Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

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Amskeptic
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Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:43 am

"Above All, Do No Harm" That is the hippocratic oath, a warning to medical students that sometimes inaction is the best course of treatment. I have sometimes counselled my clients to leave the thing alone, that Volkswagens are sometimes surprisingly robust and resilient. Take for example Belle Plaine's recent report in the Miami I thread that his engine is still doing its thing two years after we diagnosed a loose #1 main bearing.

Stunningly, I have gotten myself into another endplay fiasco, but this one I caused harm. In my brain here, I have been called into the boss' office (prefrontal cortex) this Monday morning, door plaque says,
"I Am Your Conscience".
My customers frequently allege to have read the "Itinerary Speil" (or is it the "Details/Deposits" thread?) where I state:
THE HENCEFORTH AND FORTHWITH
I am a consultant. You are paying for my knowledge. If I pick up a tool, it is to hand it to you. I could not and cannot should not and shall not accept liability for any of the work performed on your vehicle nor any incidental consequential coincidental consequent incident outsident accident coincident and subsequent to our visit.


My visit with againes513 started well enough . . . look at the lovely peaceful morning shot of a VW owner's mailbox:
Image

We had things to do on his tastefully set up 1971 bus, like switch these side windows around so the vents are in the front, thank you very much:
Image

We removed the engine to replace a leaking main seal/flywheel o-ring. The air conditioner/external oil cooler-filter-fan/big 40IDA Webers made the engine compartment a snake pit, but it was actually pretty well done, and it slowed us down only a couple of hours:
Image

The endplay was not horrible at .005", but the fact that there were only two shims was. These two curled suckers looked like they had 160,000 miles on them, not the 3,000 that this engine had accumulated:
Image

We determined that the builder could not get enough endplay with the requisite three shims. So, how were we going to? We could not use the metal spacer that 1600 engines have, not with this EIGHT DOWEL lightened flywheel (folks, do not lighten your flywheel in a bus!! The flywheel stores rotational torque and that is exactly what we need to launch a VW bus from a stop, not to mention that the engine prefers stored energy to smooth out the life of the crankshaft. Lightened flywheels are nice when you are a race boy racing rapidly to nowhere especially important):
Image

We (I) decided that our best course of action was to mill the shim surface of the flywheel .003" and that would allow us to use three shims and get correct endplay. I made some marks on the flywheel denoting .003" and Austin went forth into the Miami underbrush to a machine shop where they milled the flywheel.
"Hey, look at that, we didn't do that, don't worry, we won't charge you." "That" was a drunken gouge and crooked off-center-too-deep cut. Oy, baby, this is not looking good. I sanded down the flywheel with my VW bus mirror and an 80 grit piece of sandpaper out in the painfully glaring light of day the light of glaring foolishness getting ever brighter. Now we had .011" endplay with my very thickest shims.

Weisswurst breezed in with his dualcab Vanagon diesel, so we all drove to againes513's friend's VW shop to select a decent used properly heavy VW 1600 flywheel. Came back to the house. Now we had to remove four of the eight dowels off that crankshaft. Unfortunately, the builder had drilled the additional dowels slightly off center. I lined up the spacer shim, found the original dowels, marked them BLACK so as NOT to remove them! so the newly acquired flywheel could FIT properly. But the incorrectly drilled additional dowels were jammed in that crankshaft solidly. Mr. Itinerant Master Mechanic desperately determined dumbly dubious that maybe the original dowels would be slightly looser and tried to remove one of them. Damaged beyond all doubt, it did come out, and distracted by, get this, also attempting to "supervise" my esteeeemed customer and weisswurst through an overhaul of the 40 IDAs, I accidentally hacked all the original dowels out of the crankshaft with my dremel. See, the surgery required a huge plug of grease protecting the main bearing with two paper towel drapes also coated in grease, with just the dowels sticking out as I attacked with my dremel grinder. I had to bring the beheaded dowel remnants right down to the surface of the crankshaft in all of this paper towel fluff and grease and "yes, that is the idle jet, no that, that one, yes make sure the pump diaphragm is lined up" and I am cursing my very existence and I somehow got out of phase and ground off the good dowels.
And no, the stock flywheel that was to save us, could not fit on the remaining incorrectly drilled additional dowels sticking out of the crankshaft. At this time, againes513 gets more visitors, his parents.
"How's it going?" brightly asks his mother.
Through my shell-shock, "um, we have a problem."
And we do. I am only minutes from declaring defeat. Real Serious Stop Dead It Is F**ked Defeat. Againes513 is looking at me with a dawning realization that this engine may be done. Weisswurst is bursting with good cheer great energy a beer and exceptional helpfulness, and I am darkly sinking into despair. I have destroyed this crankshaft, it is mauled, there is no solution.
*
*
*
*
*
*
Here is againes513's bus in the driveway. We have the engine installed. We are attempting to synchronize the 40IDAs. My Uni-Syn won't fit on the air filter dishes, because the manufacturer must be annoyingly clueless. We do our best by ear, and we drive this classy silver/red interior bus down the street. It is peaky, it is a bit loud, but it drives nicely underway. The idle is choppy. We keep losing a cylinder at idle. I have to leave for New Jersey and I charge againes513 for two days of this cascading disaster?
Image

The above line of asteriks is to give againes513 an opportunity to fill in what we did to get it running.
He is also getting a partial refund. Too bad I enjoyed his company, enjoyed the music! enjoyed meeting up with weisswurst, enjoyed chatting with Enrique, enjoyed the weather when it wasn't a downpour.
Againes513, it was a pleasure to work with you.
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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hambone
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by hambone » Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:14 am

These clenching moments are exactly the time I question "WHY do I do this??????". I think they are just part of the day at the races...keep your head up, nothing is perfect with old cars.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:01 am

I put my freshly rebuilt 1.9TD engine on the road for the 40 mile trip down from Hollywood to Pinecrest and after getting on the highway
it seemed my throttle stuck, ( I later figured out during Colin's drive on the part run I had a "controlled diesel runaway")
This means the newly installed oil breather hoses were feeding the engine oil fumes for it to run on instead of just diesel.
Regardless I made it down in a controlled 55mph max cruise and warned Againes513 that I would be leaving some oil drips in his newly refinished driveway so I was going to park on the street. Againes513 wouldn't hear of it and demanded I park next to BobD and I happily obliged.
arrive colin.JPG
I paid tribute to the BobD (never seen in person before :cyclopsani: and then greeting Colin and my kind host againes513.
They were already busy so I asked for tasks and was rewarded with many and the day was shaping out to be just what I was hoping,
new friends and a whole lot of VW fellowship! :flower:

cont on next post...
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:08 am

Having trouble posting all the pics so bear with me on the multiple posts please :pale:

having determined we were in need of parts we loaded into the Okey Doka with Colin at the wheel of an over-reving diesel
to give againes513 a shifting lesson with me in the back with the "fixed glass" windows feeling a bit warm in the Florida heat :sunny:
colin austin drv.JPG
We stopped briefly to pull the breather hose to reduce the idle to normal and allow Colin to examine the front Tow Bracket hanging on the front of the DoubleCab so when Colin gives the parking lesson he can "allow" for it!





cont...
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:11 am

arrival at the the "Wiz" for parts and a some more VW fellowship with Enrique who promised me he would find all those "old diesel parts"
he had somewhere for me one day!
photo 2.JPG
we also saw a very rusty splittie that was in bad shape :pale:
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:12 am

:pukeright:
Attachments
split rust.JPG
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:15 am

On the way back I got to ride "up front" with Papa Colin and we all were having alot of fun!
Colin even fixed my loose shift ball with a filthy rag he had handy (no not the shorts or the shirt he was wearing) ! :pirate:
jeff and austin pass.jpg
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:17 am

Papa Colin driving the kids home...
colin doka drv.jpg
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

Boxcar
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by Boxcar » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:19 am

yep. holy itinerant crap! such effort, and undue error.

I do not loathe work banter. the dowel mistaking kind though is TOUGH to encounter.

looking forward to Againes513 lost moments..

A)what kind of burr,bit does one use to surgically remodel crank dowels?

It did seem to be brilliant TRIAGE..
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:23 am

We got back to a great lunch, (thanks againes513!) and proceeded to work on carbs and end-play adjustments.
I even had a cool moment of steadying the engine for an adjustment and saw Againes513's bus looking back at us in
the door of the bobD and took an artistic shot of it for y'all!
bob in bobD.jpg
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:26 am

All in all I saw Colin save the crankshaft and make the old flywheel work with the perfect endplay measurement in the end (literally)
so it was great to learn how to "make it work" with what you have which is what the IAC is all about in roadside repairs.
austin carb.jpg
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

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weisswurst
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by weisswurst » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:29 am

And the then the daylight began to wane and I had to bid them goodbye as I promised the Doka I would get home before sundown!
I leave you all with my parting shot of the oil spot I left for Againes513 to remember me by.... :geek:
oil spot.jpg
jeff
"I drink, therefore yes ma'am..."

Boxcar
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by Boxcar » Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:17 pm

nice.
a story of getting it done in a day.Or a little more. fairly amazing, and diligent.
mechanical,
personal
and storyline development.
yeay for proper endplay.

maybe I will ask in person as to that bit which grinds crankdowels..must be spinning it with a?dremel?die grinder?mere mortal inquiry..
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:47 am

Boxcar wrote: maybe I will ask in person as to that bit which grinds crankdowels..must be spinning it with a?dremel?die grinder?mere mortal inquiry..
A ) Never Grind Off Crankshaft Dowels . . . Ever.

B ) It is a very dangerous undertaking, like planting flowers around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant , or eating raw sushi while performing open heart surgery.

C ) I used a simple cutting wheel. I am not proud of it either. I wanted to pull the dowels cleanly, but they would not budge with the tools we had at hand.

Againes513, if you read this, we need your cold valve adjustment numbers and the compression test numbers, I forgot to mention it in the email/PM.
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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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Miami II

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:52 am

hambone wrote:nothing is perfect with old cars.
Nothing is perfect with ANY car if your mind is not focused. I am glad weisswurst posted his photographs to remind me that we were having "fun".
Colin :cyclopsani:
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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