October 02 (not so) Disabled (edit 10-10)

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Amskeptic
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October 02 (not so) Disabled (edit 10-10)

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:59 am

Was trying to reduce .007" end play. Got bolloxed up by a loose front main bearing. Just snapped the gland nut inside the crankshaft. Currently trying to find gland nut, get transportation, get engine back together with almost .004" of axial bearing movement in the case. Once you add the correct end play, the above .007" should have been left well enough alone.

Once again, the perfect is the enemy of the good 'nuff.
Colin :geek:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Randy in Maine
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Randy in Maine » Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:43 am

Stuff like that happens to you also?

Now I don't feel so special.
79 VW Bus

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Jivermo » Fri Oct 02, 2015 11:37 am

Where are you at this time?

cegammel
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by cegammel » Fri Oct 02, 2015 12:56 pm

If on the 75 corridor, I can be there soon enough...with AAA...

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Oct 02, 2015 2:13 pm

cegammel wrote:If on the 75 corridor, I can be there soon enough...with AAA...
No, sorry, I did not specify.

This was an Elective Surgery, not a breakdown. This engine has been running splendidly, but I did not like the end play creeping into the wear limit zone . . . ergo, "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good 'nuff." I am stranded at my brother's house, out of the rain but damp and cold, nonetheless.

I discovered, due to my compulsive attention to too many details, that the front main bearing appears to be loose in the case, the end play is a whole lot of bearing movement, and the actual end play was actually consistent at .0035" almost all summer, but the damn case saddle is loosening. I cannot believe my numbers, I cannot believe how the dial indicator is playing fast and loose with my sanity, I cannot believe the bearing is moving as much as the pulley is telling me, and I am re-doing all of my calculations.

The good news is, I already have a new (free) used Volkswagen German Gland Nut from a very nice and busy shop up in Jasper GA, instead of this appallingly cheap chinese piece of crap that seems to be a potmetal facsimile. I am amazed this thing let me take the flywheel off previously.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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wcfvw69
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by wcfvw69 » Fri Oct 02, 2015 3:09 pm

Colin,

I think it's time.. It truly is. Get some good penetrating oil. Soak your wallet with said product. Grab a suitable pry bar and PRY it open.. Blow out the dust..

Chloe's heart needs surgery. It's time to split the case and do that exploratory surgery and refresh her. She's been loyal, dependable and honest.. It's time to give back Mister...
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:47 am

wcfvw69 wrote:Colin,

I think it's time.. It truly is. Get some good penetrating oil. Soak your wallet with said product. Grab a suitable pry bar and PRY it open.. Blow out the dust..

Chloe's heart needs surgery. It's time to split the case and do that exploratory surgery and refresh her. She's been loyal, dependable and honest.. It's time to give back Mister...
In the middle of a phone call with hobug, I had an epiphany. This crankcase was in fact welded when Bookwus blew a rod. The case is not valuable to me. This epiphany relieved me of the burden to protect fine German engineering. It is a Brazilian AS-41, already deeply compromised. I have nothing to lose.
It is a new game of seeing how many miles it'll run. I may throw in a set of bearings at some point. I will see how long these happy flea-market Yuma heads last. I will just drive this engine. And relax. And look for a new case.
I will need pretty much a whole engine to have as a plug-n-play rebuild.
My wallet is not where I need to pry. I have, I do, I will pay whatever is necessary for top quality. It has been, it is, and will be ever thus. Where I have to pry, at this point, is my energy store.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Jivermo » Sat Oct 03, 2015 10:07 am

Well said. See you soon.

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asiab3
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by asiab3 » Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:37 pm

Lucky you, I had to pry the wallet AND the energy AND the patience ooooh the patience.......

Sorry to hear about the troubles, but I'm glad you're at piece with Chloe's condition. When you gave my original engine the "wtf is that vibration" diagnosis a few years ago, I was so so relieved that I could stop spending my time trying to make it perfect. It was a fun six months of driving without feeling a single pang of remorse for abusing it.

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:16 am

asiab3 wrote:I'm glad you're at piece with Chloe's condition.
Robbie
Yeah, I am at piece, in pieces, like my car, but I am not at-peace, not yet . . . :geek:

I have to pull my engine AGAIN tonight.
I have lost a quick $1,000.00 of income due to cancelled visits because I missed the flywheel index mark and the engine is now once again horribly out of balance, just like the first time I drove it in Portland Oregon on October 5th, 2011 . . . :blackeye:

Folks, don't be stubborn.
Don't work through fatigue and pain.
Don't work in an uncomfortable, poorly-lit environment.
Don't be stupid. For example:
a) don't install your engine THEN discover that it doesn't rotate.
(you'll have to take the engine out again)

b) don't readjust the end play and install the engine THEN discover that the flywheel o-ring is sitting RIGHT THERE next to you.
(you'll have to take the engine out again)

c) don't say "fukket" when your index mark is now indiscernable and you vaguely guess in the damp darkness where the flywheel should be.
(you'll have to take the engine out again)
Colin

(did I mention, don't snap the damn 36mm gland nut in half? You'll have to drive 68 miles in the rain with your unregistered other car to the nice man who has a replacement gland nut for you)

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BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Bleyseng
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Bleyseng » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:48 pm

I am still wondering how you snapped it in half? During tightening it or loosening it?
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/

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Amskeptic
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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Oct 06, 2015 8:51 am

Bleyseng wrote:I am still wondering how you snapped it in half? During tightening it or loosening it?
Tightening. It was a Saturday cartoon moment . . .
ColinItIsTuesdayNow
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: October 02 Disabled

Post by VW Treasure » Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:29 pm

Good evening Colin;
I found out through Ian that you had been having engine issues and were running behind schedule. I'm sorry to hear that. When life throws lemons at us, all we can do is make the best of the situation (real cold lemonade)! Looking forward to having you work on my bus. As I'm sure you're aware, I'm waiting to hear back from Adrian as to when my engine will be finished and shipped back, as well as how long it will take to reach Miami. If the planets align, this should happen by the time you get yours going again. Worse case scenario, we'll be working on a million other projects such as dashboard intallation, wiring issues, sliding door latch, small parts, etc. Tomorrow after talking to Adrian I'll have a better idea and will get back to you. Good luck with your bus!

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Re: October 02 (not so) Disabled (edit 10-10)

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:13 pm

I apologize for all the post deleting, but I have to clear the deck here. Yes, I need to put an engine build thread together to join the ranks of you all who have one. I think they are an excellent resource/archive to return to.

This thread, however, needs to remain in the grit, the wet, the panic, the fury, the despair wrought by moment-to-moment screw ups and idiocy.

Due to the fact that I did not update people in a timely fashion as to the walking dead resurrection of Chloe's engine, I decided to leave Atlanta for Miami yesterday with a vibrating engine that seemed tolerable enough at 3,200-3,500 rpm. I was planning to torture it only one-way where I could then replace this current flywheel and pressure plate with a pre-arranged balanced set acquired from Enrique ( Wizard VW Works?) in Miami.

Alas, I checked my PMs this morning and discovered that VW Treasure's Headflow Masters engine has yet to be shipped, againes513 is actually not available until November, and I am apparently a couple of weeks early when I sure as heck thought I was a week late! So, I turned around in Macon GA, and just got home from a hellacious Friday afternoon/evening commute that went slow enough to place the engine smack in the middle of the worst vibration (1,500-2,200 rpm) through the I-75 Atlanta reconstruction zone.

And here I now sit for the next couple of weeks. Maybe I will be able to re-schedule greenolivemedia? Maybe I can drop the engine and clean the gas tank and replace the alternator and fuel pump on that very possibly only 41,000 mile-old orange 1977 Westy for auser? Maybe I can find a flywheel / pressure plate and get them balanced here in Atlanta? Maybe I can survive my sister-in-law and brother? Stay tuned.
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: October 02 (not so) Disabled (edit 10-10)

Post by sgkent » Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:51 pm

if your flywheel does not come thru I dropped by Eric's place today in W. Sacto. He has a clean 200 mm German flywheel already surfaced for $80. I don't know if it has been balanced but you would need a pressure plate first to balance it anyway. I'd use the diaphragm style if your bell housing will work with it. I've seen some bad vibration problems with finger clutches when one finger gets a little higher or lower than the others.
TBone208 wrote: "You ppl are such windbags. Go use your crystal ball to get rich & predict something meaningful. Nobody knows what's going to happen. How are we supposed to take ppl who don't know the definition of a recession & "woman" seriously?"

Merlin The Wrench

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