Itinerant Air-Cooled

Stoopiditee is the short answer. The windows went in beautifully, even the windshield. A tiny bit of rubber was curled up, so I smacked the corner with the palm of my hand...in exactly the wrong temperature / angle / something...and splits all up the passenger side. Highly annoying.

Anyhoo, as for the brakes: I can't get the cylinder to pump up at all, but I still have the rear of the car three feet off the ground for my impending engine repull.

I'm sort of in a cluster with event timing. It looks like it will be a month before I get back on the beetle to do anything.

We are back to rainy days, and, even with new window seals, my floor pans are still full. So, my theory is the air intake vent...which is full of rat nests and dirt. Where does the outlet drain end up?

cegammel wrote:Where does the outlet drain end up?

It better end down. I do not know the specifics of the bug, but my Squareback's intake plenum drained through a visible hose to the edge of the gas tank through the floorboard. It would readily clog with leaves and crap until I cut a notch on the lower edge of the hose to ensure rapid drainage.

viewtopic.php?p=54834#p54810

If the super beetle is the samw, thwn my outlet may be missing altogether. I hope to snake it out this weekend.

Back in town, and back on the beetle. Engine is out, due to endplay of .041. Discovered thrust bearing slop, and so began full tear down. Both heads have hairline cracks between the valves...can I peen these? Or just not worry about them?

This engine is strange...end play was way out, but everything else inside looks newish. I have not checked bearings yet...but the camshaft rods, and pistons look good. Pistons are marked "IND BRAS". Does this mean replaced with Brazilian pistons?

Final pronouncement: all bearings are within plastigauge specs. It appears that the engine was relatively recently rebuilt, and the thrust saddle was undercut by 1 mm...then, for some reason, the builder put in a standard thrust bearing...so, a 22mm bearing on a 21mm saddle...thus my endplay issue. Alternatively, the bearing has slammed a full mm of the case away... without doing massive damage to the rest of the case. Either way, the current plan is to get the correct bearings and then see if any more machining is necessary. In the process of slapping that bearing back and forth, the dowel pin has augered its hole pretty well...is JB Weld an acceptable repair here?

Thanks!

cegammel wrote:It appears that the engine was relatively recently rebuilt, and the thrust saddle was undercut by 1 mm...then, for some reason, the builder put in a standard thrust bearing...so, a 22mm bearing on a 21mm saddle...thus my endplay issue. Alternatively, the bearing has slammed a full mm of the case away...

My vote is for the first option. Magnesium is more robust than most machinists these days.

In the process of slapping that bearing back and forth, the dowel pin has augered its hole pretty well...is JB Weld an acceptable repair here?

I do not know about the JBW. I do know that some local home engine builders in San Diego have had a local speed shop drill a new hole for the dowel pin elsewhere in the case. If you go this route, make sure they had a balanced breakfast, drank their coffee, and made love to their spouse. You don't want careless or unmotivated work here. This is likely not even a "valid" or professional repair, but they were budget-minded and the cars were not country-crossing work horses.

Good luck!
Robbie

OK...help me out here:

My CASE measures standard (2.559)
My THRUST measures 21mm
My CRANK measures .010 under (2.154)

However, none of my normal parts places carry a bearing set with these particular parameters...Is there a place to request specific bearings or a 'custom' bearing set?

Having the case machined down to fit the bearing may be the best option, but is not really a financial possibility at this point, and I would rather run a franken-engine for a year than let the car sit and rust for that same year...

Thanks!

Whoa...I just found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAAV6Z0a_TA

This guy makes a split ring to fill the gap between the bearing and the thrust surface. That seems to be the cure for my issue...

Welp...having case aligned and the hammered thrust surface turned down. If anyone is in need of a VW shop in south GA, I highly recommend Davis Imports. The owner is a very cool dude, and very reasonably priced.

So you're getting the case properly bored? Good call. You really do want correct bearing clearances. The difference in smoothness is noticeable, and the longevity will increase exponentially.

For future reference, can you make all of your measurements in the same system? Metric system is fine. The King's Foot is also fine, but mixing them together can cause issues. ;)

Robbie

This particular car will be our around town putzer, topping out at 45 mph...

As for measurements, mixed units have been a huge pita, as my caliper is ASE and everything else is metric...almost enough to justify purchasing a metric caliper...

Anyhow, brakes are still kicking my butt. I now have fluid from the left rear, and nowhere else. Letting right rear drip now...it took a full day for gravity to conquer the left side.

I spent most of today scrubbing nuts...and other parts... I also disassembled the rockers, and noticed a tiny oil channel running from the inside of the rocker arm to the valve adjuster screw. Is this channel supposed to prevent frozen threads? It seems like a lot of extra casting...and on this engine...ineffective...

Oh, and I am now up to three dripping wheels! My issue was a clogged bleeder screw on the right rear. Now, the left front is not cooperating. Perseverance...and tires...I need perseverance and tires...