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Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:22 pm

TommyBoyGomes wrote: Thanks for the offers Craig and Don, but my dad and I (+ a friend) will probably be able to handle it. Although, if something goes awry, one of you might get a call ha.

Our strategy is that I'm gonna back the rear of the square onto ramps. However, because my square is kinda low, I imagine that I'm still going to have to jack it up a little more to get the engine out from beneath it.

Anyone know off-hand how tall a T3 engine is with the exhaust removed? Do most of you guys remove the carbs prior to pulling the engine to make it easier? Thanks!

15 inches according to the manual, 18 inches to be safe. :wink:

Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:33 pm

Tommy,

No problem. I pm'd you my number, call if you need me.

Craig

Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:56 am

Do you have the degreaser/pressure washer/car wash lined up for before you disassemble it? :idea:

Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:40 pm

It's out!

All in all it took about 5.5 hours, but that included lunch and a trip to home depot for tools (btw, an offset 17mm box-end wrench is THE perfect tool for getting to the left top bolt between the engine and tranny).

It was pretty straightforward and we only had one real complication. The rear tires of the square are up on ramps so I had what I thought to be plenty of clearance... which turned out to be too much clearance for our jack; it got to about 2 inches beneath the engine at its highest. Because we didn't want to use cinder blocks or bricks to span the gap between the jack and the engine (at the risk of them crumbling apart under the weight), we went dumpster-diving down the alley to where a cabinet maker usually dumps his wood. All he had were small 1"x1" blocks about the size of jenga pieces. So we duct-taped a cube of those together and used those between the engine and the jack. Probably the most unsafe/ghetto way to do it, but it worked like a charm in the end!

Don, your engine cart worked perfectly for getting it out from underneath the car, thanks for letting me borrow it man. I'll run it back down to you this weekend or something if you need it while I'm doing the assembly/dissasembly on my engine.

I'd post pics, but there's nothing that exciting about my skinny ass pulling a dirty engine; I'll wait till I got some shiny stuff to show!

Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:18 am

Tommy use the cart until your done I am in no hurry. Congrats on getting this thing started.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:41 pm

Hey guys, have an update and some questions:

After weeks of working insane hours, I finally began the tear-down process yesterday. We're near the end of the tear-down process and will probably split the case tomorrow. However, there are a few stumbling blocks I have to pass first. Can anyone help with these issues?

1. I can't find a way to get the flywheel gland nut off. I've tried putting a wooden wedge inbetween the flywheel teeth and a crank-case stud and some other methods, but the crank just spins when I take the breaker bar to it. I'm tempted to use an air-gun to take it off, will this mess up any of the internal crank, journals, or anything else? I saw that russ recommended to use an electric one in another thread, but I only have a compressed air one, is this cool? I don't plan on re-using the bearings, but I'd like to re-use the crank if I can and I don't want to mess it up. If I can't use an air-gun, how do you lock the crank in place so that I can break the gland nut? I don't have the "special fixture" that the bentley says to use to keep the flywheel assembly in place.
2. What size is the nut holding on the fan? How will I remove that without the crank turning? Same way with an air-gun?
3. The fan that is on my engine does not appear to be the same style that the bently shows. Do I have a type 1 fan? (pic below) Is this problematic?
4. I cannot figure out how to get the pulley off of the generator. The manual says to use a 21mm (13/16" SAE) for the nut and a 24mm (15/16" SAE) on the hat-shaped washer. However, there's just no way to fit the two wrenches on both with the pulley in the way. Is there a special tool anyone has found for holding the hat-shaped washer in place. Btw, the 15/16" open-end wrench that the manual says to use should really say "offset" somewhere, because trying to get a straight one in there doesn't seem to be happening.

Lastly, has anyone in L.A. used a machine shop near Randy's donuts, (the big donut in all the movies at manchester and the 405? I think the machine shop is either at or near the unique auto center). It's about 2 minutes from my house and someone recommended it to me because they have an older guys in his 60's who does all the VW machining. This is the first I've heard of it though, any experience?

Thanks all!

P.S. The reason why one heat exchanger is still on is because my brand new 13mm craftsman wrench broke on me, grrr.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:06 pm

TommyBoyGomes wrote: Hey guys, have an update and some questions:

After weeks of working insane hours, I finally began the tear-down process yesterday. We're near the end of the tear-down process and will probably split the case tomorrow. However, there are a few stumbling blocks I have to pass first. Can anyone help with these issues?

1. I can't find a way to get the flywheel gland nut off. I've tried putting a wooden wedge inbetween the flywheel teeth and a crank-case stud and some other methods, but the crank just spins when I take the breaker bar to it. I'm tempted to use an air-gun to take it off, will this mess up any of the internal crank, journals, or anything else? I saw that russ recommended to use an electric one in another thread, but I only have a compressed air one, is this cool? I don't plan on re-using the bearings, but I'd like to re-use the crank if I can and I don't want to mess it up. If I can't use an air-gun, how do you lock the crank in place so that I can break the gland nut? I don't have the "special fixture" that the bentley says to use to keep the flywheel assembly in place.
2. What size is the nut holding on the fan? How will I remove that without the crank turning? Same way with an air-gun?
3. The fan that is on my engine does not appear to be the same style that the bently shows. Do I have a type 1 fan? (pic below) Is this problematic?
4. I cannot figure out how to get the pulley off of the generator. The manual says to use a 21mm (13/16" SAE) for the nut and a 24mm (15/16" SAE) on the hat-shaped washer. However, there's just no way to fit the two wrenches on both with the pulley in the way. Is there a special tool anyone has found for holding the hat-shaped washer in place. Btw, the 15/16" open-end wrench that the manual says to use should really say "offset" somewhere, because trying to get a straight one in there doesn't seem to be happening.

Lastly, has anyone in L.A. used a machine shop near Randy's donuts, (the big donut in all the movies at manchester and the 405? I think the machine shop is either at or near the unique auto center). It's about 2 minutes from my house and someone recommended it to me because they have an older guys in his 60's who does all the VW machining. This is the first I've heard of it though, any experience?

Thanks all!

P.S. The reason why one heat exchanger is still on is because my brand new 13mm craftsman wrench broke on me, grrr.

1. get a flywheel lock tool. it costs like 10 bucks and its worth its weight in gold. available at some flaps and any online ACVW parts dealer.
2. dont remember off the top of my head, but the flywheel lock will stop both the flywheel and crank/fan from turning
3. ur seeing the outer fan/crank portion of the fan. there is another larger fan behind it. what you've got there is fine.
4. yes there is a "special" wrench in that it's made of thick plate instead of cast and and its offset. you can make your own as others have here (out of plate and then cut it to the right size) or bend an offset onto a cheap wrench from HF.
5. don't dick around with machine work. send it to Rimco, especially since you have a GEX turd to start with.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:12 pm

An air impact shouldn't be a problem, just make sure it's got enough torque to break it loose (at least 253 ftlbs). I use a Torque Miester myself, as I've snapped a gland nut torquing one on before. The flywheel lock that I use is one that you can get at any good VW parts shop for less than 20 bucks. CIP has then for sure.
The fan you've got is correct for a t-3 though, and that bolt is torqued to 93 to 108 ft lbs. You should remove it while you have the flywheel locked, as it's easier that way.
For the generator pulley, I made a wrench like the one in the Muir book.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:24 pm

Tommy I am glad you called me I have what you need I even have the sockets you will need for the airgun. See you in the Morning.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:26 pm

Joe I have all of this covered for him. LOL

1. get a flywheel lock tool. it costs like 10 bucks and its worth its weight in gold. available at some flaps and any online ACVW parts dealer.
2. dont remember off the top of my head, but the flywheel lock will stop both the flywheel and crank/fan from turning
3. ur seeing the outer fan/crank portion of the fan. there is another larger fan behind it. what you've got there is fine.
4. yes there is a "special" wrench in that it's made of thick plate instead of cast and and its offset. you can make your own as others have here (out of plate and then cut it to the right size) or bend an offset onto a cheap wrench from HF.
5. don't dick around with machine work. send it to Rimco, especially since you have a GEX turd to start with.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:43 pm

Thanks for the all replies guys. Don, I'll see ya tomorrow morning, I'm glad to hear that your engine is almost ready to put back together.

The only question that's still troubling is the generator pulley. Does anyone have a pic of the tool that is mentioned in the muir book? I don't have it (although I know I should). I'm gonna hit sears tomorrow to replace my snapped wrench, so maybe by some miracle they'll have an open-ended offset 24mm wrench :roll:

Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:12 pm

I have a picture on my web site, but my site is down right now. My son is the webmaster, and he is camping and 4 wheeling in the desert over the weekend.

It is the same wrench as the T-3 front wheel bearings use on the early cars with the double nuts.

Since you have the generator off, zap it with an impact wrench. Don't need to hold the "hat", just the pulley with a gloved hand.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:15 pm

Russ Wolfe wrote: I have a picture on my web site, but my site is down right now. My son is the webmaster, and he is camping and 4 wheeling in the desert over the weekend.

It is the same wrench as the T-3 front wheel bearings use on the early cars with the double nuts.

Since you have the generator off, zap it with an impact wrench. Don't need to hold the "hat", just the pulley with a gloved hand.

Web site is back up.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:18 pm

Hey guys, we just can't break this glad nut... I've got Don's anchor in place between the flywheel teeth and the case, am using a serious breaker bar, and neither me or my dad (a pretty big guy) can break it. We've even put a 3' length of pipe over the breaker bar to add some length to it for leverage without success.

Which brings me to an embarrassing question... does the gland nut loosen to the left like regular nuts or does it loosen to the right?

We got the fan nut by loosening it to the left, which makes me think that the gland nut might need to loosen to the right....

If it does loosen to the left, any other tips on breaking it? My dad went home to grab our air gun, but I doubt it'll have enough torque to break a 250 ft.lb nut

P.S. Thanks for digging up the picture Russ.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:20 pm

If it is a decent impact, it should break it loose.
It has the advantage of the hammer effect.
If you have enough air from your air compressor.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:21 pm

it's not reverse threaded. it's just torqued on there like a mofo. You're gonna need something longer than 3ft breaker bar. Is the motor on a stand? if so, have your dad stand on bottom bar of the stand while you get a 4-6 ft cheater and just use your weight to break the fucker off. Either that or keep using the impact wrench, heat, and stupid amounts of PB blaster.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:18 pm

holy crap. Whoever engineered that gland nut to be on with 250 ft.lbs of torque should be given the task of removing them without the help of an impact wrench for eternity.

So, long story short, we couldn't break the gland nut off ourselves, even with 6' of leverage. We ended up throwing the engine in the back of my truck, driving it down to a local gas station garage and asked them if we could use their air gun. Sure enough, their air gun (which have a hell of alot more torque than my measely 100 ft.lb one) had it off in 5 seconds. He didn't charge me either, which was cool.

I shudder at the idea of me having to get that thing back on at a 253 lb rating.

Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:22 pm

TommyBoyGomes wrote: holy crap. Whoever engineered that gland nut to be on with 250 ft.lbs of torque should be given the task of removing them without the help of an impact wrench for eternity.

So, long story short, we couldn't break the gland nut off ourselves, even with 6' of leverage. We ended up throwing the engine in the back of my truck, driving it down to a local gas station garage and asked them if we could use their air gun. Sure enough, their air gun (which have a hell of alot more torque than my measely 100 ft.lb one) had it off in 5 seconds. He didn't charge me either, which was cool.

I shudder at the idea of me having to get that thing back on at a 253 lb rating.
WOW I was wondering how things went after our last phone call. did you split the case yet?

Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:12 pm

TommyBoyGomes wrote: holy crap. Whoever engineered that gland nut to be on with 250 ft.lbs of torque should be given the task of removing them without the help of an impact wrench for eternity.

I shudder at the idea of me having to get that thing back on at a 253 lb rating.

That's why I bought a Torque Miester. It only needs 25 ft lbs to torque it up, since it multiplies by 9. The only thing it doesn't work on is AT flex plate gland nuts, since they don't have any teeth. :roll:

Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:56 am

Bobnotch wrote: TommyBoyGomes wrote: holy crap. Whoever engineered that gland nut to be on with 250 ft.lbs of torque should be given the task of removing them without the help of an impact wrench for eternity.

I shudder at the idea of me having to get that thing back on at a 253 lb rating.

That's why I bought a Torque Miester. It only needs 25 ft lbs to torque it up, since it multiplies by 9. The only thing it doesn't work on is AT flex plate gland nuts, since they don't have any teeth. :roll:

agreed, the gland nut is a bitch. I usually take mine up to the goodyear and do the same thing you did if I can't get it off.