Re: [T3] Deathrich (kind of long, but I can't hold back any more)

["Jake Kooser" <jake_k@ibm.net>]

James, it sounds like you're on the right path with the instructor guy in
San Antonio and by asking the list.  The first thing I would do in your
situation is get the car back home.  Step two:  Fire the mechanic!  To me,
it sounds like this guy doesn't have a clue as to what is happening with the
D-Jetronic system, and his next suggestion might be 'rip it out and put
carbs on it'.  That way, he will have steady business from you needing the
carbs re-jetted and later, re-adjusted every other month.


The gizmo in question is indeed on the left side of the engine compartment
(kind of up underneath the cargo area floor), and is the Manifold Pressure
Sensor.  I have had one of these go bad, the diaphragm inside committed
hari-kari after 26 years of faithful service.  Jim Adney has some of these,
I think (right, Jim?).  You can test it by seeing if it will hold a vacuum.
If you're not squeamish, you can suck on the hose and see if the hose will
stick to your tongue.  If that's not your style, a MityVac pump can do the
dirty work, while you stay fresh and clean to read the guage on the MityVac.
I think they're around $35.00 at most FLAPS.

I am getting ready to use a set of reman heads on my spare 1600 engine.
They're from Street & Sand Toys, in Fort Lauderdale.  They don't have
helicoils, but I did notice that the valve seats appear to be held in
position by a ring of stamped metal (kind of a 'peening' process from what I
can see).  That bothers me, and they aren't type III heads (no provision for
the head temperature sensor on #4, something you should keep in mind before
jumping on them).  I'm plenty scared of what might happen if one of those
valve seats should drop.  Just for comparison's sake, those heads cost me
~$90.00 each (more because they have a semi-hemi cut, a'la Berg) and my
heads for the (stalled) 2L type III engine project cost $300.00 to get
flycut for 92's and 35.5 X 40 mm valve seats installed by Rimco in
California.  The difference is, my grandchildren may visit my grave in a car
using the Rimco heads, the reman heads may send my spare engine to the
grave.  You'll get back what you put in for quality parts and machine work
every time.

Do your own compression test and send the results to the list.  I find it
hard to believe that the mechanic can proclaim your P & C's to be scored
without actually seeing them.  More likely, your engine is just tired and
needs new rings anyway.  It's a safe bet for a mechanic to name that as one
of the main problems, because if your engine has any kind of mileage on it,
it's probably going to have some wear - rings are an easy target.  On my
'spare' engine, I did a low-buck 'top-end' rebuild - I replaced the rings
and used a stone (with an electric drill) to break the glaze.  I did the
same procedure, with the exception of having better shop equipment (full
machine shop with Sunnen hone) on my '71 squareback's engine (FI), with
great results.  It's time consuming, but a good, low initial cost means of
getting a few more miles out of a tired engine.

Okay, off the soapbox for now...

Jake Kooser

-------------------------------------------------------------------
List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list or mailto:help@vwtype3.org