Gday all,
Well I am pleased to say that I am making progress on my motor. I started a thread a while back and received much encouragement and advice from these pages. I even had a visit from a forum member and made a new mate.
So if you remember, read on (or if you don't care, turn back now!)
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I can finally lay to rest the domed piston issue. I took one to a VW mechanic and told him about my car. He took one look and said "stock".
After the debate here on the forum I nearly fell over. I duly bought new rings from the guy and went home to fit them. Closer inspection of the manual for ring replacement turned up this diagram . . . . .
You can clearly see the domed piston in this diagram. (The only clear indication that I can find in the manual. The other pics are photos and frankly, they could show domed OR cupped pistons depending on where you look from!)
So I am sticking with them. I have cleaned them up and fitted the new rings (German ones).
I have also honed the cylinders and washed those too. (For Sale - One cylinder hone Used once!)
Here is the case. Cleaned up (even more) and sans cylinders.
I have procured a torque wrench and I am ready to start bolting everything back together. It feels like the end is close (although I am sure this next phase will present more unknowns that will see the project drag on some more!)
In between collecting parts, I have found myself becoming quite inventive. The bolts holding on the fuel pump require a special tool and were burred beyond the use of that tool regardless. They now (thanks to a vice and file) can be turned with a standard hexagonal socket.
Unfortunately, to get to the rear seal (is it called that, the one at the from is called the front seal!) I need to remove this plate. I don't have the tool for that (yet!) but I know that I don't have one in the shed.
I hope to have the heads on by this time next week. That's a frightening stage for a newbie. Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.
Still loving this and there is no pressure to hurry. I am a little daunted by the thought of putting the whole thing back together. Taking it apart was easy!
Good to see you're back at it! That is weird about the domed pistons. On the US forums there are many references to dished bus pistons with the flat and domed pistons only being stock on Porsche 914 and some 411/412 models.
You will still need to check your compression ratio to make sure it is not too high.
Before installing the heads you should lap the cylinders into them to ensure a good seal. This is akin to lapping valves and you can use valve lapping compound or the tight arse option of Ajax or similar!
Hey these pics were a real eye opener... I'm gonna have to embark on such a task myself soon. Doctors advice was that my 'rings are getting weak'! :duh
Anyhow... Potty jokes aside, is it very difficult to do?
"Mr Writer, why don't you tell it like it is? Why don't you tell it like it REALLY is?" - stereophonics
Well I feel that I am not really one to give advice yet, as I am yet to successfully reassemble the engine to working condition! What I have done so far though has not been difficult, you just need the right tools at times. I would al,so recommend (if possible) that you don't put pressure on yourself by needing the car in a hurry. If you are new to the game (like me) then you will need to stop here and there so you can get to Repco or SuperCheap and get that elusive part or tool. Get another car if you can while you work on the bus.
Here's some stuff I can say with confidence:
- Go and buy some new (clean) leather gardening gloves. Wear them whenever you unbolt anything. Your k nuckles will thank you.
- Marke everything you take off like it's your new religion. Get some masking tape and a texta and stick labels on every part. Write the part's name, position, what is top, left, right etc. It is tempting to think that you will simply remember what each thing is and where it goes, but when it's all on the floor of your shed, you'll have know clue!
- Get the Muir book AND an official manual for your model. Use them both. At times they will contradict each other and you can decide then who to trust or what sounds like it makes more sense to you.
- Read, Read, Read. If you are unsure of anything you are about to do stop. Google it. Ask someone. Post a Q here. Don't just go ahead on your own. Take a few deep breaths and start again tomorrow when you've done your homework and have more confidence.
- Clean everything like it's your other new religion. Kero is great for getting greasy muck off the parts andcase, but you'll also want a good degreaser to rinse that off or for washing big stuff (get a big stiff scrubbing brush). Take your muffler, heater boxes etc and sneak down to that big carwash near your place when nobody's looking. Lay it all out on the floor in there and go mad with that big soap squirter and hi pressure thing. I have found a great satisfaction in just handling the clean parts. Makes you feel like a pro and I feel there's a pride in it.
Might think of some more stuff and post it for you later.
In the mean time, anyone got words of wisdom in bolting on my heads? The head reco guy said to use a gasket at both ends of the cylinder (the ones in the gasket kit). Should I still lap them into the heads?