Hi all, Got my replacement engine (AGG) for the 8V 2L conversion for my MK1 Cabrio. I'm a relative newbie, have done head gaskets in the past but this is my first full engine re build, so please forgive any daft questions. I've read the AGG is pretty bullet proof however see little point with the block on the bench in not replacing rings however whilst doing so should I also replace the big end bearings, thrust washers and seals? Do the bearing cap bolts need replacing (like the head bolts) or can they be re used? Anything else I should look to replace while I'm at it?? Thanks!! J
Whats the mileage on the engine? I would remove centre crank bearing and inspect for wear, shiny surfaces and dirt grooves. If the bearing looks ok I would just fit back and not worry about it. If the bearings look bad then I'll buy new ones and get the crank checked and re-ground if it needs it with matching bearings. As for the bolts, yes they need replaceing. i replaced mine and the nuts too. Someone I know rebuilt theirs with the old bolts and a conrod come off and wrecked the engine. If the bearings are ok, I would just change chank oil seals and get the head skimmed and put the metal TSR headgasket on the agg unit with new head bolts. Oh and fit new water pump and cambelt.
I would say depends on history of engine and how much you want to spend. Was it a good runner before you got it.
Got the engine from Stevens (http://www.stevensvwspares.com) they said 100k smoke free. Have decided to completely strip down and rebuild. Seems to be false economy in the long run as I'm going to be committing a lot of time to the build i'd be livid if there was a failure as a result of a part worn part. Thanks for the guidance guys!! Just got to break the good news to the lovely Mrs, don't know what she want's clothes and food for anyway lol!!
Would appreciate help with this. Will have the block completely stripped today and will post some pictures of the bearing. Thanks guys!!!!
You will be looking for shiny area's and dirt grooves. If the dirt grooves are bad then I would consider a full strip down and rebuild. I also label and bag stuff in order plus take pictures. Think from memory oil hole bearing was number 4. I can confirm looking at my repair manual. I rebuilt the AGG engine before I went for an abf 16v. Both blocks are the same pretty much. As for oil pump, all what engine rebuilders do is skim the plate inside the oil pump. You can check flow by drowning the pump in oil and spinning it using a drill. I made a connector to fit on drill chuck and oil pump shaft. Also when putting oil pump back I would prime with oil and grease all new crank bearings with grease as the first few seconds on startup causes the most engine wear. If your engine will be standing for a long time before firing up I would just turn engine over with just starter motor and no fuel pump fuse fitted or spark plugs.
You can check wear on oil pump by putting a gauge between cog and plate. Tolerances can be found in the Haynes manual. If you do buy a new oil pump, you MUST prime it first before fitting. If you don't you'll have big end failures, I learnt the hard way.
