[Vwdiesel] [Audi-VW-Diesels] Head Bolts and more

[Dave Cook]

You recommend replacing the intermediate shaft bearings?

Bentley says these are subject to very little wear, and if they did wear then engine block replacement may be necessary.  The manual does suggest pulling the intermediate shaft at rebuilding, though, to clean that area up too and make sure there is no gunk or particles in there that could do damage.

Ok, so I guess I will get some plastigauge and the bearings, do measurements, and determine what to do.  If the plastigauge looks OK, I can return the bearings.  I guess I just turn the block upside down, unbolt the caps, and lift it out, keeping track of where everything came from.  Correct?

Anyone have any thoughts about what to do about the flywheel end of the crank having a little surface rust?  (The area of concern is where this contacts the oil seal.)  Will steel wool be enough to clean that up so the seal doesn't leak?

I'm hoping to seriously work on putting the engine together next weekend, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible.

Dave Cook


--- On Mon, 2/7/11, Val Christian <val at mongo.mongobird.com> wrote:

> From: Val Christian <val at mongo.mongobird.com>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] [Audi-VW-Diesels] Head Bolts and more
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Date: Monday, February 7, 2011, 3:36 PM
> > I think the only question I have
> with this is, is there any reason besides =
> > "it might not be necessary" to consider *NOT*
> replacing the bearings?  =
> 
> Yes, I once had a replacement journal bearing fail about
> 500 hours after
> replacement.  It was a case where it was not
> necessary, based upon
> the wear pattern, etc.  My mentors admonished me,
> saying that these
> things happen, and I should not just going replacing things
> that are 
> working on an otherwise good engine.
> 
> Lesson learned.
> 
> The reality is that I rebearinged two VW diesel
> engines.  neither needed
> it, and I just thought I was buying mroe time and doing the
> job right.
> Later, after doing post-mortems on every high time VW
> engines I had
> owned since "0" time, I found that many of the things I had
> spent money
> and time on were pointless.
> 
> Bearings - with acceptable wear pattern and good plastigage
> readings,
> I will not as a matter of routine replace any more.  
> 
> Imtermediate shaft bearings - I think should be replaced
> when opportunity 
> presents itself.
> 
> I'm sure the group could create a list of these things, and
> we could 
> argue over where on the list any particular item
> belonged.  
> 
> Then again, I've stopped changing clutches, until they
> start slipping.
> In all my VW diesel driving, I have yet to wear one
> out...even with
> a car with 400 k miles, and one with 350k miles.  And
> even with my 
> wife and kids driving them.  I teach them to let the
> clutch out, then
> accelerate.  Someday, one will wear out.  I did
> do one clutch...on 
> a used Rabbit that I bought, where the PO or someone, had
> dumped a
> quart of ATF into the timing hole.  It was a mess, but
> I got the 
> car cheap...
> 
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