Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 20:22:58 -1000
Reply-To: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Engine rebuild - 2.1 L WBX
In-Reply-To: <CA+az7_4nmgABrYr5ku8DGyrgT+mxg4RfatMWWQL+8zdX8tL8hg@mail.gmail.com>
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Hi John..
bummer . I wonder how someone had access to your Vanagon.
in any case..
as stated already ..compression test is the first easy test to do.
if compression is ragged...
then it's a matter of how far you go into the engine ..
usually comes down to ...just the heads,
or heads plus pistons and barrels ( a Top End job )
whether to go into the bottom end is the big decision.
If miles are high ...say 150K plus ..
then a full rebuilt could well be in order.
I did one last year . The 2.1 engine was puking oil ..
due to a sloppy rebuilt and an 80 year old driver with very weak hearing
and no tachometer..
who lugged the heck out of it.
I tore it all the way down hoping to find some 'ah ha' for why it puked oil.
didn't really find one ...
but I did ...
have the crankshaft mic'd and polished..
all new main and rod brgs.
new camshaft, new cam brgs
rebuild the rods,
new pistons and barrels ( they were kinda hard to find actually ..felt
lucky to get a set )
complete valve job ..
all new seals , set the end play ..all that stuff.
it came out great.
it's a LOT of work ...
having things balanced is also an option .
fwiw ..I have not run into 'stretching valves' myself ..
in any case ..you want a good solid valve job including new exhaust
valves sometimes.
I also had a hell of a time finding a new campshaft..
I had the budget to work with where if there was one for say $ 395 I
would have purchased it.
I ended up with a reground camshaft as that's all I could find.
I put in new lifters too.
it 'goes on and on' ..
you do 10 things..and that justifies 6 more, and so on.
lots of so called 'rebuilds' are really 'freshened up' ..not truly rebuilt.
I bought a 1.9 wbx that was supposed to be 'rebuilt' ..
I ended up taking it apart..
to find the crankshaft was scored some and untouched except for new
bearings.
cam lobes badly worn,
just new rings on original pistons and barrels,
and some valve work ..
not a true rebuild at all ..so be careful .
Scott
On 8/30/2014 11:10 AM, John Rodgers wrote:
> I have had the misfortune of having someone drive my Carat without my
> permission during my stay in a rehab hospital and subsequent recovery
> period. The water pump belt failed and they kept on driving, trying to get
> to destination and avoid the inconvience of a stop on the highway. I am
> afraid they may have destroyed the engine in their ignorance of the engine
> in this van.
>
> New belts have been put on, and antifreeze replaced but the mechanic says
> the engine runs rough às a cobb.
>
> What should I test on this this engine to check it out?
>
> If a rebuild is required, I have a local rebuilder who is very, very good
> but I need to know of anything I need to bring to his attention. Also might
> be done to make for a better rebuild.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John
> (post stroke)
>
