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furgo Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2016 Posts: 944 Location: Southern Germany
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:07 pm Post subject: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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On a recent thread I've been asking some questions about the throttle body. Since I've cleaned it up, I've also been looking for the source of so much dirt in that area, just in case it might be indicative of a worn or no-longer-existent seal.
Two obvious nearby sources for dirt ingress seem to be two holes in the firewall and the front of the case.
1. Accelerator cable hole: this was originally covered with a grommet (021 119 562 B), which is NLA. I found mine lying on the engine, hard as a rock. I can't reuse it, so I was wondering what other folks had done to replace that grommet.
2. I'm not sure what this hole in the case is for. Does it require a seal? _________________ '79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)
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sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5994 Location: Brooklyn
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Regarding #1 you can probably find a suitably sized rubber grommet at a local hardware store.
Regarding #2 I believe that was originally the hole for the TDC sensor that was used with VW's now-obsolete diagnostic system.
That hole opens into the bellhousing so it's not a source of air coming into the engine compartment from under the car but it could be an avenue for clutch dust to get into the engine bay (or for you to drop things into the bellhousing). _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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furgo Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2016 Posts: 944 Location: Southern Germany
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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sjbartnik wrote: |
Regarding #1 you can probably find a suitably sized rubber grommet at a local hardware store.
Regarding #2 I believe that was originally the hole for the TDC sensor that was used with VW's now-obsolete diagnostic system.
That hole opens into the bellhousing so it's not a source of air coming into the engine compartment from under the car but it could be an avenue for clutch dust to get into the engine bay (or for you to drop things into the bellhousing). |
Thanks, good point about the case hole not opening to under the car. Regarding #2 though, that's on the driver's side. The TDC sensor is on the passenger's side (I've still got mine, so that opening is plugged). _________________ '79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)
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sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5994 Location: Brooklyn
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:33 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Hmmm - access to flex plate bolts for an automatic maybe? _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12721 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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sjbartnik wrote: |
Hmmm - access to flex plate bolts for an automatic maybe? |
That’s the one! The TDC sensor in the case is on the right 1/2 side.
Don’t drop anything like a bolt in either hole, or you’ll have to pull the engine... don’t ask how I know.
Robbie
Link
_________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com
Last edited by airschooled on Tue Feb 13, 2018 5:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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furgo Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2016 Posts: 944 Location: Southern Germany
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Brilliant, thanks both.
Now knowing what it's for lead me to finding the part number for the cover: 021 101 109 A
http://www.germansupply.com/home/customer/product.php?productid=18269
Whether I'll actually find the part, that's another question though
As per #1, I'll try to see if I can get creative and come up with something. _________________ '79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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You can just get a freeze plug and beat it into the hole for the flex plate bolts, as with a manual tranny it is just not needed. There was originally a chintz plastic plug for the hole but they disappeared about the time the rig left the dealers lot. |
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surfbus23 Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2016 Posts: 383
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Didn't know there was a plug for that hole! Adding it to my germansupply order. Thanks for the info. In return I used this for the accelerator cable:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blank-Sealing-Closed-Rubb...2749.l2649
Almost a perfect fit and very similar to stock. |
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furgo Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2016 Posts: 944 Location: Southern Germany
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:02 am Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Thanks, are we talking about the same engine (Type 4) and opening, though? Those grommets in that link are circular, whereas the original accelerator cable grommet was stadium-shaped.
Here's mine for instance:
_________________ '79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)
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surfbus23 Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2016 Posts: 383
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:27 am Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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Yes, but good luck finding an oblong blank of the correct size. I looked for a long time for this part. It's a rare one. Maybe one will some day pop up in the classifieds but I wouldn't count on it for a grommet.
Here's what it looks like installed. I haven't cut the slits yet.
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surfbus23 Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2016 Posts: 383
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:33 am Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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You could also try and salvage the one you've got with something like Gummy Flege (https://www.amazon.com/nextzett-91480615-Gummi-Pflege-Rubber/dp/B004B8GTQG).
If you really want it to work well use a strong detergent to strip away the outside layer of rubber and it will have a nice fresh look. I dip my old seal in a near boiling glass of POR15 Cleaner Degreaser, which is mostly just diluted Potassium Hydroxide (lye). It gets all my old rubber parts looking brand new.
I have been unable to save a couple of things that just no longer seated well. But since there is no reproduction of this piece if the OG look is important to you then you'll need to do what you can to save this one. |
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furgo Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2016 Posts: 944 Location: Southern Germany
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Front tin/case holes, grommets and seals |
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surfbus23 wrote: |
Yes, but good luck finding an oblong blank of the correct size. I looked for a long time for this part. It's a rare one. Maybe one will some day pop up in the classifieds but I wouldn't count on it for a grommet.
Here's what it looks like installed. I haven't cut the slits yet. |
Excellent, thanks for the picture! That's what I'll do for this one. I had actually thought of it, but I didn't know how well that would work in practice. From your picture, it looks like a good fit, not too squashed.
surfbus23 wrote: |
You could also try and salvage the one you've got with something like Gummy Flege (https://www.amazon.com/nextzett-91480615-Gummi-Pflege-Rubber/dp/B004B8GTQG).
If you really want it to work well use a strong detergent to strip away the outside layer of rubber and it will have a nice fresh look. I dip my old seal in a near boiling glass of POR15 Cleaner Degreaser, which is mostly just diluted Potassium Hydroxide (lye). It gets all my old rubber parts looking brand new.
I have been unable to save a couple of things that just no longer seated well. But since there is no reproduction of this piece if the OG look is important to you then you'll need to do what you can to save this one. |
OG look is important to me up to a point –I'm also pragmatic. I like your solution, especially as no amount of rubber care products or heat will give back the elasticity to my petrified OG seal. I've tried _________________ '79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)
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