About to buy engine bearings....

[fatmobile]

They do have the KS main bearing set that goes with the separate thrust bearings

[sgnimj96]

Wow,  THAT looks like the way to go for the german bearings, etc.
Looks kinda creepy at first,  but since you've travelled that path for us
Now we know! Thanks, G.I.Fatmobile!


I almost was going to use an 11mm block,
CR out of a vanagon (hard life) but still together.   Got it for $100 complete, lol
but I don't much like the 11mm's after having one crack on me.
The CR that I'm replacing right now is probably cracked.  Someone
did a hail mary headgasket job that failed and the headbolts were so
tight I had to buy the special 1/2 drive long hex bit to safely get them out.
One actually almost severed at the threaded section (crack!) but a bit of metal hung on
and it came out so I could get the cyl head off,  close call with those old bolts.

After this 12mm ME block I may take the vanagon's 11mm apart and have the machinist
check out it out and maybe just put hans bearings in it and set it aside.  I wouldn't run
it, as is. It was re-ringed by the young guy I bought it from, diy (first time), and
he never installed it, then sold the vanagon - got out.  It's a nice thought to just have a
backup engine standing-by as some people around here refer to these old diesels as
 "rotary grenades", haha which is totally appropriate.   I hear the rod bearings take an
exceptional beating,  so I may re-think going cheap on those.

[fatmobile]

 When building an engine the rod bushings are very important.
 New ones get pressed in and then they get reamed to fit the piston pins.
 Having a machine shop that takes the time to do it right is very important.
 We used to have 4 machine shops in our local town.
 We now have one.
 When I rebuild another engine, I'll send the rods down to franko in Missouri.
 The last one I rebuilt is too loud/ klanky. Runs starts great but I suspect the machine shop left too much slop in the bushings.

 I have a 12mm, mechanical, block with one scored piston and it's already bored second over.
 That german site has KS sleeves for $100.
 I'm so tempted to have it sleeved, then buy standard pistons (if I can find them) and save that block.
 Another option is to have it bored for 1.7 pistons, also available at the german site.
But then I'd have to get a special $200 metal head gasket made for it, because 1.7 pistons won't fit through a 1.6 head gasket.
 On the hydraulic blocks I can use a metal head gasket from a 1.9 AAZ.
It would be nice to sell that block cheap, (I'd probably even give it away) and let someone else bring it back.

 I also have a hydraulic block with worn pistons, that needs bored. Plan to use the 1.7 pistons I got from moto touran in that block.
 
Then I have one more 1.6 TD block that is used but still runs good.
Won't start well in the very very cold without a block heater but it's a great summer engine.
 I was kind of surprised how fast the 1.7 pistons got here when I ordered them from germany.

 Not sure what would be added to their prices due to tariffs. I don't think that's what it means when they say VAT included.

[sgnimj96]

Good to know,   I feel like the guy I have my block with is the last "affordable"
machine shop left.   Just a older guy (never seen a helper) with the tools of that trade
and old blocks/heads all over the place.  The rest that pop up on goo maps
as machine shops are "performance" builders,  fancy mechanics,
and CNC machining companies.

What's the deal with sleeves,  cheaper ones like rockauto don't hold up as well as the KS's?
Hans has those things for 20 bucks.

AI says tariffs on german parts are 0-5%, didn't expect that. 
Price increases are probably more subject to the weakening dollar,  and how shipping is.

[fatmobile]

 I used to have a machine shop like that.
 Make sure you tip him.

$25 instead of $20 at hans isn't much of a difference. Ignoring shipping costs, but hopefully a big order might spread out the shipping costs.
 I do like Kolbenschmidt (sp?) parts. Sleeves might be better metal than the block and might last longer.
 I don't really know what size of sleeves I need. The german site had good info on what the dimensions are and they sounded right.

 Resleeving that block isn't high on the list, might never get done.
 I probably won't toss that block though, because there are still these options.
 I might find someone local that wants to put some money into it, put it back into use.

 The dollar is flopping compared to the euro.
 With everything going on over in EU I was expecting the euro to drop. Might still happen.

[sgnimj96]

I'm pretty sure from reading around that themain (and rod?) bolts for the 1.6D's
are reusable.   
Is there anything about reusing those bolts I should be wary of,
or should I get just new ones? (if that's even feasible)

[ORCoaster]

Have reused mine without fail. I did smooth washers on sandpaper to give a new bite where needed.

[fatmobile]

I've almost always reused them.
 I think I used ARP rod bolts on at least one engine.