1.6 NA In-Progress Rebuild

[samuraij]

Hello, I was pointed this way by diesel_zuk! 

I'm in the process of rebuilding an '86 1.6 NA. I actually have two that I bought locally to have parts redundancy, both ME with hydraulic heads. One of them I bought already bored and including the correct pistons & rings (Mahle pistons, Goetze rings), but unassembled and incomplete. The other was complete and running with a freshly-rebuilt IP when I bought it. The bored block came with a decked head and some other stuff as well.

Bored block:


Head:


Crank:

Needs a sleeve at each end (so does the IM shaft):




Complete, running other motor looked like this before I broke it down:

(The attachment on the back was custom to run some hydro drive.)

I pulled the head off of the blue motor and here's what it looks like:






Inside an intake valve (looks so clean ):



I am going to assemble the bored block for this build. I have already removed the IM shaft bearings and have replacements ready to put back in. I'm also looking at going the oil pump bushings while I'm in there. All ARP studs (mains, head, rods) are on the way for this build as well. While I wait for the sleeves and ARP stuff to come, I took some time today to look at the decked head:




A few small scratches like this are on on 2 or 3 of these where the camshaft sits:



I do have a couple of questions... The cam for the decked head looks to be pretty worn and I probably won't reuse. One major thing I do not have for the decked head are the cam caps. Are the cam caps interchangeable at all? I have the other head from the blue motor that seems to be in good shape for a donor if that's a possibility. That also brings up the question does it make more sense to just do valve seals & maybe lifters on the complete head and use it, as opposed to messing with the decked head right now? All thoughts, suggestions, and opinions are welcome. 

[srgtlord]

If it were me I would have left the running engine alone and installed it into a car. But thats just me...

[Diesel_Zuk]

[Diesel_Zuk]

If it were me I would have left the running engine alone and installed it into a car. But thats just me...

It's going into a samurai!

[samuraij]

If it were me I would have left the running engine alone and installed it into a car. But thats just me...

Well, that was part of the plan initially (I was just going to leave the bored block on a shelf), but the blue block ended up having low compression when I got it home and tested it. According to Bentley, the problem is probably rings (low numbers across the board, little difference between the cylinders). I decided to pull the head, then the pan and was greeted with the familiar oil pickup tube shield explosion:


The death knell was my friend (more knowledgeable than I) came over and looked at it, saying right away it should be bored if I was going to rebuild it. He pointed out some stuff in the cylinder walls that led him to think it may not just be a quick hone job. Since I already had the bored block with pistons and rings, it seemed the best idea to just start there and combine parts.

[samuraij]

I guess the caps are indeed line-bored, so they should be a matching set. While it's possible to find a set and make them work, I think it's going to be easiest/fastest to just use my complete head for now.

Parts that are holding me up are on the way, so it's just a waiting game now... Updates soon! 

[libbydiesel]

I just threw four 1.6 diesel heads into the recycling bin for various reasons (dropped precup, cracks on combustion face, drop valve head, etc...).  I'll send you a set of two of cam caps for the cost of shipping if you want.  You'd still need to make them fit, but it would get you close.  If you have a junk cam then you could install the bolt in the end and drive it with a drill with valve grinding paste on the journals to do your own line bore.  If the clearances are too loose, you could hand lap the mating surface a little to tighten them up.

[samuraij]

I just threw four 1.6 diesel heads into the recycling bin for various reasons (dropped precup, cracks on combustion face, drop valve head, etc...).  I'll send you a set of two of cam caps for the cost of shipping if you want.  You'd still need to make them fit, but it would get you close.  If you have a junk cam then you could install the bolt in the end and drive it with a drill with valve grinding paste on the journals to do your own line bore.  If the clearances are too loose, you could hand lap the mating surface a little to tighten them up.

That would be amazing. I do indeed have a junk cam! I will PM you. 

[samuraij]

Today wasn't the greatest day for the build. 

Ruined one IM shaft bearing today trying to install it with a universal tool. Hopefully I didn't marr up the block in the process while I was trying to tap the bearing into place. What a bummer.

Is the Diesel Dubs tool really the only specific tool for doing this currently made? $265 just seems like a tough one to swallow...

[theman53]

http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=771&start=30

there is a link in the FAQ to specialty tools, in that you follow and get this^...most stuff in the FAQ is useful, it is just a matter of finding it. I keep it in my mental banks to know where stuff is. It is a good read when you are bored.

[samuraij]

http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=771&start=30

there is a link in the FAQ to specialty tools, in that you follow and get this^...most stuff in the FAQ is useful, it is just a matter of finding it. I keep it in my mental banks to know where stuff is. It is a good read when you are bored.

Thanks, I do know of the homemade tool using pipe caps (and the FAQ, and the homemade tool list). I'm really trying to find a better tool for doing it. That's why I asked if the Diesel Dubs one is the only specific tool for doing this currently made.

[libbydiesel]

Mine is pictured in that thread and is definitely better than the pipe caps.  Rdezsofi was making what appeared to be a nice tool for about half what Diesel Dubs want for theirs but he seems to have disappeared.  If you know anyone with a lathe, you may be able to get the dies made.  That's what I did and then I use allthread.

[samuraij]

Mine is pictured in that thread and is definitely better than the pipe caps.  Rdezsofi was making what appeared to be a nice tool for about half what Diesel Dubs want for theirs but he seems to have disappeared.  If you know anyone with a lathe, you may be able to get the dies made.  That's what I did and then I use allthread.

That's exactly what I found. I don't currently know anyone with a lathe, so it may be a bit of a PITA to find someone reputable/fair to make the pucks locally. I did send rdezsofi a PM, but doubt he's still doing it like you say. If I have to make the pipe cap tool, I will. Just trying to avoid it...

[nissannx]

Updates?

[samuraij]

Updates?

Nothing really to update as of yet, still just collecting parts. I have been doing some other things, so nothing really has been done on the motor.