Club 80-90 Forums

I have just finished this one needing a fresh set of rubbers to cure persistant coolant loss and the sump plug helicoiling, along with a new rear crank seal and clutch. Reputed to be a 35k old Vege recon (it has some emerald green paint left on the top of the case) but clearly an early non-suffix case DG and never reworked by VW judging by the engine number stamping: No star!
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... jeoiz0.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Tim suppplied a Sachs clutch and a Reinz seal kit, I did the honours.
The engine arrived less ancilliaries and manifolds so it was straight in, valve gear off, release all the head nuts and hope that nothing went ping (I had explained that at the first stud failure, all bets were off)
No dramas so then out with the propane lamp to heat the heads and release them from the barrels.
Hmm. They were a bit reluctant, then I found out why...
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... gt5cvz.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bathroom sealant

So after a bit more heat and some strong language... oh yes?
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... 47rmaw.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The other side:
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... hnfort.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Curiously, the LH head isnt tapped for the PAS pump bracket (if it were used in the RH position)

After a lot of fishing around with long hooks and pliers to retrieve all the silicone filth - without having to pull the barrels and then the gudgeon pins, piston ring compressors etc - a good rake out of the top seal grooves (thankfully ok) and all the barrel seals top & bottom were replaced:
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... ksxeb1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The heads got a good scrub up on the jacket seals (hardly any pitting, a miracle) then all back together with the pushrods and valvegear going back to their respective sides, with clean pushrod tubes and fresh seals, none of the Stagg Wellseal goo that was there before...
A whiff of Reinzosil around the top barrel seals as insurance before the heads went back on over new water jacket seals, the scene in the bottom of the grot tank under the engine:
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... 0l0ffg.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PS heads torqued down nicely, no reason to doubt them as all were ok

Then it was time to renew the rear crank seal, flywheel O-ring was a bit of bakelite...
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... 8s0bcy.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... uzbwgc.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Patient seems to have responded well and was discharged this morning:
http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... jwgdj2.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have found the very same bathroom sealant in two recons, so I'm thinking it was a common practice, it was around all crank case studs and barrels on both, clear silicone it appeared
one was a vw recon
http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o50 ... 4783ce.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In your case it looks like a VW recon exchange that had since been re-worked later. Clear acetic acid curing Silicone has never been an engine sealant...

Good work there mr bullet you have healing hands

Time consuming, fiddly and just a bit risky, 11 hours inc sump helicoil fitting and clutch refit. Half of that was faffing about scraping off corrosion & removing cack etc.
It underlines what others and myself have said all along: there are too many fast buck VW outfits doing a mediocre job for unknowing punters.
PS the silicone had been used right down to the split line of the case...

Thanks again Ian. Just need some nicer weather and back in it goes . . . . . . . . no more oil & water leaks on the driveway!

So Ian...is this a service you are going to be offering to fellow 80-90 members lol.
11 hours .. whats your rates....

Martin

I can do them, as to whether I want to or not... its a job of work but there has to be a list of conditions & caveats for wbx engines.
I dont want to be up to my armpits in dead engines while customers umm and ahh about what to do if/when it all goes wbx wrong.
I want to concentrate on big capacity wbx that can offer much more than the underpowered/barely adequate originals.
I have premises, rates and bills to pay and all the rest of it. My spanner rates are comparable to BW or any other specialist worth their salt and vat will always apply.

PS I should add that this one was one snapped stud short of a worst-case scenario and that should always be bourne in mind. Until the heads are off, you don't really know what you are up against in a wbx.
But I am now pretty well geared up for them

Of course a predictable answer and one that is well understood. I think it would be a foolish man to quote fixed prices with these, although after the first 20 'an average' pricing structure could be established. However, that would mean one customer paying for another's issues. The open ended bill scenario is just something we have to get used to I suppose.

Martin

It's a different game now, all T3 owners are now in the restoration game whether they like it or not!
All my work is on a job by job basis* I can give a starting estimate, the risks are well known, but about the only thing I could quote definitely would be a ground-up full rebuild.
Its not a case of milking customers, rather that there are too many poor wbx "re-cons" out there that will keep coming too light as they give up the ghost...

*I absolutely believe that this should be the way. I do not do "fixed price" work because every job is different. Customers should always pay for what they get, not what the market will stand.

well done about time somebody did this
where others go wrong is they spend too much time collecting vehicles and removing engines and not enough time on the engine.
take it out youself and send it on a pallet service I take it?