[Vwdiesel] replacing crankshaft

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/19/2006 4:34:09 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
quantum-man at hotmail.co.uk writes:

> >Great advice
> >But...
> >Why would anyone re-ring an engine that had good compression and minimal 
> >visual bore damage?

  It's called the "wear accelerates wear principle" or 'growing up with 
cheapskate farmers all your life principle."  ;-)
  In other words while you're all the way in there...  I've never torn down a 

VW diesel that couldn't use a new set of rings iirc.  Like anything else, 
pull one piston, carefully pull the top ring put it in the bore and then flip 

the piston upside down and into the bore to seat the ring squarely.  Check 
the gap.  If it's good then don't do any more but most likely the ring will 
be worn.  The bore doesn't have to show damage or even be out of spec.
Often carbon builds up behind the rings, pusing them out, causing them 
to wear more.  ALWAYS clean the grooves when putting rings on!

> >Why risk replaceing with an inferior item (assuming original rings) and 
> >adding an element of risk of inappropriate 'weariing in' which has happened 
> 
> >to some forae-es? Or will the chromed rings always be better replaced if 
> >old?

  So long as you get GOOD, chromed rings as replacements you'll most 
likely end up better off.  Good compression can become great compression.
There's also that old rule of if you do rings, do the head and vise versa 
otherwise the new one will tend to blow by the other more than before, 
even to the point of burned valves, etc.  Moreso on gassers.

> >Loren can you or someone explain a bit more about the intermediate 
> bearing. 
> >Does it always age or is it down to overtightening of the timing belt again 
> 
> >which would also show up with a bug**ed up pump as well?
> >Mark
> 

  Pump is the only thing that seems to take it in the shorts on 
overtightening.  Everything else seems to have enough bearing 
surface to take it.  
  Intermediate bearings simply die from age.  My Rabbit's bearings 
were nearly like new except the one rod that took air and scored.
The intermediate bearings had chunks missing.  Dunno why but 
they simply die with age and often get ignored on a rebuild.
     Loren