1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

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T25Convert
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1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by T25Convert »

12 months ago I had the same issues as many on here - oil leaks, high oil consumption, leaking water jackets and a general loss of top end puff. Most concerning was the amount of oil coming out roud one of the sparking plugs!

After much umming and ahhing I bought a supposedly good 2nd hand engine through the forum. As it turned out it was actually worse than the one I had (thanks!) suffering even higher oil consumption, an inability to idle and low oil pressure once warm. Excellent.

So, after much more deliberation (and inspired by the postings of mm289 and Sarran) I thought I'd have a go at rebuilding my original engine. It appears that it was rebuilt at sometime in the past, as the engine number has a star stamped after it.

In the beginning there was a very tired lump:
Image

A short term bodge to my leaking head - it worked for 6 months without a further leak, but it’s time to replace!
Image

A note of caution, I'd also used k-seal. It did f'all for the leak, but has left quite dense deposits of copper everywhere (it is copper, not rust, though I have some of that too!) I dread to think what the inside of my radiator looks like now!
Image

Right, first job was to get the heads off. Terrified the head studs would snap, but the nuts were surprisingly/worryingly loose. Studs all intact, but the bolt holes were full of a dense black sealant, which meant that the heads wouldn’t just lift off – you can see the dribbled residue here:
Image

Almost five hours later (gentle tapping, harder tapping, levering against wooden packer, swearing and general abuse) the heads are both off! A small puddle of oil in the combustion chamber on the cylinder that had oil coming out the plug:

Image

Next step gudgeon pins, pistons and liners out and split the case...

So far have the following parts needing attention:

1) All rocker adjuster screws have worn, two have formed quite high steps (~2mm).

2) The inlet valve stems are all slightly mushroomed, exhaust look fine (though the other way round was normal!) Maybe the exhaust were replaced in previous rebuild...

3) Bores are polished smooth, so some honing/glaze busting required here

On the upside the following appear to be in good nick:

1) Heads are free of cracks, and sealing surfaces aren’t pitted

2) Head studs aren’t corroded.

3) Liners aren’t stuck to heads!

4) Liners aren’t ridged

I’ll keep posting progress as I go, probably along with a long list of questions!

Cheers,

Alex
RIP - George - 1.9DG '85 AutoSleeper Trident - rusted away

George Second - 1.9DG '89 Caravelle

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pionte
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by pionte »

Good luck with your rebuild... I will be following your thread with interest.

I have built a few engines in the past , mini A series, Ford crossflows etc etc but have always shyed away from the WBX because of all the horror stories that I have heard about snapping studs and sticking liners.

Are you going to rebore ? + 60 tho or more ? what about raising the compression ? or are you going to stay standard.

keep the pics coming.

Martin/
2.5 Quad Cam Scooby engine . Westfalia California 1989

project25
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by project25 »

Hi, The photos of your engine make mine look beautiful when I started my rebuild 2 years ago. But my liners where well stuck to the heads, o and I also snapped a stud on reassembly. I started as a complete novice, now I know every bolt. Good luck with it.
Ive just used my 1st full tank of fuel and Im getting 18 mpg and using it as my work van. Must be mad, and go back to my Combo at 45 mpg but then its so boring. Nobody waves at you in a Combo.
1984 Volkswagen T25
1.9 DG Auto high top, no longer, with Devon pop top, with no interior

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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by itchyfeet »

Will also follow with interset, done the top end twice but never split the crankcase, I have a spare engine awaiting the treatment when I get time :D
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by kevtherev »

best of luck pal
I too will be following this :ok
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T25Convert
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by T25Convert »

Right, I promised there would be questions...

Gudgeon pins removal - was about to nip out and get some threaded bar, nuts and washers to improvise a puller.

However, whilst looking for reccommended bar diameter (M12?) I stumbled across The Samba and "the reachround method" - basically you use a wobble bar and socket, reach round the piston and undo the rod ends in-situ and take the piston and con-rod out as one.

Anyone tried this - there was lots of talk on the Samba, but little evidnece anyone had actually done it! If you have doen it, did the rod end come out, or does it stay in until you've plit THE case...

Thoughts greatfully received!

Cheers,

Alex
RIP - George - 1.9DG '85 AutoSleeper Trident - rusted away

George Second - 1.9DG '89 Caravelle

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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by itchyfeet »

No I'm happy to have never had a reacharound :D

M8 threaded studding comes in 1M lengths, an M8 nut with the corners filed off just fits through the pin, hammer the thread that end so it won't unscrew by mistake.
Then a large socket on the other end of the studding, large washer and another nut. The socket then acts as a slide hammer.

You need straight circlip pliers for the first one and right angle for the second, use loads of rags to stop the circlip flying into the crankcase if you slip.

I only pulled the liner up just far enough to get to the gudgeon pin, no need to pull it right off until later as you may have broken rings and the bits can fall inside the crankcase.
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T25Convert
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by T25Convert »

Thanks - what you describe was where I was heading. Shame, seems to reduce the potential for smutty comments...

I've currently got one liner pulled just enough to see the pin through water jacket, so will continue down this road!

Cheers,

Alex
RIP - George - 1.9DG '85 AutoSleeper Trident - rusted away

George Second - 1.9DG '89 Caravelle

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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by itchyfeet »

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o50 ... e112f6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o50 ... 1b1761.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:D
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1989 DJ digijet WBX Holdsworth Villa 3 Pop Top
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T25Convert
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by T25Convert »

Right, weekend number 2 of the rebuild.

First the pulling of the gudgeon pins using the threaded rod technique, which was trickier than expected.

I couldn’t work out how to get a grip on the end of the pin with anything I could post down through the pin. I ended up pulling the liners off, which made the whole lot far easier, as I could get my hand to both sides of the piston. An M8 nut and washer worked wonders, as it fitted through the circlip on the far side, so I only had to take the one off.

Image

Image


Got three out, but I couldn’t get the circlip off the fourth – the grove was much deeper, So I couldn’t convince it to pop out. After a good half hour of trying ever more inventive combinations of screwdrivers, circlip pliers, rage and bits of wire I gave up, l and went for the reach around technique above.

One 14mm socket and a wobble bar:

Image

And it’s off leaving me space to attack the circlip on the other side of the piston, which popped out nicely. Pulled the pin using the same bit of rod and a 32mm socket as a slide hammer. The reach around Worked really well as a technique, can recommend if you have any gudgeon pin removal issues.

Image

All four pistons off. Yay.

Now for a whole load of nuts round the case half. Several were seized, and one tried to round off, but a ½ inch socket hammered over the top proved too much for it!

A good smack with a bit of wood and the case split, leaving me with this:

Image

Few moments of self doubt over quite what I’d got myself into, so had a cup of tea then cracked on.

Worried about the bits of metal on the cam shaft bearing:

Image

Looks like they came from here!

Image

All shells had chunks missing, but the cam doesn’t look to be damaged. One half of the shell nearest the sprocket end was worn to a coppery colour, which I assume is the metal beneath the bearing surface:

Image

All bearing shells have VW stamps on the back, so assume that they are the originals.

Started giving everything a good clean – swarfega’s oil remover was top notch stuff, cleaned the case half up nicely, just a little more to do (and the other half!). Need to buy some soft wire brushes to do the outside.

Warning, the inside of the case is razor sharp, my hand is missing several chunks. On the upside the cuts are all very clean, having been degreased :o

Image

And that’s it for now.

Next job is to finish cleaning everything, and start measuring to see what’s beyond saving....
RIP - George - 1.9DG '85 AutoSleeper Trident - rusted away

George Second - 1.9DG '89 Caravelle

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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by kevtherev »

they are remarkably simple engines.
I would use a crank and cam specialist to dial up and fit new shells.

nice work :ok
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by Trundler »

Great thread! Keep it coming - It's great to watch someone working through what I chickened out of...

That's a very impressive clean-up job on the case half. Looks like it's been professionally done in a chemical bath.

Good luck with the rest of the job, I'll be keeping tabs on the thread :ok
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by itchyfeet »

Well done, coming on nicely :D

T25Convert wrote:I couldn’t work out how to get a grip on the end of the pin with anything I could post down through the pin..

M8 Nut with the six corners filed off ( so it's round) just slides through the pin and there is just enough diameter to pull on the pin without pulling on the circlip :wink:
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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by sarran1955 »

Hello,

Welcome to the split case club.. :rofl :rofl

Build into your costing getting the crankshaft reground..

(I reckon that is the way we will be going with the 'Ooops' engine..)

Absolutely check.. confirm.. and believe your compression and oil pressure readings before finishing the engine..

That crankcase is sooo CU.. :roll:

I'll be following this thread with interest..

Cordialement,

:ok
Image

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Re: 1.9 DG - Attempting a full rebuild...

Post by T25Convert »

Many thanks for the words of encouragement!

itchyfeet wrote:M8 Nut with the six corners filed off ( so it's round) just slides through the pin and there is just enough diameter to pull on the pin without pulling on the circlip :wink:

I couldn't get this to work at all - as soon as I put any pressure on the nut just slipped back down inside the pin, partly because the inside edge of the pin is chamfered. It may be just that I lack patience!!

sarran1955 wrote:Build into your costing getting the crankshaft reground..

I will certainly bear this in mind. Once I've got everything clean I will measure what I can, and get a machine shop to measure again!! The Oopps... thread has been closely followed by me, just because as you say the bottom end is so similar. Good luck finding the problem!

Brief update, after spending less than £1 I now have many brillo pads and some rather aggressive nylon brushes (thanks Morrisons!) Add in some 1200 grade wet and dry left over from my van rollering and I was sorted for case cleaning materials.

2 hours later, and the outside of one half of the case is almost clean:
Image

Only the bit at the back left to do.

Also cleaned off the cam – a rubbish shot but gives you an idea. Beneath the varnish and oil were minor wear tracks on each cam lobe, like a polishing over the centre section. Not sure what to do with this now, will go and get it measured by someone who knows what they’re doing!

Before and after on the case in the background too!

Image

As a side note, if you do use brillo pads be aware that they fragment, and the fragments go everywhere, and your t-shirt ends up looking and feeling like a brillo pad, but you do end up with a very clean and smooth stomach!

Final thoughts for now, is that I wish I wasn’t so pig headed / tight and got the case chemically cleaned!!

Cheers,

Alex
RIP - George - 1.9DG '85 AutoSleeper Trident - rusted away

George Second - 1.9DG '89 Caravelle

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