[Vwdiesel] The good the bad and the ugly...

[Mark Shepherd]

The point I was trying to get at was engines are machined to tolerances that although small; have a pronounced effect on running...even with the best oil in the world... this is the same reason burglars can pick locks! 

The Miser 




Formerly discussion of old/dirty but healthy engine v clean but worn out newbie... 

Imagine three engines coming off the production line all identical and going into for example three Rabbits.. 

For simplification we'll call them Tom; Dick & Harry 

Tom a typical car runs well gets treated reasonable and from time to time has minor faults that require fixing... seals go after 100,000 miles head gasket leaks after 120000' rings gradually wear and replaced after 150000.... A typical engine?? 

Dick however is a bitch... rings break after 30000. Bores wear quickly; timing belts need changing between due dates because they tend to fray on one edge... always runs a little lumpy and 2/3 of the fuel economy of Tom... Pistons wear oval after 100000... owner glad to see the back of car..[sells it to Nate ;o)] 

Harry is everyones dream ecoomic from the start...exceeds stated economy... never any problem old belts look like new belts 100000 miles owner decides to give the car a birthday ...precautionary replacement head gasket and whip sump off to check for wear at bottom end... pistons big ends little ends crank end float: all no perceptable wear No cylinder wear...nothing... 

My point is excepting abuse engines' destinys are preordained to a great extent... 
I had a 'Harry' once... unfortunately Harrys body was a little poor and whilst awaiting repairs was vandalised by some young tearaways.... 
I kept the engine for about 15 years before 'giving' it to a collector for peanuts.. No it wasnt a VW: :o( .. it was a Fiat sports engine.. 
. 



Mark (The Miser)Uk 
"There's nothing more stimulating than driving past a bonfire and then realising it's your car that's smokin"

-- 

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