TheSamba.com :: View topic - AAZ Intermediate Shaft Bearing FAIL! (now with PICTURES!)

Fri Feb 19, 2016 7:26 am

Hey all!
Just wanted to let you know that in GERMANY, VW can NOT get this part (see pics)! :shock:

So, if this happens to you, there are parts available!
(Sorry, no free adverts here! "Use the SEARCH, Luke!")

This was a ZERO KM motor, too! This had BETTER be covered under warranty!

Fri Feb 19, 2016 7:29 am

Quote: This had BETTER be covered under warranty!

That's what the Porsche 996 guys say when their IMS fails...

Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:01 am

I'm guessing that whomever built the engine installed the bearings without properly orienting the oiler holes, or they over tightened the timing belt. One of the reasons that I prefer the later ALH engines is 'cause they finally eliminated the idler shaft altogether.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:10 am

I'm confused by the initial post. Are you saying that you think the bearings are not available or that they are? The intermediate shaft bearings are readily available pretty much everywhere. NAPA, Carquest, Autozone, O'Reilly, any distributor of Federal-Mogul or Clevite, etc, etc.... Online you can get them at RockAuto.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:26 am

Funny we talked about that bearing about a week ago on Chris Schimke thread (Tdi conumdrum)

Andrew said some of them need reeming, as they're too tight after intallation.

How is the shaft supposed to spin? Freely or a little hard by hand?

Also on that AAZ (rebuilt I imagine), it is entirely possible they didn't replaced that bearing at VW :?

Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:27 am

Get the part in the bay ;)

Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:36 am

uh, I just bought some int shaft bearings from local FLAPS.
What was your failure symptom?
From the look of the seam, those look like the original VW bearings.

Also, I second the above question as to how tight the rotation should be, to determine if bearings need reaming. I would assume it should rotate freely...?

Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:46 am

There are two different supplied bearing types. There are ones that are sized so that when they are installed (assuming proper installation) they are the correct finished size. There are other versions that are intentionally sized for reaming. I do not recall if VW supplies the presized bearings or if they only supply the ream-to-fit style.

Whenever I have installed them, the intermediate shaft has turned by hand without significant resistance. I'm sure if there is a bit of extra resistance, provided there is enough lubrication to prevent galling, on startup the bearing will 'machine' itself to proper fit very quickly.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:48 am

Libby, how often do you replace these ? Do you replace them no matter what, or only if they have significant wear/ play?

I'm asking because that seems to be ONE of the failure points in my 1Y.
The inner end of the shaft was rounded like a door knob and the shaft was broken in two places.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:21 pm

I replace them whenever I rebuild an engine. Otherwise, I replace them when the engine is out of the vehicle and they show any significant wear.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:44 pm

Ok, to answer a few questions, I live in Germany. There are no NAPA's, or anything else. We have A.T.U.. And if you thought NAPA was cheap, under-stocked, generic made parts, ATU makes NAPA look like the SEMA auto show.

As far as the parts go, VW says they can not get it separate. It comes as part of an engine block. I came home and hit the 'net straight away and ordered THIS.

It will take a week to get to me, then I will have VW put it in.
I can only hope to get these costs refunded somehow.

Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:57 pm

If there are 0km on the engine, then you may have bigger issues. If the engine has a warranty from VW and they do not have the small parts to fix the problem, why would you be concerned that they would have to replace the entire engine?

Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:49 pm

1726m is the Sealed Power or Federal Mogul part number for the pre-sized. Clevite is SH-1209 S. At one point in time I had a list of another 3 or 4 brand interchanges but I can't find it at the moment. I do not know if the ones linked are the pre-sized or if they will require reaming.

How easily can the engine be dropped down far enough to get the intermediate shaft out?

Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:49 pm

Butcher wrote: If there are 0km on the engine, then you may have bigger issues. If the engine has a warranty from VW and they do not have the small parts to fix the problem, why would you be concerned that they would have to replace the entire engine?

Didn't buy it from VW. Lots of drama, lots of irrelevant back-story. Point- not bought from VW. Bought from a German engine shop, put it in myself at work. Just took it to VW because (insert personal drama here).

Andrew A. Libby wrote: 1726m is the Sealed Power or Federal Mogul part number for the pre-sized. Clevite is SH-1209 S. At one point in time I had a list of another 3 or 4 brand interchanges but I can't find it at the moment. I do not know if the ones linked are the pre-sized or if they will require reaming.

How easily can the engine be dropped down far enough to get the intermediate shaft out?

Well, it's a Diesel Syncro. I believe, as long as the inner bearing cooperates in coming out, I'd say quite easy. I imagine you wouldn't have to disconnect anything.
However, Mr. Libby, if you think there are better ones to be had, I'd like to hear about them.

Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:20 pm

Hm..I also have this engine in a T3 Syncro. I'm curious to know how easily the whole shaft came out.

My oil light just got a bit slow to turn off at startup and I fear my fresh rebuild ain't so fresh after all. :roll:

Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:10 am

Oil light slow turn off is mostly the oilpump.
Oil runs back/down to oil pan and the pump needs time to suck it.
There are cheap oil pumps here in EU for 50€, they have often this effect.
I use only Febi pumps for 100€.

Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:26 am

Here's another alternative (not for the squeamish)

I only have about 12K on the engine but it runs great.

There are two bearings back-to-back with the seals removed, If I had it to do over, I'd have used a smaller oil hole.

The cap was machined as well as the block was not quite deep enough for both bearings.

Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:18 am

Gizmoman wrote: Here's another alternative . . .

Nice.

Richie (near The Burgh)

Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:25 am

That's nuts :shock:

Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:32 am

I went through the throws of sourcing new intermediate shaft bearings for my gas ABA here in Canada. (I see the OP is in Germany). Same basic issue; at dealership or my VW parts guy, both bearings were not available or at least only one bearing was available.

The machine shop I used sourced the bearings and IIRC, I confirmed brand through Andrews helpful PN posts. This machine shop had trouble installing the buried bearing on at flywheel end and had to redo that.

If that bushing were not pressed far enough into the blind hole in block, would this cause a misalignment of oiling holes at pulley end intermediate shaft bearing?

Neil.