Mistakenly I did not see the memo regarding the installation of the vibration dampeners. Many times I have read the Haynes, Clymer and Factory manuals about the case assembly and saw nothing about the vibration dampeners. I now know the plastic dampeners appear to be fit to the case through bolts and the case half married to the other case half. The factory manual makes no mention of these plastic dampeners. What is the worst thing that could happen if I run without them??

BTW - my first T4 engine build

Are you referring to the plastic pieces that snap onto the case bolts? I thought they came with the gasket kit and are replaced during rebuild.

I just assumed they kept the bolts centered and prevented any movement from heat cycling and vibration to avoid change in bolt torque. But just a total guess. Waiting for someone who actually knows to chime in

I've always just thought of them as an assembly alignment/holding tool. I'm totally guessing in theory the engine could cause harmonics that could break the thin case bolts, but I'd need to see the proof of that.
I know it comes down to the old adage that "if VW didn't think the part was needed it wouldn't be there," but it would also be there if it sped up their engine assembly.

If you're stressing about it LN sells an ARP case bolt kit for $250. It doesn't use the dampeners, but you need your engine down to the short block to install.

I'd never recommend the ARP kit for a stock-ish build...but you're special.

I was along the same thinking - why would VW/Porsche use something if it wasn't needed??

and it's possible a harmonic could be generated, and tear the case bolts apart .....

Thanks for your insight

Could someone post a picture? I've got my engine torn down to the short block and I don't see what y'all are talking about.

Thanks,
Konrad

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7629315

Thanks for digging this up Mark, great information

I spoke with a local old timer (trained at the VW school many years ago) a short time ago and he informed me he has built dozens of T4 engines over the years without the plastic vibration dampeners and never an incident.

Thanks for the pic! No wonder I couldn't see them. They are inside the case.