Hello, new member engine help please.

[Brothernumberone]

Hello, I've just bought my first T25, it's got a 1.9 dg waterboxer and I think is an Autohomes conversion.
I got it from the local scrappy and the engine was partly stripped and sitting in the cargo area. It's not as bad as it looks. The only bit of welding it needs is the O/S outer sill and a bit under the screen seal.
After a bit of reading up on T25's and that engine I assumed it was being stripped to sort a water leak, but noticed that the crank(and pistons etc) turned without opperating the valves. When I stripped the engine down I found that the camshaft is broken at the point the wheel part joins the shaft part. I forgot to take a photo but will get one tomorrow.
Does anyone have any experience of this sort of failure? I thought maybe a valve had jammed but the pushrods all seemed straight.
I'm no engine expert, so would it be ok to rebuild with a new camshaft? I haven't had a good look yet, but i guess it's a non-interference engine as the valves seem ok.
Does anyone have a camshaft for sale?
Cheers.

[kevtherev]

No cams are available now from VW.
used is your best hope.
best of luck and welcome to the forum

[kevtherev]

have a laugh at this

https://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Ca ... =TYPE%2025" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Brothernumberone]

Cheers kevtherev, yep I saw that from heritage;)

[kevtherev]

There is Northwest VW (members on here) Tel 07968 367046

Personally I would look for a cheap 1.9/2.1 engine with snapped head studs (common on early WBXers) shagged mains, bent/burnts valves etc

you might have seen this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T25-TRANSP ... 3394e87b54" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Brothernumberone]

Thanks again. Are 1.9 and 2.1 cams the same?

[kevtherev]

Thanks again. Are 1.9 and 2.1 cams the same?

no
but the engines are interchangeable. Same block etc, just fit you DG ancils on the DJ...manifold, carb, alt, exhaust, cooling system etc

[123-jn]

I got a new cam shaft from TES, It comes in two parts the shaft and an old fashioned 3 bolt sprocket, it has the correct timing but you must specify hydraulic lifters or solid ones. The only thing is that due to this you must use a high volume old type oil pump to fit the sprocket slot.
http://www.theengineshop.info/acatalog/ ... 9TES1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.theengineshop.info/acatalog/ ... 09300.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.theengineshop.info/acatalog/ ... 15146.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hope that helps, works a treat, use standard cam bearings.

[CovKid]

Almost everything for the wasserboxer engine is expensive - always was. I worked on v-dubs way before the T25 was even a pencil sketch and the jump in price for parts from bugs and beetles to the 80s transporter was scandalous. My first encounter (in terms of ownership) was a double crewcab with 2.0 Aircooled in it. The exchangers were shot and the price of them was so ridiculous, I threw the engine out and fitted a bored-out bug engine in it. Happy days.

Can't see that price difference ever changing simply because most bays have bug engines in, which always had a massive following for bling and custom parts in the States so the competition was/is there. I can remember going to camper jam when the T25 was totally shunned!! I kid you not....

Much as I like the agricultural growl of the stock engine, once you add up the parts and take into account the fairly rotten fuel economy, its little wonder that people opt for modern, more efficient engines, even if the initial outlay is slightly more. To stick with the original, a mix of second hand and new is the only way really.

Once this lump goes, I'm fitting something else.

[Brothernumberone]

Thanks for the advice everyone.
Looks like the camshaft has seized or partially seized due to the shells overheating, maybe a blocked oil way or lack of oil pressure? Crank seems fine though, so I'll clean it and investigate further.

[silverbullet]

I would guess that someone has been in there before and fitted a cam with the wrong size wheel (sizes from -5 to +5 are used to correct the production variations in crank/cam centres)
With no clearance it has overloaded the front bearing and the repeated stress cycling has resulted in a fatigue failure of the shaft.

[Brothernumberone]

I would guess that someone has been in there before and fitted a cam with the wrong size wheel (sizes from -5 to +5 are used to correct the production variations in crank/cam centres)
With no clearance it has overloaded the front bearing and the repeated stress cycling has resulted in a fatigue failure of the shaft.

Thanks:) is there any way I can avoid that with a replacement cam or do I just have to take my chances?

[silverbullet]

Well you have a 1:11 chance of getting it right!
Its a problem with the wbx because the cam wheel is rivetted, not bolted on.
Experienced and diligent engine builders would have a range of dead cams to try in the case and arrive at the correct one.

[123-jn]

I ordered the ones I linked above and was slightly concerned at the time until I tried it for size. The one I suggested is a bolt on sprocket but you need to hunt to find varying sizes only a standard size is available from TES as far as I remember.

[Brothernumberone]

I would guess that someone has been in there before and fitted a cam with the wrong size wheel (sizes from -5 to +5 are used to correct the production variations in crank/cam centres)
With no clearance it has overloaded the front bearing and the repeated stress cycling has resulted in a fatigue failure of the shaft.

So is that clearance the 'backlash' measurement of 0-0.5mm specified in the Haynes manual? Resumably, if I don't accidentally get the correct cam, it will break again? Also is it likely that the front bearing journal will have been pounded as a result and need machining?
Sorry about all the questions and thanks for all the answers, I'm still trying to get a feel for whether it's worth rebuilding it or not, but it's my first wbx rebuild so it's interesting anyway.