[Vwdiesel] Low oil pressure cause on 1.6 NA discovered

[Shawn Wright]

On 20 May 2005 at 9:26, Area31 Research Facility <stephensrw at stn.net> wrote:

> The first engine I obtained and installed in my stationary power generator
> project was a 1984, 1.6 NA that I pulled fom a Jetta.  After building the
> plant I discovered that the engine had almost no oil pressure once warmed
> up.  It was very temperature related indicating that oil viscocity alone was
> doing the pressure regulation.  I had always assumed that the problem must be a
> stuck open bypass regulator in the oil pump.  Last night I finally got a chance
> to pull the pan from this engine to investigate.  Although I cannot rule out
> problems with the oil pump I DID SEE a problem that would on it's own cause the
> oil pressure loss.
> 
> This engine had been worked on as the pan was found to have been last
> installed without a gasket and just RTV.  It did not leak BTW.  On the
> timing belt end of the engine (I call this the front) the thin metal strip
> representing the bearing on the intermediate shaft is curling out of where
> it should be.  I can see the entire end of it with locking keyway.  About a full
> 1/3rd of the bearing is displaced into open air.  I guess someone damaged this
> during installation of the intermediary shaft and didn't realize it.
> 
> I plan to pull the stuff off the front and slide the intermediary shaft
> forward enough to change this bearing.  Anything I should know?

Only that if you have to slide it far enough to remove the front bearing, you might as 
well pull it right out. And then, you should do both bearings, or at least 
measure/inspect the other one, they are cheap. I'll be interested to hear if the bearing 
surface was coming apart as mine were, or if yours is just a case of sloppy 
installation.

Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D 
'88 Westy 2.1L, soon to be 1.6TD 5 speed
 (see progress at http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels)
'82 Diesel Westy