Loosing oil

[ffgb]

Bay Area.  If I do a re-ring, who here has done it while the block was in the car?  Also with a re-ring, do you change all the bearings out too?

[maxfax]

Re-ring with the block in the car is no problem..   The head and oil pan are somehwta simple to get outta there..   As far as your bearings you'll have to make that call when you get things apart..  IF your oil pressure is good now, chances are they are alright..  But if you get it apart and see problems, there is no better time to do it...

[ffgb]

When honing the cylinders, are there a lot of shavings or not really?  And would it be best to just replace the bearings on the old crankshaft without having the journals polished or would I run into problems later?  It would seem easy to re-ring the motor while in the car, there seems to be a lot of room, did anyone of you guys run into a problems that have done this procedure this way.  Further, where did you get the re-ring kit from, any brand better than the other?

[expanty09]

I am a long time reader of Bobs site  My g/f thinks im super dork for reading about motor oil haha

Lucas also =s bad IMO, I know some of you love it like hell but I dont its no big deal

[8v-of-fury]

I am a long time reader of Bobs site  My g/f thinks im super dork for reading about motor oil haha

Lucas also =s bad IMO, I know some of you love it like hell but I dont its no big deal

Uh ok? lol

Lucas Stabilizer is a godsend. It has worked marvels in my oil sipping 1.7.. slowed oil consumption to near nothing

[maxfax]

When honing the cylinders, are there a lot of shavings or not really?  And would it be best to just replace the bearings on the old crankshaft without having the journals polished or would I run into problems later?  It would seem easy to re-ring the motor while in the car, there seems to be a lot of room, did anyone of you guys run into a problems that have done this procedure this way.  Further, where did you get the re-ring kit from, any brand better than the other?

There will be shavings from honing, mostly just a fine dist of metal and stone..   Keeping the hone wet will help..  I usually spray WD40 (or similar) a few times down in the cylinder while I am honing..   Not only foes this give you a better finish, it helps keep the gringds from being dust, but rather sort of a slurry..   Since you'll have the oil pan off cleanup is easy..  Use kerosene, brake cleaner, etc and wash everything down..  I usually even go to the extent of wiping everything ( the crank journel and cylinder) down with a clean rag too..  Make sure you use a hone that has the straight stones on it..  The ball hones will work, but not so great..

AS far as installing new bearing on a used crank, that is fine as long as the journels are good..  Scoring, scratches, and pits are signs that you need machining..  The crank journel being worn down is another reason for machining..  These VW cranks are pretty robust, so short of it being run without oil, or with sand in the oil, or for 2 million miles it's probably going to be fine..  Once again, if you have no oil pressure issues now you should be okay....  Inspect all the journels closely when you get it apart, they should be smooth and shiney..  Measring can be done with a micrometer on the rod journels, but is difficult with the crank in teh car for the mains..  Plastigauge will work for this if something is questionable.. ..Cleanliness is the biggest factor!!

[dennis]

20w50!? wow what temps is this oil good for? any idea?

Per AllData 1981-89
68-104 degrees F.   SAE 40
32-86                    SAE 30
14-86                    20W50 20W40
14-50                    20w20
5- 86                     15w40 15w50
-4 to 50                10w30 10w40 (No 10w40 for 1986 models)
-4 to 23                10W
-22 to 14               5W20 5W30

I use some Castrol 20W50

[ffgb]

Well, I have so much blowby that there is a lot of pressure and smoke coming out of the oil cap hole, also the exhaust smoke changes color with the oil cap off.  I guess I am going to try and re-ring my motor with it still in the car.  Kinda nervous because I am afraid that the cylinder walls might be too damaged to or something.  I am just hoping to hone the cylinder walls and put new rings on the pistons and hopefully get my compression back to normal and stop the oil consumption.  Where should I get the bearings and rings from, and what brand do you guys use and had good luck with?  Also, do you put oil on the new rings or do you install them dry to get a better seal.
Thanks

[maxfax]

Short of a catastrophic failure the cylinders actually hold up well in these buggers...   I re-ringed an engine with 470 some thousand miles..   THe cylinders measured out to no more than .003" wear...  Good rings can do wonders..

I as well as other have used Grant rings with good results, band for the buck I'm sold on these..   Goetze are a littler higher quality ring, but they are a bit more costly too...  I've head many positive remarks about Total Seal rings, but they are probably a bit of overkill for an N/A engine...   I personally try to avoid Top-Line rings..  I've had horrible results with those things...  Make sure you have a good cross hatch from honing and Install everything wet (oiled).. 

AS far as vendors, I'm sure others can chime in better on this than I, but we do have Myke_W who supports this form..  Burn_Your_Money and Giles up at Performance Diesel also can hook you up..

[8v-of-fury]

..Cleanliness is the biggest factor!!

Looks squeakily clean to me lol 

Merry Christmas everyone

[maxfax]

Do as I say, not as I do..  And you've seen some of the things I have done...  

That was a PITA to clean up before putting the head back on..   Stuffing rags down the cylinders was pretty much futile...

[ffgb]

Maxfax, did you re-hone with the block still in the vehicle?  If so, did you remove the crankshaft?  If you did, and replaced the main bearings, how did you set the thrust bearing?  How hard was it to remove then install the crankshaft while on your back?
Thank You, I really appreciate it!

[maxfax]

That particular pic is a whole other abortion..   I was welding a cracked block that shouldn't be welded...

But I have honed the cylinders with the engine still in the car.. Leave the main caps on, and turn the crank so that the journel for the particular cylinder you are honing is the whole way down..  When done honing all the cylinders  spray everything down thoroughly with brake cleaner, carb cleaner or something of that sort.. 

You can't remove that crank with the engine in the vehicle unless you remove the transmission..  And by the time you go to that trouble you may as well remove the engine and make working on it easier...  To replace main bearings with out removing the engine I usually loosen all the main caps so that the crank drops a bit..  Then using a pick or something work the old bearing out, clean with carb cleaner,  and slide the new one back in..  Then squirt some oil on the new bearing in the cap and put it on loosely.. I usually try to wipe the journels with a clean rag before assembly..  Preferably a rag that doesn't leave fuzzies or lint.. Repeat until you get them all done then snug the caps up flush and torque them..  Make sure you spin the crank by hand after torquing each one..  It should spin rather easily, if not you need to remove the offending cap and start investigating...  AS far as the thrust bearing I just leave them alone if the end play was okay to begin with..  If it wasn't I end up pulling the engine and crank to investigate...