Just got the meds .. but can't tell if they are taking effect yet.

Zach - you still have those crutches with the rubber feet?
(ain't I a stinker, I just HAD to add that)

Everyone just left.
Got a few things done, most of the day we puzzled over my motor.

Josh got here around 10:30 or so, he got lost driving around the farm roads near my house. He helped me set the alignment on my doors, and we pondered how badly my car had been hit some time int he past (pretty hard). I gave him my therories on the motor, he said they sounded plausible, and we started calling around to see if we could find a shim to move the cylinder up .005 inches. No dice. Bug Worlds was closed, and the other places I called either did not answer, or did not have the part. We decided to go to the crotchety VW shop on Rt30 where I got my windshield, but did not want to leave until the others got here.

Well, at 12:15 we decided that we better go. I left a sign on the door, and the door unlocked. Wouldn't you know we got a call 5 minutes later saying that they were here... We got skunked at the old guy's shop too.

So, we came back, Jim (type47)and Root had driven up together. We had some chili, and went back out to look at the motor, measure more, and ponder. We were able to determine that the register had NOT collapsed (GOOD!) but that the heads need to be recut, and a simple shim would not have fixed the problem anyway.

Around 3, we heard a DEEP rumble outside. There was Jim Kelly pulling up. 41 degrees out, has has a three hour drive, and did it in a 914 with no heat and no WINDOWS. Got him warmed up with some chili, and headed back out to the garage.

Josh helped me run my clutch and throttle cables, and that was pretty much the only other thing we did (aside from looking at my motor, and trying to think of new and interesting ways to fix the head leak on the spot.)

It was good to see everyone.

Sadly, no pics.
Zach

Wish I could have made it. My "planned" week off to get some werk done has been a 90% bust. I woke up Christmas morning with a sore throat, thought no biggie, woke up Wed, morning a little werse and yesterday morning all hell hit. Spent the last 2 days sleeping and popping pills Got my dads Maxima fixed and NOTHING on my car has been done. I can't remember the last time I was sick

Zach just remember IF you need to have the head cut MAKE SURE BOTH sides are cut to the same spec. If you only have the one, problematic, side cut you have just created another issue. You also need to make absolutely certain that the tops of the barrels are even and true.

When I take the stuff to Bug World, I am going to bring the heads and cylinders, all labeled.

Feel better. I was sick for over a month this fall. most of the folks I know are either getting over it, or are still sick. Its been a crappy fall for it.

Zach

Scott - I'll ask the naive question - by the above you mean the cut opposite cylinder or all four? I'm assuming the cc size on all four should be equal?

Zach, I really hated to miss this. Was looking forward to catching up with everyone over the holidays.

[quote name='plas76targa' date='Dec 29 2007, 08:02 AM' post='981031']
--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(scotty b @ Dec 28 2007, 02:54 PM) </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
MAKE SURE BOTH sides are cut to the same spec
[/quote]

Scott - I'll ask the naive question - by the above you mean the cut opposite cylinder or all four? I'm assuming the cc size on all four should be equal?

Zach, I really hated to miss this. Was looking forward to catching up with everyone over the holidays.
[/quote]

Matt yes the CC's IDEALY should be equal. The real concern however isn't as much with the CC volume,from side to side as it is with both cylinders mating flush to the head surface. If only one side (chamber) of the head is cut what you have done is created an uneven plane from cyl 1 to cyl 2 and you will still have a leak. If both head surfaces are cut but one of the barrels is off, you will have the same issue. What most machine shops don't realize is there are a lot more measurements to be aware of on an aircooled engine then there are on water cooled Am. engines. TYPICALLY a shop specializing in VW / Porsche will know this but that's not always true either

Huh. I thought what you were saying is that I should pull both heads (1&2 head and 3&4 head) and have them both machined.

That is what Josh was saying I should do.

Evan called me yesterday and said that there may just be a boss that is causing the leak. When I finally get some pants on this morning, I am going to go have a look.

One thing that I do want to do with this engine is get some adjustable pushrods. I think that the ones I have not are a bit too long. I'd like to be able to do without the spacers, and my swivel feet are nearly out of adjustable range.

Zach

No pics?

All numbers were good on 3&4 so I don't see any reason in pulling that head off. Yesm after machining 1&2 may have a little higher compression than 3&4 but as litttle as it will be it shouldn't make any noticable difference.

i see scotty bees point.

since you are running carbs - it does not matter if the cht bung is on the side closest to the harness's plug for it.

if your problem is an un true cylinder or un true head surface - either could be trued - ( both cylinders and head should be measured for sure ) and then maybe a corresponding shim could be placed between cylinder and case to make up for difference.

the assumption is that the case is true??

i guess

Bzzt. I'm wrong again.

Now I think that the heads are fine...

I swapped the heads (put 3&4 bank on the 1&2 side, and vice versa) and re-did the leak down. So the #1 cylinder head was now on the #4 cylinder, and the #4 cylinder head was now on the #1 cylinder.

I re-did leak down on Cylinder 1&2&4. I skipped doing leakdown on three.

Cylinder 1 (Head 4) still leaked at 55%.
Cylinder 2 (head 3) was cool at 7%
Cylinder 4 (head 1 - which I thought was the leaky one) was also cool at 7%

I measured the #1 cylinder from behind the shim to the mating lip, but was not able to get a measurement I was able to replicate from time to time.

But I now either need to go back to either that the cylinder needs shimmed up about .005 inches, or the case needs decked.

By the way, I am going to put this over in my "Fixing Poor Leakdown" thread, and stop updating this one. Please direct your comments that way.

Zach