Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 15:19:54 -0700
Reply-To: David Bayer <bayer@SYBASE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: David Bayer <bayer@SYBASE.COM>
Subject: Two syncro questions
Hello-
I am at a juncture at my top end rebuild for a syncro (an unexpected
rebuild of course). I am trying to figure out if I should drop the engine
to finish it or leave the engine in and just put it all back together with
the new pcs and heads I have. So my questions are this:
1) I believe I need to replace the oil seal under the crank pulley. Can this
be done without VW 3167 (the special syncro seal seater, I might have
that number wrong though)? Can I tap the two piece seal in place as
described in Muir or will I be throwing $100 down the drain? I saw
some people ask this question in the archives, but never found a
response... If I don't have this tool, will I need to take the engine
to someone who does to get it seated properly? Or split the case
and reassmble with the new seal in place (long shot that I don't
really think I would pursue)... Does anyone know what the difference
between the syncro seal and the regular 2.1 engine seal is, and
why there is a difference? Can I replace the syncro one with the
regular one (Leonard at avp said I would need a new pulley a well)?
2) How much energy does a balanced set of rods save over an unbalanced set?
Will I feel a difference in hp (I kind of doubt this) or see an
increase in fuel effiency (this is really what I am after)? Someone
mentioned dynamic balancing which I assume also takes crank weight
and the angular momentum of the rods into account somehow - will
this make a big difference?
3) If I pull the rods to get the balanced, do I have to do anything special
to the nuts when I put them back on the crankshaft? Someone wrote
me something about "staking" them, but I don't really know what that
means, or how to do it, just that it involves a chisel and is meant
to prevent the nuts from loosening... Would something like blue
loctite be a suitable alternative?
4) Finally, when putting the engine back in the car, just how difficult is
it to get everything aligned if the engine is on a jack? How about
suspended from a hoist?
I'll try and summarize any private responses I get into an email for the
archives as well...
dave