Engine overhaul

[sarran1955]

Hello,

That was on the floor a bit quicker than I expected...

Take your time on the heads, lap the valves in,

If they do not come with valve stem oil seals, fit some 50 p each,

Still, at least it comes apart cleanly now!!

Cordialement,

[jeffj]

New heads come complete with valves and springs.

Will check on oil seals as non supplied with gasket set when built up original heads?

[NicBeeee]

If they do not come with valve stem oil seals, fit some 50 p each,

Hi,

My valves are out at the mo, in the middle of top end rebuild,

I didnt think there were valve seals available for the petrol WBX as mine looks to be a machined surface, would like to now if I am missing something and if so were can you get some,

Oh and thanks Jeff for taking the time to add all these pics, would love to be organised enough to do the same.

Cheers Nic

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Fit the seals, they are just rubber rings that push onto the valve stem.

Here are some,:

http://en.serial-kombi.com/index.php?Id ... =1&page=11

They do help to reduce oil consumption and less smoke on start up.

They do not last forever, so change at each head overhaul.

Cordialement,

[jeffj]

Brand new shiny cylinder heads have turned up today.

New heads supplied with valves/springs.


Surprised how rough the head casting is around valves.


Gratuitous engine shot. Exhausts removed.

Not going to have time to start until Wed night now. Will do one bank at a time.

First job will be to clean out all threads and wash down/degrease with petrol.

[Plasticman]

lovely new bits, she'll come apart like anb old brood mare
mm

[jeffj]

Stripped down right hand bank and removed head. Liners came out part way and one came off past piston rings.

Following photos although poor show the Green O rings. Both had slight stripping/shreading which must have occured when I fitted?






Pistons in left hand bank. Deposits on right piston quite oily? Left hand cylinder deposits firmer. Left cylinder looked suspect.


Lower black O ring had moved on one liner and could not get back in groove. Removed liners, pistons and refitted with new black O rings.

Refitted head with new green O rings and steel ring gasket.

Now to left hand head.

[jeffj]

Removed head from left hand bank and it came straight off leaving liners in position.
Looks as if the green O rings have not been in contact with head as both in perfect condition.

Front cylinder had evidence of water contamination.


Old right hand head.


Old left hand head with rust staining/water to right hand side.

Replaced green O rings and metal rings and fitted new head after cleaning all down.
Also used new rubber liners gaskets on both banks.

Refitted exhausts and inlet manifold. Now all ready to lift of engine stand in morning, fit clutch and refit engine back in van.


Brand new left hand head.


Brand new right hand head.

[jeffj]

Engine back in and running yesterday.

Had a couple of scares. IE Buzzer of doom and some water contamination in oil. Will post detailed blog later.

Just had it out for another 5/6 mile run and going okay. Checked water levels and system now seems to have bled okay. Plan to do 4 or 5 short trips around village today to warm up and then let cool down. Will keep checking water/oil before. Will then chance a run to work during the week which is a 50 mile round trip.

[jeffj]

Engine complete with new heads was fitted back in yesterday with help of Mark Foss.
Refilled engine with antifreeze mix. Refilled engine oil (about 4 litres) Was surpised when checked level it was overfull?

On running had a couple of little problems.

Fired up engine and run okay on tickover although bit tappy at first. Bled cooling system. During running at tickover buzzer of doom sounded so turned engine off.

Decided to drain excess oil from engine thinking it might be a pressure problem. On starting to drain noticed oil was grey so allowed all oil to drain out. This must be water contamination from right hand bank when liners came away with head.
When working on the right hand bank had the engine in vertical position on engine stand. Assume the water that was still in the block then drained into sump when liners came away with head.
Reason for this thought is when working on left hand bank with engine again in vertical position the liners did not come away with heads and I had about 1" of water between block and liners. Rotated engine on stand to allow this to drain away.

Changed filter and topped up with fresh oil. Restarted engine and took for drive. After about 100m buzzer of doom came back on? Turned round, went back home and turned engine off.
Kettle and computer on to check wiki and forum. Grasping at straws picked up on the oil sensors and wiring. Had replaced the bayonet fitting to oil pressure switch below water pump? Removed tin cover to get to block sensor to check and looked okay. Slight drip off oil on internal tinware face so may have leak from pushrod tube? will keep an eye on this. Checked front oil sensor connection and this okay. Then followed back through brown cables and found the double plug connector above the inlet manifold had pushed one of the spade connectors out. Connected this back up and started again.

All sounds okay so take for spin, check levels on return and rebleed cooling and leave on tick over for a while to get temp right up. Turn off the recheck levels when cooled down and okay.

[jeffj]

Had the van out for 15 mile short run and all working okay.

Going to use for work this week to get engine run in.

Once reached the 500 mile mark will retorque heads, reset tappets, change oil and filter.

Will post outcome when this milestone reached. Hopefully now can plan some chill out camping time.

Thanks to everyone for input and advice to this blog. With that, the forum search engine and Wiki it has all been invaluble.

Can now relax a bit and keep in touch with my favorite blog metal mickeys "Sunnivagon"

[purple ronnie]

Just want to thank Jeffj for this post.
I have almost completed a top end rebuild for the same problem (pressurised water system). This has been my first time taking anything other than a 350 ypvs two stroke apart and some times i feel like banging my head against a brick wall but having read this i feel a lot better knowing someone else has been down the same road.
I now have white smoke that i hope is the water Kev mentioned and also the clutch feels light all the way to the floor and cant get it in gear? (Sounds familiar). As i'm doing this all outside its weather stops play. AGAIN.

[jeffj]

Ronnie

My clutch problem was the pedal going stiff before the it reached the floor. The slave was getting to the end of its travel before disengaging clutch. Extentending pushrod sloved problem.

My white smoke started when engine warmed up and was steam due to one of the original heads being knackered. Did get a lot of grey smoke from exhaust which assume was just paint from new exhaust and oil/crap burning off from rebuild.

This is first time I have worked on boxster engines and I found it very strange. More used to standard 4 cylinder and V8 with solid block.
Still was fairly simple although daunting but if you use Haynes and Wiki all the info is available. Also its even easier when you do it the second time.

[jeffj]

Engine running fine and holding all fliuds after 300 miles. Off to Pickering this weekend so next week will torque down heads and reset valves.

Installed permanent solution to clutch arm travel today. Using the old pushrod, internal threaded hex bar and locknut. Dressed end of hex bar so it fits neatly into slave piston.


Threaded the end of the old pushrod to take threaded bar and lock nut.


This shows the bodge fit with 10mm socket and the built up replacement. Reduced length on new rod to 106mm (bodge fit 112mm). Fitted and give van run and it works fine.
Fitted without rubber so I could adjust if needed. Problem was I could not get to the hex rod to adjust because it was up inside the slave and bracket.


Fitted rubber and tightened up lock nut. Refitted to van and now ready for run out.

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Hope all is well, retorque heads, look for loose bolts...

Keep an eye on your levels..

Happy VW motoring..
Cordialement,