Started rebuilding my engine

Marmaduke · Feb 15, 2016

Thought I'd share my experiences of rebuilding my heap. Bought an engine stand last night from Gumtree for 35 quid and it went down hill from there....

Bearing in mind they're both from machine mart you can't get the stand close enough to attach the engine to it cos both sets of legs get in the way of each other , what a crap design. I ended up stripping the stand and building it up hanging from the crane

Eventually got the supposedly new engine in bits to find this on the con rods

Turns out my replacement engine was made in Argentina???? Three of the con rods are stamped with one number then engraved with a different piston number with a hand held engraver. The crank shells are very slightly worn so they'll be replaced tomorrow but there's no damage which is a mayhoosive relief. Off to Craddocks tomorrow for new parts then the rebuild can commence.
Rehone my original block as it's unmarked, reuse my old head, and stuff. Basically the only things I'm using from the new engine is the crank and pistons after I've put new rings on because my old con rods are warped
Great

Lawson86 · Feb 15, 2016

I'd love to do abit of work on my engine but haven't got the know how/tools or confidence to do it yet, just want to make mine as reliable as it can be for a 18year old lump.
Hope everything goes smooth for you.

Brown · Feb 16, 2016

You certainly don't waste any time. Aside from the pushrods it doesn't look too bad inside - still fairly clean and you can see all the manufacturers marks. When I was young the engines I took apart tended to have baked on oil, and where you could see the metal it was in shades of blue and yellow from having been overheated. So you're ahead there!

flat · Feb 16, 2016

With the engine crane could you not have the warm extended further out? That's what I had to do

Marmaduke · Feb 16, 2016

flat said:
With the engine crane could you not have the warm extended further out? That's what I had to do

The arm is all the way out, it's just the shape of the legs of the crane are completely in the squared legs of the stand

Marmaduke · Feb 16, 2016

Progress report....
Bought a load of gaskets and stuff from Craddocks this morning got home and started to swap the crank and shells over to the old block as I thought it was less marked, torqued up the mains and the bloody thing wouldn't spin even with a socket on the crank so I honed the marks and deposits off the new block and swapped everything back again after meticulous cleaning and it turns lovely by hand. Fitting new piston rings outside in a couple of degrees is no fun and has taken its toll on my finger tips, they're still sore now

Everything is torqued up and turns over great and that's as far as I've got today, another thrilling installment tomorrow

Discokids · Feb 16, 2016

Great work, hope it all works out for you this time round.

Marmaduke · Feb 16, 2016

Discokids said:
Great work, hope it all works out for you this time round.

It had better do otherwise I'll be reaching for the matches

Al2O3 · Feb 16, 2016

Marmaduke said:
Progress report....
Bought a load of gaskets and stuff from Craddocks this morning got home and started to swap the crank and shells over to the old block as I thought it was less marked, torqued up the mains and the bloody thing wouldn't spin even with a socket on the crank so I honed the marks and deposits off the new block and swapped everything back again after meticulous cleaning and it turns lovely by hand.

It's looking great. Bringing back memories of doing this with an Austin 1300 engine in my 1275GT mini about 33 years ago, 33 Years
I'm smiling thinking of the size and weight difference.

Fitting new piston rings outside in a couple of degrees is no fun and has taken its toll on my finger tips, they're still sore now

I feel your pain. Froze myself for several hours today. After I'd been in the house for an hour I felt ill. Couldn't take the heat, but everyone else didn't think the house was even warm!

Everything is torqued up and turns over great and that's as far as I've got today, another thrilling installment tomorrow

It will be thrilling for us on here

Cavey_P38 · Feb 16, 2016

Everything is torqued up and turns over great and that's as far as I've got today, another thrilling installment tomorrow

It will be thrilling for us on here

And probably chilling for yourself, the farm workshop was cold enough late afternoon and that was with the doors shut.So i feel your pain. Time i had an 90 mins with the landy that was enough.

Must be cos i am a from Down south and not as hardy as you northern souls.

Glad your rebuild is progressing fingers crossed hey

Al2O3 · Feb 16, 2016

Cavey_P38 said:
Must be cos i am a from Down south and not as hardy as you northern souls.

Not sure about that. I had multiple layers on, plus my quilted German tank operator onesey

oops

, winter buff, fleece hat and ski gloves with the thumbs and forefingers cut off.
Mind you, if I was popping out for a pint I'd just be in jeans and a T shirt

Hippo · Feb 17, 2016

Nice pic's. Don't worry about yer nails. Focus yer mind on getting yer heap back on the road. When it's all done yer can book yerself in for a manicure.

Marmaduke · Feb 17, 2016

Hippo said:
Nice pic's. Don't worry about yer nails. Focus yer mind on getting yer heap back on the road. When it's all done yer can book yerself in for a manicure.

Just out of interest how much do you charge? I could do with a haircut but I bet you only do them posh types

Hippo · Feb 17, 2016

Marmaduke said:
Just out of interest how much do you charge? I could do with a haircut but I bet you only do them posh types

I think you have the wrong person. I can however fix yer engine and glue it back in for the cost of a packet of jammy dodgers. I have a metal file and tin snips if yer wants to keep busy while waiting. You could do it yerself.

danny6801 · Feb 17, 2016

Glad your getting it sorted mate.

flat · Feb 17, 2016

Excellent, crack on mate and well done

Marmaduke · Feb 17, 2016

Didn't get off to the best of starts this morning

Had all intentions of putting the timing housing and the oil sump back on for starters, unfortunately the gasket I bought yesterday from Craddocks doesn't line up the bastid....Drove the twenty odd miles back there and it turns out after much searching that I'd bought the last one, they hadn't even got any full engine gasket kits that I could rob one out of so not a happy camper cos I've got to go back again tomorrow.
So drove back home and consoled myself by having lunch...

Stripped the cam followers, roller and guides out for a good clean, I'm replacing the cam followers or pushrod seats as I know them as, cos being made of brass they usually bear the brunt of the damage along with the pushrods when the timing belt goes and if they fail at a later date then it's head off time to get them replaced (ask me how I know). Bizarre green coating on the new ones but they feel oober smooth especially when they've been treated to a good lubing

The old ones look ok but for 3 quid a pop it's just not worth the risk...
Thankfully I'd decided to do it cos if not this lump of oil sump gasket would have done some damage

Spent a hour or so cleaning up the head before putting it on...

I have to say torquing up the head bolts when the engine is on a stand seems way easier than sitting on the rad trying to do it in the engine bay.

Fuel pump, 'p' gasket, water pump housing and exhaust manifold replaced and that was about me done.

Fortunately I've managed to wheel it under cover of our car port cos it's been lashing it down all day, but as a plus side my wife and kids made a mayhoosive batch of chocolate cookies that I've had to force feed myself to keep my energy levels up

Tomorrow is back to Craddocks for the correct gasket then timing cover on along with oil sump, pickup pipes and injector pump then it can come off the stand and the flywheel housing and clutch assembly can go on then once the mounts are bolted back on it can go back in the tratter.

So if you're luck and I can be arsed I'll treat you to another thrilling instalment tomorrow

jamesmartin · Feb 17, 2016

couldnt you get the proper tdi brass followers

Marmaduke · Feb 17, 2016

jamesmartin said:
couldnt you get the proper tdi brass followers

They are brass, it's just they've got a green coating on the bottom curve. I was told by Craddocks that that's how their entire order came

jamesmartin · Feb 17, 2016

Marmaduke said:
They are brass, it's just they've got a green coating on the bottom curve. I was told by Craddocks that that's how their entire order came

they are still the earlier engine type though, not that they wont work but tdi have a wider roller contact surface as you can see in your pic

Started rebuilding my engine

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