Type 4 engine case-"hieroglyphics" or micro markings

[raygreenwood]

So I am detailing an engine case right now for a 1.8L build I am doing. It has a great deal more flashing than I have found on most type 4 cases.

Not a big deal….but along with a little surface corrosion here and there….nothing that will cause any damage…but is more than can easily be removed with caustics and a brush…I decided to lightly sand and moderately polish this case to get rid of the minor deburring and de-flashing marks and the rough surfaces that the chemical removal of the corrosion would cause.

In the process of this detailed cleaning and de-flashing….I found numerous proofing, quality control and machine work stampings in the case that even after all of these decades of working on type 4….I have never noticed! I can only describe them as production “hieroglyphics”.

There are probably even more than what I have found. I am going to be sure that during the polishing of this case I preserve them. A couple of these marks are fairly large face of type like 18-20 point. The rest…are all very small.
Typically the stamping letters are about 1/16Th (0.0625”) or less.

This is the case in question:

Here is some of the more minor flashing that is actually large enough to cause odd fitting to the tin.

Here is some of the major flashing before and after removal

So…on to the “hieroglyphics”. I have found them on all three cases I have readily at hand. The locations vary a little. Two of these markings…we all commonly know about and those are the case half numbers up on the bell housing boss. Those are marked as well.

The case at hand:

You will notice that some of the location map numbers are repeated….like 5.
That’s because between the two cases I photographed for this and across all three cases on my workbench…the number locations for what was typically there varied from case to case.

So for example the larger marking of A-1 or W-2 was either at the top of the boss on the bell housing on either side…or migrated all the way over to near #4 cylinder.

Here is a numbered map of the markings on the case so far:

Case # EA 0897083

Location 1

Location 2

Location 3

Location 4

Location 5

Location 6

Location 7

Location 8

Location 9

Case # EA 024042

Location 1

Location 2

Location 3

Location 4

Location 5

Location 6

Location 7

Location 8

Location 9

Location 10

Because of the locations…I can only assuming these are inspectors marks for/from various major machining operations like case cylinder openings etc.
Let me know if you have found these on your engines. I have no idea of type 1 engines for this and have no idea if this has been posted about before.
Ray

[Vanapplebomb]

That’s really interesting. I got a couple EC cases around. I will see if I can find any such makings.
_________________
1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[raygreenwood]

[Lars S]

Intresting Ray!
I have just found a wery few of those markings myself.

/Lars S
_________________
Porsche 914 -72, Bahia Red daily driver
VW411 2-d -70, White, sold
VW412 4-d, -73, Gold Metallic, daily driver
Suzuki T500, -69, Candy Gold, sold
Suzuki K50, -77, Black, daily driver
BMW R69S -69, White, sold
Husqvarna 118cc, -47, Black, Sold

[Busstom]

Yeah, they're all over the GD case that I'm detailing right now. The most impressive ones are the sixteenth-inch diameter VW logos.
The flashing was so bad on my case that I could touch shop rags to it and the rags would just hang there, like Velcro. Major deburring operations, inside and out.

[raygreenwood]

Yes.....usually the cases have only moderate flash. Every once in a while ai find one this bad.

I am doing the same thing. I almosy hate sand and polishing the outside. On one hand it gets rid of the flashing,and "crazing" look.....but because it reflects the light it can make some areas like the top of the case look uneven or rough.

The insides i have been deburring for a long time. Its interestimg that there is enough casting flash that if you drag even your fingernails around the fine flashing you can crack some of that off.....which if that is possible.....it can happen with heat cycling, age and vibration.....so I lightly polish and deburr the inside. Ray