Cylinder head removal - tips please

[71Westy]

So then, having had advice that the hot running of my 1600TP could well be down to the missing little tinware plates that sit between the cylinders, I'm faced with biting the bullet and another couple of air-cooled 1sts for me.

1st time removing the engine, which is of course "just 4 bolts" - yeah right!

But my question is related to cylinder head removal. To fit these little blighters, I need to removed the cylinder heads apparently. So 2 questions - is there any chance they will warp? And I take it the push-rod tubes (currently all non-leaking!) will break their seals - do I need to replace the seals?

While the engine is out, I'mm gonna have a good poke around the tinware, as there's no thermostat fitted, I want to make sure the flaps aren't there in the "closed" position. And I may have a look at the oil cooler - I've also been told that if over-torqued, the seals on that can constrict the oil flow to the cooler.

Any tips greatly received! I do realise that this little endeavour will result in at least 3 new faults

Nick

 

[ozziedog]

Only three new faults :shock: . The thing that buggered me when I had mine apart was finding where to get the new head gaskets . Most people thought I was taking the piss but mine did have them. :msn4: Turns out they were actually decompression rings as mine is an ex panel but more than likely the engine may have been an ex commercial or an ex static engine, (no pun intended). When you have the pushrods / tubes out, give it a real good clean as the alloy on the case there is quite `textured' for want of a better word. Yes replace the tube seals and do not get the red ones that come with a lot of gasket sets. If you fit the red ones, as you replace the oil in the engine, instead of useing a funnel to pour it in, just pour it in and over the engine in equal parts, make sure to cover most of the garage floor just to speed up the process a bit :lol: . Only fit the white ones which seem a lot softer / pliable / better er . No need for sealant. And cork gaskets for the rocker covers. With regards to warping, shouldn`t be an issue, but good to get in the habit of just cracking off the nuts one at a time then loosening them a 1/4 of a turn in series. When you have the heads off, it might be a good idea to pop the barrells off as well and lap them into the mating surface in the head, likke lapping in valves. The only other thing is keep everything in storage so that it can`t get jumbled up and put back in the wrong place. For the push rods, I use a cardboard box about half the size of a tissue box and I write on it before I start 1 - 8 and cam end in box, and I punch a series of holes in with the biro, and stand the tubes up in the box, unless you clean them out as you`re stripping they`ll leak oi into your box No biggy so long as you`re not in on the kitchen table :lol: Take a few photos for records and reference and just be as clean as clean as clean can be.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, :mrgreen:

 

[71Westy]

Hmm - thanks for the info. I was hoping just to ease them off a little, squeeze in the tin, and do them back up, to save a full strip down. You have me thinking. The engine is pretty new - 3000 miles or so on it.

Nick

 

[dubs and classics]

As Ozzie says, do replace the tube seals and make sure they are Elring ones. the red ones are ****. You say that you have no thermostat, are you sure that the flaps are there? They often get left out as people mistakenly think that it will run cooler without them. If they are not present the engine will actually run hotter as they direct airflow round the fins. (apologies if you already know all this but I find that this is one of the most common cause of overheating after carb probs and timing).

If they are missing it would be wise to source some before you drop the lump to save time.

If the engine is pretty new then you should get away with just easing the heads out far enough to drop the tubes, fit your tins, then replace tubes, re torque heads and you are away.

 

[Geeze]

So 2 questions - is there any chance they will warp? And I take it the push-rod tubes (currently all non-leaking!) will break their seals - do I need to replace the seals?

Heads won't warp *if* you follow the torquing order and use a proper wrench to make sure you don't overdo them. Just follow the instructions in a manual. But it is definitely a proper torque wrench job
Don't just winch em up 'good and tight' on a ratchet or you'll end up with stretched studs and more than three new problems...

 

[71Westy]

Thanks for the advice - yes I was going to torque them properly

That's interesting about the flaps - I dunno how to tell without pulling out the engine - is there an easy way? That might be an easy first option rather than taking off the heads, if they are missing. I would prefer to reinstate the thermostat etc. I know I can get a new thermostat, but all the linkage and flaps is another matter....

Cheers,
Nick

 

[dubdubz]

I would reinstate the thermostat and flaps - you see them on ebay, or try megabug. If the engine is genuinely 3000 miles into a decent rebuild then I would leave the rings and barrels alone for now.
The other option is springloaded pushrod tubes [decentish ones] then the heads won't need removing, remove rockers, remove push rods, cut/squash old tubes and then you can insert the spring loaded pushrods ...

that way no engine removal [ bar the thermostat issue of course ]

 

[dubs and classics]

Thanks for the advice - yes I was going to torque them properly

That's interesting about the flaps - I dunno how to tell without pulling out the engine - is there an easy way? That might be an easy first option rather than taking off the heads, if they are missing. I would prefer to reinstate the thermostat etc. I know I can get a new thermostat, but all the linkage and flaps is another matter....

Cheers,
Nick

You can tell if it has flaps by reaching round the back of the fanshroud at the bottom where it joins the tinware and feeling for the linkage and levers that operate them. You are feeling for something like this...

You should also be able to see the other end of the flap spindles on the front of the fan housing. If you can see holes instead then they have been binned.

Hope that slightly crap description makes sense :lol:

 

[71Westy]

Brilliant pic. Thanks. No - it's not there. Bugger.

But perhaps the first easier step is to fit them? And leave the little plates til later.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[dubs and classics]

Personally I would do the lot at once, you need to drop the engine to do the flaps anyway so you may as well go the little bit further and finish the job. I know its a bit of a ball ache but you really need all the tinware that VW put in and the thermostat to make it work properly.

Your engine will thank you dude

 

[71Westy]

You are of course quite right.... but I didn't want to admit it to myself

Thanks,
Nick

 

[froggy]

Have a look under No1 / No2 cylinders (RHD side as looking at it) if the thermostat is there then you will be able to see it. there is a bracket that screws onto the case that holds the thermostat in place, the bar then up through the heads and connects to the flaps inside the fan shroud.

 

[lard]

Just pulled my engine tonight to remove heads and look at the valves and noted I didn't have any flaps either

interested to know how you got on with sorting yours out?

 

[ozziedog]

I did my engine not so long ago but I ain`t got no flaps or stat. Bought a new ish powder coated fan housing off e bay complete for about £25 and a bit more for postage just need to sort the stat now and make sure I got it all ready to hook up before I pop him out again. Might be the time to have another go at that squeaky clutch as well, that drives me nuts :shock: Just drive really gentle and I don`t seem to have too many issues, but I haven`t hooked up a temp guage. As soon as I do that, I`ll be panicking all the time :lol:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Much better in ignorance !! :lol: :roll: :lol: