DIY VCU service

Hmm how do we know they cut them open?

Hippo your fluid does seem to be quite free moving to be honest...Mine came out like that for about 5 seconds but then slowed right down...The amount that comes out of your vcu of its own acord is amazing. Especially with it having to fight gravity ie your exit hole positioned pointing up[emoji6]

It just shows how much under pressure this fluid has become in there...where's the air space gone? Might be worth plugging the hole and testing it again once it's equalised.??

Diesel do have your tried white spirit/turps? This defiantly disolved my fluid made it thinner and more runner . Try scraping it off the plates with a plastic ruler or such like...I found scraping it more effective than wiping.

I've not got white spirit or turps to hand. See if it's softened in diesel later on. About the only thing left in my collection is thinners without going shopping. My bell Vcu clearly had a different weld around the end. Plus they said they check the plates for damage. Also said they've see some written off when holes are drilled in them and bolts are put in cos the bolts are too long and lock the plates solid.

A har so there is a visable welding alteration [emoji106]. They must be doing it the proper way [emoji6].

I was going to try thinners but the turps worked.

To put too long a bolt in is just plain silly how could anyone do that? you would notice when turning it.[emoji33]

jedi said:

Hmm how do we know they cut them open?

Hippo your fluid does seem to be quite free moving to be honest...Mine came out like that for about 5 seconds but then slowed right down...The amount that comes out of your vcu of its own acord is amazing. Especially with it having to fight gravity ie your exit hole positioned pointing up[emoji6]

It just shows how much under pressure this fluid has become in there...where's the air space gone? Might be worth plugging the hole and testing it again once it's equalised.??

Diesel do have your tried white spirit/turps? This defiantly disolved my fluid made it thinner and more runner . Try scraping it off the plates with a plastic ruler or such like...I found scraping it more effective than wiping.

Click to expand...

I don't think it would be possible to recon these properly without cutting them open. My question would be how do the get the stuff back in? I.E. before or after welding it shut.

Mine started to come out very slowly and is more of the consistency of silicone sealant so I think mine must be further gone than yours was. When I tried the one wheel up test it was stuck solid, the only movement I could feel was in the transmission.
If there is a large amount of pressure in it already then I think it is time to get the angle grinder out.

jedi said:

To put too long a bolt in is just plain silly how could anyone do that? you would notice when turning it.[emoji33]

Click to expand...

There are some very silly peeps out there.

Latest update is not promising for the hole in the end idea.
Here is how much has come out in two days.



And here is how much is coming out at the minute.



So it has pretty much stopped coming out of it's own accord. Tonight will be angle grinder time.

You need a hole in the other end. Put some turps into it..keep turning the vcu to get mixed..occasionally blow down the other end....Mine was the same...it's a nightmare to get out...but it gets easier the move that comes out....you need to keep turning the vcu every now and then..


Or you could just cut the end off like you say. I don't have the welding skills to put it back again[emoji106]

jedi said:

You need a hole in the other end. Put some turps into it..keep turning the vcu to get mixed..occasionally blow down the other end....Mine was the same...it's a nightmare to get out...but it gets easier the move that comes out....you need to keep turning the vcu every now and then..


Or you could just cut the end off like you say. I don't have the welding skills to put it back again[emoji106]

Click to expand...

I have another hole on the same side above the one you can see. Not enough has come out to let me put turps in. I could drill a third hole at the other side but I can't see it working unless the turps is able to dissolve the silicone.
When you say turn it do you mean rotate the whole thing or turn just one end? Mine is locked solid. From what you have said before I think mine must be further gone than yours was.
My welding skills are not good but willing to give it a go.

Turps does disolve the silicone but you will need to turn/rotate the vcu so the plates move against each other...

But if it's locked solid you may have no option but to hack the end off[emoji3]

Those two web sites I referred to earlier were for a VW VCU. I'm thinking that removing one end as you have done with the lathe. Remove everything within and clean up and inspect.

Now the complex bit. Make a collar to fit around the open end, welded on of course. Machine two grooves in it. The outer one for a large circlip to reseal the VCU, the inner is for an 'O'ring to seal it.

This idea depends on making a neat cutting job when removing the end. We're trying not to shorten or lengthen the unit!

As mentioned, you carefully measure the capacity of the VCU with the innards in it to arrive at the volume. Subtract a percentage for the air gap [ very important!], then add that volume / weight of silicon to the unit. When everything's ready, add 100,000cst [or whatever viscosity you want], and carefully install the 'innards'.

Fit the 'lid', it should be a snug fit and lock on with the circlip.

With this there is no need to drill holes / damage innards ... This method adapts the LR VCU to be servicable like the VW one/s.

Is it feasible? Some of you out there are skilled machinists and welders. For you then the fabrication would not be a difficult task. Could this be made to worK for us?

Unfortunately that level of fabrication is beyond me. Here is my current plan (subject to change of course)

1. Measure total width so I can ensure it is the same before welding
2. cut the end off with an angle grinder
3. Remove innards and clean
4. Measure inside as suggested so we can work out total volume
5. Tap the holes already drilled on the end plate.
6. Refit all parts as they came out
7. Using bits of grinder disk as spacers (to keep total width correct) clamp end plate back on and double check total width. Adjust if necessary
8. Weld some tacks around the end plate then check it is straight with no wobble
9. Continue welding back together
10. Using holes already drilled and tapped inject new fluid
11. screw in bolts or grease nipples with a little locktite
12. Stand back and admire your awesome workmanship.

The grease nipple may have to be screwed in and used to inject the fluid but will try using a large syringe and keep turning it first.

Any comments?

One advantage of keeping the holes is the fluid could be flushed out (before it becomes solid) so if I'm not happy with the performance of 60,000 it shouldn't be too big a job to replace it with 100,000. Also as someone commented earlier in this thread, with grease nipples more can be injected if necessary which would also inrease internal pressure. I have a feeling one of the issues with any recon would be ensuring the internal pressure of the unit is correct. I suspect Bells etc have worked out how much fluid is required to make their recon unit perform similar to a new one but they can never know or duplicate the correct pressure.

9. I`d just screw in bolts and stop playing with ya nipples they`ll get sore

jedi said:

9. I`d just screw in bolts and stop playing with ya nipples they`ll get sore

Click to expand...

You leave my nipples alone, I'll play with them if I want!

Diesel softens it after a soak. You have to pull the plates apart first tho

anyone tried connecting an airline to pressurise the goo and push it out?

The Mad Hat Man said:

anyone tried connecting an airline to pressurise the goo and push it out?

Click to expand...

In my case I don't think it would make any difference. Others saw the fluid gushing out compared to the pathetic flow of mine. I think it is just too far gone.

The Mad Hat Man said:

anyone tried connecting an airline to pressurise the goo and push it out?

Click to expand...

Gives me terrible wind!

Got started tonight on stripping down the VCU.
Guess what happened next?




Yup, off with her head! This shot was taken after some cleaning it up. Mine was as gungey as DD's.
First disk coming out. I used petrol to dissolve the silicone and it worked well.



Four out here and by the time I called it a night I had 13 out. You can see here I have poured petrol into the unit which helps breaking the seal.


I tried taking out all the disks together but they were stuck solid, so prizing them out one by one with a stanley knife. It is a long slow process as I have to break the bond carefully all the way round before they will come out. Then it's a quick wipe with a paper towel and on to the next one.
I've left them upside down over night in the hope they will fall out together but suspect it will be back to the same thing tomorrow.

Nice to see we're all having fun with this.


cuttingvcu izexq4p

Mmmm, sparkey. I nearly set fire to my table.

I think I tried to stay too close to the end when cutting mine and had to clean out a lot of the outer case teeth to let the disks out.

There's loads of plates. I pulled mine out with a hooky tool and they just kept on coming!!