Club 80-90 Forums

The old cam is in good condition with very little sign of wear on the cams or the gear wheel. Tappets all numbered and so far (I've cleaned and reassembled four) all seem to be working well with good resistance. This is my first rebuild of a water boxer engine so am on a learning curve. I don't have time pressures so I can look at problems and slowly resolve. philmcC

Assembly lube is reccomended

Crankcase halves cylinder heads and other bits and pieces off for vapour blasting. Collect the end of next week. Managed to damage the distributor drive gear when pulling off the camshaft gear so have a new one. I will know better when removing the heavy circlip,, and not get involved with a levering screwdriver!. Does anyone know where to get the best liners and pistons for a MV spec engine.philmcC

Everything coming together. The final 2 cylinder head studs removed by spark erosion. Expensive, but I had tried everything else.
Have done a trial assembly of crankcase with crankshaft and camshaft in place all well. I notice in some of the exploded diagrams there is a 'spacer'looking like a small washer beside the felt seal that goes into the flywheel. Is there such a thing? If so where do I get it.
I will take some pictures when I am putting it together finally. Hopefully next week.philmcC

Is it one of these, for a late / 3 piece thrust bearing arrangement ?

https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/e ... 3-wbx.html

I've been spending the last day studying WBX crankshafts

Thanks for that. No I have got all of the larger shims. It is just that small ? Washer in the diagram.philmcC

It's not a shim, best upload a picture or part number or identify it on this link

Maybe the needle bearing, number 23 ?

https://volkswagen.7zap.com/en/rdw/typ+ ... /105-6005/

That's really helpful. I am sure it is just the felt seal. I have all the other parts.philmcC

Thought I was making really good progress . One half of the crank case with crank and con rods and camshaft in place. Took ages of time to put gunk on the mating faces of the crankcase. Very pleased with the fit. Started to tighten up the crankcase nuts bolts. Then I saw the little bolt that secures the oil pickup in the sump lying on the workbench. Had forgotten to fit the pickup. All apart again, at least I've seen how effective the curil sealant has been in spreading, and I was able to remove the bit that had squeezed on the inside of the casing.
Does anybody know what the length of the conrod stretch bolts should be when tightened. Gone off to have a big drink and forget about it till tomorrow!.philmcC

philmcC wrote: Does anybody know what the length of the conrod stretch bolts should be when tightened. Gone off to have a big drink and forget about it till tomorrow!.philmcC

I hope you know you can only use stretch once so unless you bought new con rods you need to buy non stretch bolts.

if you bought new rods the setting is done to a torque then an extra rotation, length does not come into it. Setting is in Haynes and bentley, use paint marker so you get the right rotation.

Con rods came from Brickwerks new with stretch bolts fitted. Followedthe instructions and interested to know the length of the bolts after final torquing. There's quite a lot on the Internet about stretch bolts..philmcC

Crankcase together. All turning smoothly. Did the flywheel end float which was less of a fiddle than I thought using new shims. Final fitting of flywheel tomorrow, then I will put it back on the engine stand to fit cylinder sleeves pistons heads et cetera.

I have the gasket/seal kit from Brickwerks. It has a tube of Dirko, and a small white tube without a name. Is the dirko for the rubber head gasket, and the little white tube for sealing the cylinder head nuts ?.
The cylinders and pistons I'm putting in are again from Brickwerks and come as a complete set with rings fitted. Should I remove the pistons to check the rings ? Advice gratefully received as always.philmcC

Crankcase mounted on engine stand again. Luckily the height of the engine on the workmate table was exactly right for the engine stand.
Assembled valves into one cylinder head. Cheapo valve spring compressor worked well.
All the tools that I have bought off eBay for this rebuild have been terrific. Hope to get the cylinders and pistons in this coming weekend.