Lucky Spragg's engine upgrade

[silverbullet]

This one has been on the cards for a while...
Anyway, it finally arrived a few weeks ago and typically I am overloaded with work again!
Made a start, makes such a pleasant change to be presented with a clean engine to begin with.
Its an early suffix B (thin bearing) DG running twin carbs and making circa 94 bhp on the rollers, very impressive but customer would like a bit more torque.
So its going 2.1 and will be tested on efi before it leaves me and then will be re-tuned by a third party.
Pics:
The engine is in superb condition, piston skirts are unmarked, flywheel is like new.

Just a couple of studs to swap, oil pump is A1 (engine runs an external oil cooler) and the water jacket seals are original VW. You never see them like this.

[Schnippzle]

That looks great!  What a pleasure to see a good unit.

[silverbullet]

I have split the case to let it fully drain overnight, the cam followers are perfect and unworn and the cam looks to be quite reuseable in another DG.
Its actually a bit of a shame to be opening up a perfectly good engine (but the iffy head studs would have let it down eventually)
This engine has definitely been very well looked after for its entire life so far.

[silverbullet]

The case gets a hot ultrasonic clean and a few iffy studs swapped while its all toasty!

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This is going to be the last "suffix B" wbx from me for a while, so let's go out with a bang!
Brand new crank, pistons and liners from Classic (and a set of rebushed early rods with the re-useable non-stretch bolts)

[Schnippzle]

Mmmmmmm, fresh parts

[Stesaw]

Breathers on the rocker covers I see, would there be any benefit to doing this into a catch can along with the oil tower?

[silverbullet]

This engine is fitted with twin carbs so the breather arrangement is a bit different to that for a 2E3 or efi.

[Lucky_spragg]

All,

This is how I ran her before the refresh, both rocker covers and oil tower vented to a CB breather box, then to top of carbs. There are 6 entry points to the breather box so 1 spare that’s blanked off.

Will continue to use this afterwards too, not sure if it helped any but every little helps! 

[Schnippzle]

Mmmmm, lovely

[silverbullet]

Cam timing is a job best done on a cool, quiet Saturday morning
New 2.1 crank, barrels and DJ pistons from VW Classic Parts, Grant piston rings (USA), Newman 2.1 cam, early conrods (recycled from a healthy donor!)
Cam gear is a really nice one, a late unmarked example that appears to be a "0" with just the tiniest hint of backlash

[silverbullet]

Coming together again.
Camshaft timing double checked, screws glued and staked for extra security.
Its always a little stressful when closing up but in these temps, you have to work extra fast to get everything torqued before the flange sealant cures...

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Valves modified for extra flow with 30 degree back cut after lapping in

VW recon water pump rebuilt with a new seal (recent coolant weep from telltale hole)

Looking more like an engine again

[Lucky_spragg]

Thanks Ian,

Looking forward to running this in now, and getting excited about future journeys.

Proud to be keeping it waterboxer…………..bought from GoWesty in the US of A!

[silverbullet]

About ready to test! Had a worrisome moment when it refused to raise any oil pressure while cold cranking with the plugs out. Turned out to be a faulty Mann 719/12 oil filter. Fitted a fresh (primed) Mahle OC203 and got an instant 45psi.
I think I'd better pop the exhaust on first...