What kind of luck with re-ring?

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:17 pm

Hi. I'm new to this forum and to vw diesels. I recently purchased a 1982 Jetta diesel with a blown head gasket and 177k on a rebuilt engine. The last rebuild took it to 1mm oversize on the bores which means there is nothing left to machine. Measuring the cylinders I found them .0015"-.002" out of round and piston clearance to be about .0025"-.0045". The bores seem to take more of a beating on the thrust side. Has anyone had luck with re-ringing out of spec bores? What is the result? Piston slap and oil consumption? My only other alternative is to source another used block or engine. Thanks.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:52 pm

I see them selling sleeves on ebay.

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:16 am

Yes I have seen them too along with a list of service bulletins. Do you know anyone who has used one or four?

Post by **Fatmobile** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:26 am

ummm,... no, not yet.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:15 am

Sleeving the motor is going to cost some good cabbage, probably about $100 a hole. So, keep that in mind too. If you keep your eyes open, you may be able to find a block, complete engine, or parts car with an engine for really cheap. If it were me, I'd probably try to pick up another complete engine, then you have spare parts, which I always seem to have around my place. Call your local machine shop and ask how much to sleeve your motor and proceed from there.

hagar · Post by **hagar** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:46 am

Has anyone had luck with re-ringing out of spec bores? What is the result?

Yes Old hagar has had good LUCK for more than 60 years.

READ READ and READ some more in the forums.

Gasser mind set will NOT work on DIESELS --read my lips.

hagar.

backwoods · Post by **backwoods** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:06 am

I am beginning to wonder if there are different sort of blocks out there, ones that wear more than others or something. I bought my MK1 diesel with 300K on the clock, barely ran and laid its own smoke screen. When I pulled the pistons the #2 had ring end gaps of 0.1" and the others were in the 0.06 - 0.07 range. I don't know how this thing ran at all LOL.
Anyway, when I mic'd the bores they came in at the smallest honing group size, and pistons were still in spec, though the grooves were getting toward the high end of acceptable. I could not get repeatable numbers for taper or roundness, the numbers I got were within spec but varied each time I did it. After I honed the cylinders I ended up simply putting the fresh standard compression ring into each bore high up and down low and measuring the end gap, and it was just above the minimum either way.
Put in the new standard rings & replaced all the crank journal & rod big end bearings, and been running it for a few thousand, runs great, starts quick and no visible smoke even cold. It does vibrate a fair bit when cold though.
Well if I had a point in mind when I started I forgot it, sorry

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:45 pm

Free turbo motor with head gasket blow and turbo set-up off in Calgary Alberta. It doesn't get any better in Canada eh.

http://www.clubveedub.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28062

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:04 pm

A guy at my work has an older 11mm block 1.6 he wants to get rid of. He thinks it dropped a valve. Maybe I will pick it up and see what is usable. Is there any way to machine the older block thread holes for the 12mm bolts?

Post by **Fatmobile** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:50 pm

Probably cheaper, better and easier to buy headstuds.

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:06 pm

Are the head studs torqued and stretched using the same method as bolts?

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:18 pm

Thanks for everyone's input. I did some searching and found torque values for a stud kit. I also found some of you who have done rings along with a new head gasket. I have not found to much specific information on oversize bore sizes. Seems some might not have the tools to measure. I've decided to give it a try with re-ringing and see how it goes. Does anyone know if replacement rings are cast iron or molly? I need to know what type of finish I need on bores. Thanks again!

Bormie · Post by **Bormie** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:43 pm

I have over 3K miles on my re-ring rebuild now. I had trouble sourcing 1mm oversize rings and ended up with a set of Hastings I special ordered from Napa. These were the premium set with the ductile steel top ring.
Even though the piston/cylinder clearances were a little out of spec, the ring gaps were within spec and it burns very little oil. It was only down on the dipstick about 3/16in from the top at the 3k oil change.
I haven't checked the compression yet but it cold starts fine and is getting 42mpg around town and 45mpg on the hwy driving around 65-75mph.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 12:53 am

Glad to hear you have it done and are tooling around in it.
I think 10,000 miles is sort of a mile stone for rerings,... if it makes it that far it should last awhile.

Dakotakid · Post by **Dakotakid** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:07 am

How bad did NAPA "jab" you on the price of these rings?????

Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

What kind of luck with re-ring?

What kind of luck with re-ring?

Re-Ringing a Diesel.