Date:         27 Sep 1994 09:13:12 +1000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "King, Robert" <king@tanelorn.aod.dsto.gov.au>
Subject:      RE: '73 1700 rebuild

Dan writes
>Hi all. We just fininshed installing the new rings & heads on my sister's
>73 camper (1700cc type IV), and I got a couple of questions before it goes 
>back in -

> 1) The outside rocker arm on cylinder 3 is unusually close to the valve.

Sometimes the pushrods in a rebuilt engine can take time to 'settle' (take a
while to seat properly on the lifter?).  As a rule of thumb I make sure the
tappet clearances are on the generous side, run the car for 500k or so and then
re-adjust (and change the oil if bottom end has been done)
..
 >My Hayes manual says to adjust the valves on this year (after a particular
chasis #, which it is) to .008 ... does this sound right

I run my 76 KOMBI (which has a 'big bore' 1973 1700 in it) at .008 and
everything is fine.  The original exhaust valves were actually sodium filled to
help with cooling.  These valves normally have a white residue on the stem etc
when you pull them out.  Type IV motors with a reasonably few miles on them are
also notorious for dropping exhaust valves (esp. the sodium filled - they break
at the base because they are hollow)!  

If you have reseated the old exhaust valves rather than put in new REPLACE THEM
BEFORE YOU PUT THE ENGINE IN.  I had rebuilt the bottom end and cam etc on my
1700 and put the heads with the old valves in them back on (after a grind) just
to save the $60 AUS that new valves would have cost - you guessed it.  5000 k's
and number three dropped a valve which shattered my new 93mm piston, cracked my
new barrel and bent the conrod in a fully balanced motor. Also put a good sized
hole in the head. AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! AND I KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM - how stupid
do I feel?


 >2) Also, the heater boxed are not too bad, and the insides look great, but 

I think I would get hold a MIG/TIG or get someone with one to weld some metal
over the rusted sections and repair them that way - IMO it's easier for amateur
TIG'ers to weld 'over' than cut and replace 8-).  I think this would make a
better 'permanent' repair even if costing a little more....



_________________________
Robert King
king@tanelorn.aod.dsto.gov.au


76 Kombi
62 Kombi (long term relaxation project)