[Vwdiesel] ( the PO curse ) and ring job

[Bart Wineland]

This isn't actually the PO but the re builder but of course you are right. 
When you buy an engine out the back of a pickup you are pretty much at the 
mercy of the guy. I knew that. At the time my choice was buy his "rebuilt" 
or the one I finally located from a junkyard for the same money. There just 
aren't a lot to choose from around here.  I did get 25k miles from his 
engine which is more than the 12k miles that is standard warranty on 
rebuilds but obviously I hoped for more. Given a choice today I would take 
a running engine with 100k on it that had not been opened up over a 
"rebuilt" from someone I don't know. I have refrained from bad mouthing the 
guy. I still want to believe he thinks he sold me a good engine.

My flywheel and TDC are correct. I had the head off twice now and was 
careful to have #1 at tdc and the flywheel pointer is right where it is 
supposed to be and had the cam at the right position when setting the head 
back on.  The car starts instantly and sounds good and was 40 degrees 
outside this morning so I want to think timing is close. It runs with 
nearly as much power as it ever had. This morning I noticed it hardly 
smoked when cold but as it warmed smoked more and more especially if I run 
the rpm's up high between gears. If I shift at lower rpms between traffic 
lights it doesn't smoke nearly as much. The smoke smells like oil and I 
added a quart this morning after 200 miles total since the new 
rings.  Maybe I need to give it more time which has been suggested. It is 
just that it is acting just like it did before I put the rings and rod 
bearings in and I figured I must have missed the problem.  The end gap on 
the old rings was over .080" which is better than twice the wear limit so I 
know they were worn. I am not panicking and will drive it for awhile to see 
what happens. I did read the ring seating and  break in procedures and can 
tell you I did not baby it this time.

Bart

At 06:26 AM 11/4/2004 -0800, you wrote:
>I write  this mostly to explain to Bart Wineland   why we ask him to look
>at a lot of things..
>
>Examples :  PO : Brakes were DONE ---right they were done in.   PO :
>
>it is a 5 speed  --- was a 4. (but I had already paid for it)    PO 
>:  Regular oil-changes were done --
>my blotter test produced a TOBYS ASS.-----and on and on.
>
>Bart and ALL  (beginners)  :     The reason for the dipstick test of # 1. 
>Piston
>is to verify that flywheel TDC mark is in the right position.
>Normally a flywheel is pinned for one position.  BUT enter the PO curse.
>We have members who knows of timing marks being in the wrong place.  Making
>TIMING a difficult job. ----   I just make a new mark --never had to so far.
>Must be a very rare sickness on a Rabbit.
>
>Hagar.
>
>PS :   For a good hillbilly TUNER   ?   NO mark needed.
>
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