Hi there!

Hey, I'm going to bring my spare APxxx 1800 TypeIV in to a dude to have it rebuilt. Then I'll do the swap into my Bay; the rebuild's a bit beyond me. Anyway, I want to know what to check with the mechanic and what I can look out for on my crappy spare motor to point out for special attention.

For example, I'll check if he uses rebuilt or new heads. I understand that new heads are used, but is brand (ie, who made them) important?
P&C's?
Fuel pump?
Oil cooler - new or flushed?
What to have balanced?

I'll get my spare carbies rebuilt too (as in, rebushed and whatever, not just a new pump diaphragm and gasket). What to check there?

Any ideas and suggestions appreciated. I am rather positive and optimistic (naive?) so I would most likely just assume he's doing a good job and probably not know better if he wasn't.:P I want a smooth and long-lived motor, not something souped-up. She gets regular attention (oil and valves etc...).

Cheers, A.

Oh I did search before posting this, sorry if it's a thing that comes up a lot... But the search function on this forum is so pathetically woeful I got nothing. "Engine AND rebuild" got nothing, for example. I found a few other interesting posts using other quieries, but not really what I was after.

AMC are really the only choice for new heads - BUT their valve seats are rubbish.

People say 2nd hand heads are rubbish but i know that Jax's 1800 rebuilt heads are respected in the circles i moove in

German bearings and P&Cs

balance all moving parts - crank, flywheel, rods and pistons

Ask what compression ratio he is going to get the motor set at. This can be difficult for the novice.
You get a deck height - the gap between the top of the piston and the top of the barrell
Then there is the volume of the head. Small deck and a head volume is better.
These make up the CR

have a look here
http://www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resource/specgeninfo/calcs.htm 

Changing deck without using spacers is difficult.
Changing head volume you need to either flycut to reduce or dig away to open up.

Ask what cam he will use


Well - that is my 2c

I'd also question about what parts they intend to re-use from your motor or ask for a detailed breakdown of what will be done. There is a massive gap between a re-co long block and a turnkey motor.

Regards
Ctefeh

Also ask what followers he is going to use with the cam

Everything mentioned above.Also get in WRITING all the waranty details before you pay for the engine.Make sure the "mechanic" has done a lot of VW engines and ask if you can have contact with past customers...just for piece of mind.

Also, if your rebuild includes anything that isn't stock it could be beneficial to establish that your mechanic has had previous success with the combo, and isn't just experimenting at your expense.

first of all work out how much money you want to spend.

Then work out who you want to give it to.

It may be worth getting a few detailed quotes to ensure comparison of apples....

There is a HUGE amount of info here http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewforum.php?f=1 
or here http://www.tunacan.net/t4/ 

be very carefull and read read read
also jax heads are good and be fastidious about cam selection,you may find it better to change to 2lt to move the bus :beer:beer:beer

Wow, quick responses! Go Team AVD! Thanks.

I have had a good read of the tunacan site, cheers. Righto, german P&Cs and bearings. I'll go stock cam and stuff (no hydraulics in '74), and I'll check on the lifters. I was planning on new heads - is the problem with these dropped valves? I presume that there are measures I can take to reduce the risk, such as regular adjustments (which I do already anyway) and not overheating it.

EDIT: Oh, I already have a 1.8l motor spare. It's the same case as the 2.0 right, but I'm not sure about the gearbox bellhousing - seems more effort than it'd be worth I reckon to change to 2l. She's not a camper, just about empty, so quite 'light', for a bus.

I was thinking of Volkspeed in Bayswater, Melbourne. Heard good things about his motors, so I'll go there and have a chat. Then come back here with a few questions no doubt!

Thanks all, cheers, A.

[ Edited on 1-11-06 by aggri1 ]

If you need to tell him/her anything...................then I wouldn't be using them to rebuild the motor.

Do you tell your Doctor how to operate on you ?!

Your right Craig - they should just hand the $$$ over and have faith in the mechanic. :jesus

I NEVER get a second opinion from a doctor - especially if they recommend surgery. They are a doctor. They know best. Never do the wrong thing :thumb :P:P

Be serious - the buyer should ask questions. You know there are many ways to buid a motor. Mechanics dont always offer choices.

The heads for example. You cant tell me many respectable mechanics wouldnt just wack a set of new heads on???

Balancing - not always offered. Wise choice - costs more. Worth it for some one who is going to keep the motor. Not worth it if you are going to fix up and sell

Whatever............there are some answers/questions Aurel can make their own mind up

:thumb



[ Edited on 2-11-2006 by Bizarre ]

'''''''''DO NOT'''''''''' under any circumstances use a stock cam , they are shit, not metalurlugically but grind .
go back to stf and search and be absolutly certain you get new matching lifters to match the cam or if you are getting it reground make sure the same reprofiler does the lifters as well

you can not get 1800 P&C kits anymore. You will have to try for 0.5mm oversize pistons and bore the barrels. Make sure they get someone who knows to clamp the barrels down to machine them. I got the pistons from Tooleys before I moved, so get them to try them if the mechanic says unavailable.
Problem with old heads I believe is the metal is so soft from years of hot/cold that the seats are not held tightly anymore. Everyone I knew in the industry in Melbourne was using new heads. Although I have heard good things about Jax heads, just never used them...
andrew

Hi all, thanks again for your answers, all appreciated.
Cheers, A.

for a cam id talk to richard at v force as i know he supplied me one including the set of lifters for less than i could buy a cam for from others.

Volkspeed is a good place to go to, the guy is very knowledgeable, you just gotta get him talking and then he's full of good info. And I'm sure he's rebuilt a million VW engines.

the standard 1800s revs nice because they have larger valves, not because they are 1800, IYKWIM. Any VW tech should know that

Add the 10% capacity while you can...!

[ Edited on 10-11-2006 by VWCOOL ]

Dieter is definately the best for recos in Vic. He uses the same oversize KS pistons and rebores the cylinders.
Ive never had problems with his work, ever.
Sometimes a bit of a wait. But you never eat in an empty restraunt do you!!
Im sure you will be happy with his work...

This old thread!

Well the motor swap went well except for the Dansk heater box which wasn't square, took me a lot of filing to make that bugger fit.

Wow, is all I can say about the new motor - so smooth and quiet! She can go up hills (not mountains, der!) in 4th gear now! And NO OIL underneath the bus. NOT A SINGLE DROP, I am so stoked. And, I honestly got less than 11litres per hundred km over the last 1000km with the new motor. Doing 85-90km/h on mostly country roads, but still... I'm happy with that.

Schweeeeet!

Cheers, A.

Good to hear!

It's all bog stock standard 1800 parts. I got new Kolbenschmidt p&c's and a new cluctch kit. AMC heads. Re-using the crappy danish heat exchanger on one side - last time I buy one of those. Same old dizzy, and carbies tuned for the rooted old motor, just until the rebuilt carbies are reassembled and tuned. Stock camshaft - I know someone recommended against it, but stock all works together, and when you change this you need to change that and then that and it goes on and on and I just can't be arsed 'cause the stock motor goes fast enough for me. If I want to hoon I'll take out the Splitta (hehe, not really policeman!).

You know, this is really weird - last night I was driving along suburban roads, and I started hearing a noise (I preferred the voices actually, this noise was so unnerving). It occurred at moderate to high (say ~3300RPM) engine speeds, and with very low throttle, as in when deccelerating. Rattle rattle rattle. It's not valves, but I'm going to check those anyway. Oh man, please can someone tell me it's not a loose rod. I don't know whether I could face that. (OK, I know, you can't tell me that, but any suggestiong as to what I could do to check anything at all would be welcome). {EDIT: Oil temp never got above 105*C, and I've revved this motor to 4000RPM ONCE. It's 2500km old now.}

Haha, life is so funny. Can't let it get you down ey?

Cheers, A.

[ Edited on 12-2-07 by aggri1 ]

loose tin??