change the oil at the three hundred mile mark. Wash the contents
through a paint screen and look for metal. It will tell you a lot. Use a
magnet on it as well. That will tell you about the ferrous metals that
are wearing. Look at the stuff with a 10 power magnifying glass. You can
learn a whole lot that way. Look for brass particles.
If it continues to smoke after the 300 miles, and oil consumption is
high - you will probably have to tear it down again. BTDT!!
I will say this - on piston aircraft, when we changed rings on a single
cylinder we did not use run-in oil. What ever the oil of the day was
already in the engine - that was what was used. The idea was that to
change grades of oil for one cylinder vs the rest of the engine would do
more harm than good. It just wasn't done. If it was a top overhaul -
cylinders honed, new rings - maybe new pistons - valves and valve guides
and seats - Definitely used break-in oil until the cylinder head
temperatures began to decrease. Would then run in for a while by spec.
Then change oil to the specified operating grade and filter as appropriate.
Automotive engines are a different breed of cat - but the WBX is close
enough to an aircraft engine that I would tend to go the AC engine route
for break-in with just one cylinder being in question.
Good luck.
John
On 9/8/2013 6:03 PM, Paul Rogers wrote:
> Hey Listies,
> I finally got my 2.1L long block with components from my 1.9L finished and It's Alive! It actually works much to my amazement. I'm in the process of dialing it in now. I've got the timing pretty close for now and I'm attempting to bleed the cooling system. One thing I'm a little concerned about is the amount of blue smoke. I haven't run it for longer than about 10 mins or so and that wasn't all at the same time. The guy I bought the long block from said he had it in his Vanagon but took it out because it was using a lot of oil. He said he fixed the problem ring but never used it again. I've got Mobil1 15-50 in it and I've read several posts on the Samba that the ring won't seat with synthetic oil in. In fact I've read that I can do some serious damage to the cylinder by causing it to glaze over and the ring will never seat. Can someone please verify this for me. The engine is running sweet, sounds good too. But it is spewing blue smoke, I figured it would but I have no idea what a
reasonable time it should take to stop smoking. Any input from the brain trust of the list will be gratefully appreciated. I don't want to do something wrong at this point.
> TIA,
> Paul in Tracy
>
>
> Sent from my iPlace.
>
