I don't think it's weak springs, as they are just as stiff, if not stiffer to compress than the others.

---

Hi
I would suggest you pull the motor and remove the heads and do the job properly, you've tried the gentle awakening thing and it hasn't worked in this case, if you do free the valves so they move when you turn the motor by hand you may be ok but if you do have one hang open when its running at best you could bend a valve at worst you could wreck a piston and you will have to remove the heads anyway.. There is also the chance that even if it does run well you could have oil leaks from the push rod tubes from rust pinholes or mummified push rod tube seals etc. once removed you could check and replace the rings if necessary hone the bores and have the valves dressed up and seats recut etc, if you want unleaded seats or new guides BLR Engineering in Hersham SW London does an excellent job and is real value for money and you can post stuff to him if you want, Bill.

It's looking that way....

Can anyone recommend a good (affordable) engine stand gthat is suitable for a type 1 motor? I've heard that some have a design that doesn't work well on the Beetle unit???

Hadn't thought about unleaded seats...

Given my lack of experience, it is good to know that there is someone trust worthy who could do guides, and seats etc to a high standard.

Let's see what happens.

---

I completely understand your determination to keep the engine factory but the clearances for valve to guide are pretty big from new ,so for a valve to stick or seize means there is more than dried up oil holding it .Removing the heads now and sorting the problem could save more of the original engine.if you run that engine with valves that are even slightly stiff and have corrosion on the stems it will destroy the guides and possibly other parts of the valvetrain.Chances are it will also be quicker .I bet you have spent more couple of hours trying to free them off and even if you do the guides will be worn within a few hundered miles.It takes even a first timer less than an hour to remove it.
Sorry for the lecture but i speak from experience .Just a bit frustrating sat here whatching you trying to free off valves and knowing exactly what it going to happen after you have run it for a few hundered miles.

Keep up the good work and look forward to more pictures and posts.8)

The guides should be fine, replacing them is not to be done by anyone who is not an expert, especially on ally heads BUT THEY SHOULD BE FINE.

Valve seats are very hard and unless they have heavy pitting which I doubt you should be able to lap in the valves with valve grinding paste.

Shopping list will be the following.

1.Gasket Set (You got that one)
2. Valve spring compressor

3. Grinding paste

4. Seats recut only if needed (should be fine)

This company are fantastic if the seats need a recut https://www.hamlinsengineering.co.uk/ 

Barrels may need a glaze bust with one of these



Once the head is dismantled get the boiling bubbling container of water and DAZ and boil the heads helped with a toothbrush

Pistons, remove gudgeon clips and tap out gudgeon pin with a touch of heat.

Decarbon pistons in the boiling daz and clean up with a feeler gauge as a usefull scraper.

Rings off the pistons, probably will not need new rings but maybe a good idea.

---

If you gone this far a bottom end dismantle degunk and degrease and assembly will mean you know all the oil galleries are good to go.

To be fair - originality of things like valve guides and seats, rings and seals etc is not an issue - nor would or should it be to anyone else. It would be nice not to have to pull the engine - not from a status point of view, but more from a hassle perspective.

As you rightly point out, there comes a point when you've got to look in the mirror and take a deep breath.

I was in engineering in a previous life and am fortunate enough to have a good level of mechanical understanding a sympathy - it's just experience of VW engines I lack (I've plenty with small block chevys) - but I'm sure there will be lots of people to give advice along the way.

---

Sorry looks like i posted the above too late.:?

Your help and support is very much appreciated :d

---

All of us on here will talk you through every step, it'll be like talking you down in a plane where the pilot has collapsed speaking of pilots

Watch this clip I posted on vzi on a b29 bomber that was unearthed from its icy tomb

[img]https://skeptico.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83451df0c69e20120a7b4c061970b-800wi[/img]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffin' glue...

---

Hi
I just have a couple of the "Clarke" type engine stands, they cost between thirty to fifty quid and stand on metal castors and have four ajustable arms on a rotating head so you can turn the engine all the way over if you want and wheel it out the way when your bored with it, you will have to find some long ten MM bolts and remove the lower mounting studs and screw the bolts in there, and space the engine clear on tubes or a fair few washers, or just stick it on a workmate or your kitchen table, Bill.

Decision made - Top end rebuild time.

:lol:


I feel like I ma doing the car and engine a good turn and protecting it for the future.
As has been mentioned - I'd hate to get it running then burn or worse drop and exhasut valve in 3 months time.


Once I've got the heads off - I'll report back with plenty of pictures.

So, is it worth sending the heads off for unleaded seats or not?


What's the general school of thought. Originality in this area is not an issue - we have unleaded fuel, so I'm happy to adapt????

---

Here is a useful link to a how to feature for 30hp engines.Also the belated picture of the valve tool disscussed earlier and cutaway engine pic.

https://picasaweb.google.com/helmsorig/36hpRebuildArticleVWTrends7981098# 

Its great having all these workshop manual pages placed here, but when does copyright kick in :?

---

With today being my last day off for a while, I had some domesticities to attent to - hair cut, visit to the Doctor etc (he thinks I should pull the motor too).

I was debating whether to pulll the motor, or stick to plan and finish up front first (brake lines, tank, fuel tap, fuel line, grommets etc).

In the end my decision was made for me as Mrs LT decided she'd take the kids out and about. This meant I was going to be by myself. I really didnt fancy trying to remove the motor single handedly for the first time in over 20 years, as one slip and I could cause major damage. I'm sure my Dad will be more than willing to help, although I'm ready for the rant abut how high I'll need to lift the car to get it out.

So, I decided to try and finish off up front.

The original steel brake lines had been repaired (!!!) at some point, so there was no option but to replace them with a nice new set of Nickel/Copper ones....



I used a normal tube bender for the larger radius curves, but for tighter radii, I made a make shift jig in the vice using a socket as a form. Why not just bend it round your thumb I hear you cry...? Sorry, just cant help myselft sometimes!



After far more faffing about that I'd anticipated, the new hard lines where formed and in place, along with the original low pressure master cylinder fluid feed pipe.



One might argue that the lengths of tube supplied in the kit are a little on the long side, hence the imaginative bends here and there, but I'm more than please with the way it now looks.

Because the long front to back brake line is in very good condition, I am in no immediate rush to replace it (although a new one was in the kit and I might well replace it anyway) but I really struggled to get the thread of the fitting into the hole on the master cylinder. I fiddled around for ages trying the get the threads started, desparately trying not to cross them, but with no joy. I tried one of the old fittings in the new cylinder to make sure the threads are the same (which they are) but dspite all my wiggling and jiggling and trying from every possible variation of angle, I couldn't get them started, so I have to assume the first thread on the fitting is slightly damaged, as I checked the cylinder and an old loose fitting went in first time. I'll wait until my Dad gets back from holiday and scrounge one of his thread dies to clear it out. No major issue but it kind of halted progress.

With time on my side, I decided to have a sweep and vac of the spare wheel compartment to make sure it is as solid as I remembered from when I first saw the car.

After a quick tydy up, I was not disappointed!







Like the rest of the car, absolutely solid as a rock, and a real joy to behold.

Of course I couldn't just leave it like that, so I drenched it in waxoyl to preserve for the future. The waxoyl 'wets up' the surface rust and makes it look worse than it is, but I'm happy in the knowledge that it is well protected.



Until I can get the threads clear on the brake line fitting, and until I've a helper to assist in the engine removal, that's about it for now, other than when I removed my gloves, I noticed I'd sliced my thumb open on something.... but no idea what? :lol:

---

Once the kids were safely tucked up in bed, I had a visit from the progress police who ordered me out into the garage.... just for a quick poke and prod you see....

Decided to pull the engine.

Some observations.....

1) The engine has indeed never been out - I had to use tonnes of squirty brake cleaner and a tooth brush just to be able to find the bolts, which when I eventually did find them had all virgin flanks - untouched.

2) I guess you don't need heaters in Portugal - the heater cable has already snapped long ago at the heater box control valve, so that was one less process.

3) Either VW assembled this car only finger tight, or Plusgas penetrating fluid is absolutely amazing stuff. I say finger tight - not quite, things needed a good effort, but they all cracked free and nothing seized which was a big relief.

4) I need taller axle stands! :lol:

5) Mrs LT is a great helper

6) Could they make the engine / engine bay / gaerbox input shaft a tighter fit?

7) When you release the oil strainer plate, the oil comes out faster than the usual 14mm drain plug on a normal sump! :lol:




As you can see, I drained the oil first!


I guess most of us know the engine removal sequence isn't anything complicated, so thankfull there aren't any dull pictures of spanners on bolst etc, plus my hands were far too dirty for the digital camera.





Ok, a fair bit of 'manouvering' to get the clutch clear of the input shaft whilst the pulleys were tight up against the rubber seal on the inside of the valance, but slowly, bit by bit, down she came.


And it soon became apparent that my axle stands are woefully short of the mark, so at this point, with the motor effectively out and free, I called it a day. There are some bricks / wood either side of the jack just to steady it in the mean time.





And that is how it was left. I'll get some taller axle stands and maybe remove the fan housing, inlet manifold etc then it should pull clear. No going back now.


Time for a beer (another one)!

---

Quick work! I'm enjoying this thread, keep it coming!!

---

x 2 definitely the most interesting thread on here at the moment. Keep it up!

Mike :d

---

Great work !,cant wait to see the teardown! They are a tight fit and i find leaving the exhaust off helps when you refit.I have been waiting for a chance to post these scans from an original workshop manual ,so hope you dont mind but i love these colorised pics.I will straighten them up sometime when i get photoshop sorted

Rob,any chance we can have a picture gallery for useful pics and scans ?or have i missed it somwhere :?

What's this? - Garage time on a school night?

One of the major advantages of working for a large main dealer, is that I get to borrow some hardware from time to time.







That's more like it!

With some chassis saving padding on the jack pad, up she went....





Success! - straight out!





And here it is - all ready for some love!









Can't wait to get stuck in.....

---