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Date:         Fri, 9 Jul 1999 15:03:52 -0400
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      motor rebuild update
Comments: To: bus <type2@type2.com>

Folks-

Just got back from T-Hoff, in Raleigh, the folks doing the machine work on our 1982 Westfalia Motor. For those who are interested in such, here are the details.

The balancing of all the parts is now at zero grams across and along the crank, including the fan, flywheel and pressure plate. Even though our new counterweighted crank was (nearly) zero to start with, the flywheel was 3 grams off, and the fan was 8 grams off.

The rods are a matched set now, and balanced end to end. Three of the rods were close to spec (off by .75 grams here or there) One of them was obviously from another set, and was WAY out.

The alignment on the block is perfect, and they have cleaned the entire block, and bead blasted the outside (aesthetics, mostly).

The pistons and cylinders were trashed. Ordered a set of MSHP 96mm pistons/cylinders...their website claims 25-30 hp increase: (From their site) "BOLT ON HORSEPOWER!!! NOW YOU CAN ADD 25 TO 30 HP WITHOUT SPLITTING YOUR CASE -- Street and track tested. Super strong hypereutectic pistons. Flat top with valve relief for performance cams. Slipper skirt can be used with up to a 78.4 stroke with stock rods without clearancing cylinders. Heat/corrosion resistant coating. Compatable (sic) with standard fuel injection. Cylinders are torque plate honed for in-use roundness. Plateau finished for pre break-in. Available for both 66 and 71 stroke engines.

96MM PISTON & CYLINDER KIT $ 349" (end of quote)

I am not holding my breath, betting on +30 hp, but it should be a bit punchier. Since we are adding two auxiliary oil coolers, 40-feet of copper oil line, and an oil thermostat, I am not worried about the little extra heat from the 96's. The pistons will be balanced when they arrive.

The heads were close to being trashed. They had to do some back-fill welding to fix two dropped seats and a couple burned spots. We *almost* used one as a boat anchor, and the other as a door stop, but Kerry and Jason at T-Hoff assured me they can be good as new...so they are still working on them. New guides, seats, valves, and a slight flycut to smooth things out.

We get everything back from the shop on Wednesday or Thursday, and that is about when the pistons will be here, so it may be a late night Thursday and Friday. Then we can throw it all back in the van on Saturday/Sunday.

In the mean time, I have all of the copper lines installed under the van, and will install the coolers up front in the coming evenings. I won't mount the oil filter relocation or the thermostat until the motor is in place. I have some ideas of where I want to route things, but want to measure twice and cut once.

Will keep you posted.

G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett & Associates www.bulley-hewlett.com Cary, NC USA 888.468.4880 tollfree


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