Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

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jimbear
Getting Hooked!
Location: Athens, GA
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by jimbear » Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:21 pm

OK. See my previous post and the link to 2017 IAC visit to see how I got here...and here is where I am--

I picked up a brand spanking new set of HAM heads about three months ago. They are sitting in the back of the bus. The old heads are off and the engine has just been sitting waiting for me to order all seals and other items to replace and reassemble. That being said, I also drained the oil and it has been sitting like this for about four months...is this bad? Geesh, it would be just my luck.

I am looking to start reassembly within the next two weeks. Per this image, am I cool putting the heads on at this point? Any clean-up? Just get them on there?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1653159.jpg

Any other suggestions or recommendations? Also, does anybody know of a tutorial/step by step out there (short of the rebuild book) for reassembling all time and what-not. Thanks in advance.
'74 Hardtop Westy
Pretty much stock engine setup

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Amskeptic
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:06 pm

jimbear wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:21 pm
OK. See my previous post and the link to 2017 IAC visit to see how I got here...and here is where I am--

I picked up a brand spanking new set of HAM heads about three months ago. They are sitting in the back of the bus. The old heads are off and the engine has just been sitting waiting for me to order all seals and other items to replace and reassemble. That being said, I also drained the oil and it has been sitting like this for about four months...is this bad? Geesh, it would be just my luck.

I am looking to start reassembly within the next two weeks. Per this image, am I cool putting the heads on at this point? Any clean-up? Just get them on there?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1653159.jpg

Any other suggestions or recommendations? Also, does anybody know of a tutorial/step by step out there (short of the rebuild book) for reassembling all time and what-not. Thanks in advance.
Jim, there are so many little ministrations and details, that I wouldn't know where to begin. You have evidence of oil getting past the rings, I think we talked about that last year. Are you prepared to have oil consumption issues?

#1 You have to make sure that the bottoms of the cylinders do not get jarred loose because that will cause leaks at the cylinder-to-crankcase spigots. Use two cylinder head nuts across from each other and spacers to bolt down the cylinders snuggishly.

#2 Cover the pistons/cylinders with cardboard and saran wrap punched over the head nuts so you can thread chase each cylinder head stud. This is important. Vacuum area thoroughly as you remove saran wrap/cardboard. One little tiny chip on a cylinder wall, and yer out.

#3 Clean the heck out of everything you can see - but be careful not to drive grit in between the pistons and cylinders. Use oil to help loosen, suspend, and drain out any filth that is there between the cylinder walls and pistons. Put pistons, one at a time to TDC and scrape off the carbon (with plastic if possible), followed by chemical (carb spray) wipe down followed by oil rinse. You have to very carefully clean the cylinders where they contact the heads. Make sure that they are smooth, no nicks. Then, one at a time, you need to lower the piston down the cylinder and wipe up the debris left on the cylinder walls. You have to remain fully aware of each cylinder! Each cylinder needs to be wiped on the downstroke, add oil, and no cylinder can have a piston go up without cleaning the debris deposits and adding a light coat of oil. Repeat this until there is no debris being left on the down stroke. You'll find that you are doing pairs of cylinders front pair 1 & 3 then rear pair 2 & 4, rinse repeat a few times. Cylinders must be secure.

It goes on and on, it really does. You should check deck height. Did Len give you deck height requirement? Did he tell you your ledge/combustion chamber volumes? You need to check the compression ratio based on his readings.
ColinButSpringIsComing
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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jimbear
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by jimbear » Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:37 pm

Here is what Len had to say:

>>>As for deck ht, you need a minimum of 1mm. The heads comes with a .8mm step which counts toward the deck ht.. You'll add that value to whatever you have in the jugs. So if you have .2mm deck in the jugs add that to the .8mm in the heads for a total deck ht of 1mm.

I believe by ledge volumes you mean deck ht. The volume of the step in the heads is 5cc's. A full 1mm deck on a 93mm bore will be 6.8cc's<<<

As for the rest of your reply above, I need to process it and have not had time.
'74 Hardtop Westy
Pretty much stock engine setup

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tommu
Old School!
Location: Sunny Burbank
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by tommu » Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:22 pm

Wouldn't be a bad idea to swap out those pistons and rings while you're at it.

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jimbear
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by jimbear » Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:27 pm

Back. I would like to thanks Colin for his visit LAST April. After our meeting I determined that a rebuild was in order. The engine is off to Clyde at Clyde's Air Cooled in Athens, GA. The rebuild will be proceeding imminently. Updates forthcoming.
'74 Hardtop Westy
Pretty much stock engine setup

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Amskeptic
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Re: Jimbear's '74 Hardtop Westy UPDATED

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:46 pm

jimbear wrote:
Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:27 pm
Back. I would like to thanks Colin for his visit LAST April. After our meeting I determined that a rebuild was in order. The engine is off to Clyde at Clyde's Air Cooled in Athens, GA. The rebuild will be proceeding imminently. Updates forthcoming.

HAH? Who woke me up? Who's Colin?
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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