Engine Rebuild: 1

My list...

All laid out ready to assemble

After over a month of cleaning, and organizing, it was finally time to reassemble the engine.  I had been rebuilding this engine in my mind and on paper for at least as long as I had it apart, so by the time the day rolled around, I felt ready.I had my list, my 'Bentley'--the official VW service manual--and all the parts, either cleaned or brand new and all ready to go.  I laid out everything carefully on my work table and with a deep breath, set to work.

The relief springs and nuts

Pressure Relief Spring

The first thing to go in was the last to come out: the oil pressure relief springs and the nuts that hold them in.  One unintended consequence of the engine rebuild was that I learned what these springs actually do.  This is just one example of the things I've learned from this experience.  I as rebuild it, I see just how the engineering design comes together, and how the various pieces have been organized in an assembly process.  It's amazing, really to see how practical solutions are achieved in steel and aluminum.

Case stud o-rings

Originally these were notched

The next step was to begin putting in the interior pieces.  First came the case stud o-rings, followed by the cam bearings and the main bearing dowel pins.  The o-rings were easy to slip on, and the cam bearings were no trouble either.  These thin bits of steel fit into the carefully polished saddles with a push of the finger.

Cam bearing fits perfectly

Cam bearings ready to go in

I marked the dowel pins so they could go back in their original spots, with the same orientation.  Then I put in the two halves of the number three split main bearing.  After this, it was time to put in the crankshaft.

Main bearing dowel pin

Split main bearing #3

I elected not to rebuild the crankshaft or replace the main bearings because a) the bearings looked fine and b) rebuilding the crank is a pain in the ass.  It requires heating up gears and pressing them into place, which is not something I am prepared for.  So, I just lined up the dowel pins with the corresponding holes in the main bearings and dropped it into place.

Crankshaft ready to go in

One half of the split bearing is in

At first, it didn't fit.  This has to be unbelievably precise.  There can be no movement in any direction, but when I put it in, one of the bearings was slipping slightly.  I took the crank out, checked all the dowel pins and holes and tried again.  It took a couple of half turns and a gentle tap or two, but when it was in correctly there was no mistaking the feeling.  It was rock solid and rotated smoothly.

Flywheel dowel pins are marked

The crank is in

With the crankshaft in, the next part to go in was the camshaft and gear.  This just dropped right in, no problem at all.  I lined up the marks on the gear with the marks on the crank and was finally ready to put the case back together.

...and the short block is done!

The case halves are mated...

First, I applied the sealant--Permatex Aircraft Sealant--to the mating surfaces of the two case halves.  Then, I stuck some wooden clothespins into the cam followers through one half of the case so when I picked it up and turned it over to place on the other half, the cam followers would not drop out.  It's a tricky step, and there's no doing it twice.  Once the sealant is down, you must mate the case halves immediately or start over.  With a lift and one simple and smooth turn, the top half was lowered onto the case studs and the two halves were reunited.

Next came all the case bolts, each tightened in sequence and torqued to the proper spec.  Months of cleaning and polishing came to this.  The short block was assembled.

Next: Long block assembly.