[Vwdiesel] Problem Solved!

[Bryan Belman]

Great find William.  The crank shaft bearing caps have stamped numbers but not the rod caps, yes.  Let us know how she runnings when you get the diesel juice primed and ready to fire.


Bryan Belman, Pt Pleasant, NJ
04 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp   -- running :)
82 Diesel Westy 1.9NA               -- running :)
92 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel       -- running :)
70 Type 1 stock Beetle              -- Not running :(


--- On Fri, 8/8/08, William Longyard <longyard at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> From: William Longyard <longyard at ix.netcom.com>
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] Problem Solved!
> To: "vw fans" <Vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
> Date: Friday, August 8, 2008, 11:31 PM
> My thanks go out to Mark, Loren, and James for supporting me
> today with 
> their advice, experience, and encouragement regarding my
> stuck crankshaft.
> 
> After considering all their advice, I decided to use some
> cutting compound 
> to thin down the rod bearing.  However, just as I was about
> to start, I 
> decided to swap the rod cap that was clamping onto the
> crank with one from 
> another connecting rod.  I as I took each off, I put a
> straight edge across 
> each and found that the sticking one was about .010"
> shorter on one end, and 
> that the bearing was protruding that much.  When I checked
> the other rod 
> cap, I found it completely "swallowed" the
> bearing, and none of the bearing 
> protruded.  It occured to me that maybe I had somehow
> gotten the caps 
> switched.  I took the bearings out, and swapped them to see
> if the bearings 
> were different lengths.  They were the same size because I
> got  the same 
> result when I put a straight edge across each cap.
> 
> All this told me that indeed a cap had been switched, and
> that one of the 
> four connecting rods had a slightly longer end.  I looked
> up at the bottom 
> of the first connecting rod and it "seemed" to me
> that sure enough, the 
> bearing was a little bit "inside" it, and not
> exactly flush.
> 
> So I swapped the rod caps and torqued them.  Cha-ching! 
> The crank rotates 
> freely again.
> 
> Lesson: Take a number stamp and match stamp the rod parts
> as you take them 
> off.
> 
> I should have the engine running again tomorrow.  Today
> wasn't exactly 
> wasn't, not when you learn a hard lesson.
> 
> Thanks all!
> Bill Longyard 
> 
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