Engine Build - Type1 1969 Westfalia

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:27 pm

Well, since I haven't seen him chime in yet...

Got together with Bob this afternoon, pistons are balanced .. as good as they're gonna get. Swapping pins around got us to a 3.5g spread between heaviest and lightest ones, but the balancing pads are dinky and just didn't have enough material to get us to exact balance (+/- 0.1g). Broken into pairs, one is exactly balanced, the other is off by 2.3g. When I left, they were set with the exact-balanced pair marked as 1 & 3 and the off-balanced pair marked as 2 & 4. Brazilian Mahle's, in case anyone's curious.

I'm thinking the balancing we did is "good enough". Factory tolerance allows a 5g weight difference; they were closer than that out of the box .. and even closer now.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:42 pm

The cylinders are now sparkin' clean, washed them in the sink just now.
A most busy day, got a lot done. 1/2 of the exhaust is now stripped and repainted with hitemp stuff. Oven cleaner takes th old paint right off, good stuff, tastes like vanilla too.
And thanks to the mysterious Bookwus who showed up, bearing necessary doghouse bits and an intecepted UPS truck to boot. Truly the giver of gifts! Thanks very much, and also that part has now been painted shiny black.
Tomorrow I hope to paint the cylinders and maybe work on the fan shroud some more. It's been a greasy mess like a '70s buick iron block with 300,000 miles and bad rings. After repeated soakings and judicous scrubbing it's starting to resemble what it should.
Then next week, out comes the old engine...
Thanks Hal for all your help today.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:25 am

Did you put a light oil film on the inside of the cylinders? Otherwise you can get some rusting.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:34 am

Right on!! Pictures?? Red rover red rover send engine building Hal right over?

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:49 am

spiffy wrote:Right on!! Pictures??

I think Boookwus has some pics he took .. I was too busy trying to shave weight off pistons to take pictures, and didn't bring my camera in any case...

Bookwus · Post by **Bookwus** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:52 am

Hiya Hal,

tristessa wrote:......I think Boookwus has some pics he took.....

Hey! That's my cue!
Here's Hal shaving pistons........

He has a really nifty digital scale that looks like it was made for weighing VW pistons. I'm a gadget kinda guy and I was impressed with this little bugger! Hal, you wanna weigh some more pistons?

And here's a shot of the heart of Hammy's new engine....

I am insanely jealous! Santa was good to Bob (as well as his daughter!) I really like that counterweighted crank.

dhoch14 · Post by **dhoch14** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:53 am

I'd like to come to the next helpathon if possible. even if I'm just washing and scrubbing I could use the VW time. :)

good to know the rebuild is coming along.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:47 pm

Bob, let me know if you need the flywheel tool before Nehalem and I'll send it to you.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:37 pm

Thanks man. I think Nehalem will be ok.
I am enjoying the tremendous outpouring of support! I've always been on my own for these sort of projects, this has been markedly different. Lots of fun! Especially to challenge my solitary nature. And it's heartwarming to know there are folks out there that give a crap. So thanks.
Here's the latest, getting ready for the Big Pull. Engine is coming out this Saturday.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:28 pm

mmmmm shiny parts!!!

Looks clammy there, oh the armpit rust

I'll bring ya the bling in a few weeks den.

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:38 pm

hambone wrote:

Purty. Thin coat, right?

Let them dry until at least Monday evening, then bake. Either A) in the oven at 170F for 4 hours, or B) in a foil-lined box with a 100W lightbulb ( heat source) for 12 hours or so. Gotta get that stuff *cured* after it's dried or it'll burn off when you break in the engine .. been there done that. Without a dedicated oven for engine stuff, use B). Keeps smell out of the house and petroleum products away from your food-cooking equipment. Though that does look suspiciously like your dining room table...

I see a flywheel lock hanging behind me in that piston-balancing picture, dunno why I didn't notice it when I was STANDING RIGHT THERE IN YOUR GARAGE.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:46 pm

Why bother painting the cylinders?

justgimmecoffee · Post by **justgimmecoffee** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:54 pm

what 'bout the case? Painted or....

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:55 pm

tristessa wrote:I see

Hal, you can get the pistons to perfect by grinding the pistons at the wrist pin line, just go into the aluminum and delicately do a little grinding up towards the oil ring groove on each side of the wrist pin bore.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:58 pm

The red is removable material?

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Engine Build - Type1 1969 Westfalia