73 Super Beetle Autostick engine rebuild questions

67beetledude · 06 July 2008, 04:39

Just got the engine out of my 73, time for a rebuild. Unfortunatly, the torque converter came out with the engine, and the brass bushing is slightly scored. I know I need to replace the torque converter seal, and they are redily available, but I cannot find the bushing anywhere, any one know where to get one? also, all the literature I read says it is important to mark the crank shaft and drive plate relationship prior to drive plate removal, so the drive plate can go back on in the same place, but what if you are replacing the crank? Is there a way to tell where to install the drive plate in relation to the new crank shaft Also, how do you get the darn drive plate off the crank anyway!? Thanks, I look forward to hearing from someone with more answers than I have. I am glad to have finally found an Autostick forum. I love this car, and I intend to keep it for a long time!

Bookwus · 06 July 2008, 04:56

Hiya 67,

Welcome to the forum.

Quote from: 67beetledude on 06 July 2008, 04:39
how do you get the darn drive plate off the crank anyway?........

You need to remove the gland nut. If you are having a problem with that, post up again and we can walk you through that. Assuming that you have already removed the gland nut you should be looking at six small holes in the drive plate surrounding the center hole for the gland nut. If you look closely at those six holes you'll notice the crank dowels in four of them. The other two are empty but threaded. Simply get yourself a couple of bolts to fit into the holes and tighten them down against the crank face. Do this alternating one to the other and you will force the drive plate off the crank.

Sorry that I cannot answer your question concerning orienting the drive plate to a new crank. Perhaps Sean or Lee can help you with that one.

volkenstein · 06 July 2008, 15:16

67,
Hi and welcome to the lunatic fringe

. '73 eh? A bit of a changeover year for VW's. Different trans mounts started in that year so it may pay to check what sort of gearbox mounts you've got. Well, if the engine's out (or coming out) you'll have your answer soon enough!.

Balancing....grey area. I believe the flex plate is zero balanced as a standalone, or as part of the crank assembly. I say this because of the 3 I've run across they have all had a small series of holes (varying amounts)in them and the motors were never rebuilt. I lean more toward standalone balance as no manual I've read mentions re-assembly in the exact sequence they were attached. I'll check over my spare converter for balance weights but seriously it would need some very specialised equipment to do it and no other converter I've seen has balance weights on it. Just think of how much damping a TC full of ATF provides!!!

Since you are rebuilding you could get it ALL balanced in whatever flavour you want, but then you *would* have to mark re-assembly points. This can be negated by zeroing the flexplate and TC and then just sorting the crank and attached parts balancing.
I would have a serious chat with your engine rebuilder about the whole balancing deal.
Far easier on a manual because you've got about 15 1/2 Lbs of metal to remove material from hanging off your crank, and I would pay attention to the remove/assembly sequence ALL the time.

Getting the flexplate off? Big 3/4" rattle gun and appropriate socket is the quick way. Another less painful way than what others have tried is to bring No 1 piston up on the compression stroke then wind in some 1/4 or 3/8 rope into the plug hole (leave some hanging out..) then armed with suitable socket (36mm) and breaker bars/pipes undo the gland nut while the engine "self locks" itself on the rope. Have a mate helping you hold it all down as you wrestle with that 250 ft/Lb torqued sucker!!

Once you've got it off (or fished your mate from the other side of fence

) wind in two 8mm bolts (I'll check the size for you) that have been nicely "face flattened" (for the cranks sake) and they will get the flex plate off the crank. You could maybe just pop some small washers down there too. It could also just pop off, but you never know....

The TC bush....nasty. A UK member here (AutomaticSamba) is (was?) in the exact same predicament. They appear to have been discontinued/NLA. You may wind up having to get one made.

2 Cents
Volkenstein

68autobug · 07 July 2008, 03:52

Hi
I have read somewhere about the balance and not to refit in another spot...
but not sure what it was all about...

I've had My flexplate and torque converter off many times
as Sean has said, the flexplates are all balance
with holes and some have weights attached too.

so I wouldn't worry about that..

if the bush is scored, sounds like it may have run out of ATF...??
You could find another Torque converter..

or if you were VERY lucky, You could find a bush that fits perfectly from something else???
or have one made up...

other than that, You can concentrate on the engine...

then the engine painting can start

cheers

LEE

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

volkenstein · 07 July 2008, 13:53

67,
The two bolts you need to pop the flexplate off the crank are indeed M8 thread.
I checked the two flexplates in the shed and one has no drillings, the other has five small diameter holes in it.
My spare converter has two balance plates (maybe 10mm X 12mm x 1.5?mm thick) spot welded about 30 degrees apart from each other.

I still believe that they are statically balanced as separate items, but please do check with an engine rebuild shop. A recent post on thesamba indicates that Chico at Steelbuggin.com recently supplied a reco turnkey autostick motor, sans torque converter so maybe pick his brains if he'll let you?

HTH
Volkenstein

67beetledude · 09 July 2008, 03:04

Everyone,

Thanks for all the good info, got the gland nut of with my trusty 36mm socket and impact wrench, threaded holes are there, just need to obtain bolts.

I will consult with the machine shop regarding drive plate to crank orientation.

The torque converter bushing is really pristine except for a small score created when the engine came out. I may try to smooth it off a bit and runn it like it is.

Now to my latest mystery. There is a vacuum diaphram connected between the intake manifold and the carburator, with a steel line heading down from the bottom of the diaphram assembly, through the engine tin on the left side of the engine. The line looks very similar to the steel ATF lines. The other side, where another line is supposed to go to who knows where, is plugged off. Does anyone know where that line is supposed to connect?

Thanks again, I am glad I found this forum!

volkenstein · 09 July 2008, 03:47

67,
Check out Brandon's piccies. EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system fitted in the US. A Bentley (Orange) shows what that system
consists of. If your exhaust has been changed at some point you have probably lost the connection point, hence why the pipe appears to go nowhere.

HTH
Volkenstein

67beetledude · 10 July 2008, 04:23

Thanks for the tip that is exactly what it is EGR, now defunct because there is no place on the exhaust to hook it to. I guess there is no problem replacing the diaphragm mechanism attached to the intake with a blank off plate?

Hip hip hooray, I got my heat riser unstopped!!!

Talked to the machine shop, and taking the motor in tomorrow. They even vat the engine tin, nice folks!

Bookwus · 10 July 2008, 04:32

Hiya 67,

Yes, you can basically just block off the intake port that served the EGR. I did exactly that with my engine. Later on I found another manifold and used that instead.