Pilot Bearing in Flywheel instead of Crankshaft?

[Miked914]

I've done a few searches and didn't come with an exact answer, so...
I've owned and worked on several T4 914's over the last 25 years but this is my only my second bus and the first one I've worked on.

1973 Bus with stock trans and stock input shaft.
I'm rebuilding my Stock engine (with 96mm p&c's, already from PO)
I have a good running T4 engine that I want to use to keep my bus on the road while doing my rebuild. This engine is from a 914 and came from a T1 to T4 conversion so the flywheel is a Kennedy conversion and not usable. The crank shaft hole is buggered up and clearanced for the T1 trans as the flywheel had the pilot bearing.
My question - Is there any reason I can't just cut the flywheel and put a pilot bearing in a stock bus flywheel and instal this with a stock clutch disc and pressure plate in my bus on the stock trans input shaft?
It looks as though the extra length of the shaft will just ride in the crank end. But will there be clearance problems with shaft and pilot?

TIA guys.
_________________
Mike D.
'68 Fastback w/T4
'74 Porsche 914-6 3.0 Hot Rod
'73 TinTop Westy
'13 VW Sportwagon TDI

[Zed999]

Can't see a problem doing that. If you are concerned you could cut the end off the input shaft.

[SGKent]

just be aware that stock 2L flywheels are cast iron. It would be rare for a crankshaft to not take a new pilot bearing. Are you sure the old one is removed.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Miked914]

[SGKent]

[Miked914]

[SGKent]

I would try putting a pilot bearing into it with green Loctite and see if it holds. It looks bad but may still hold a bearing. To be sure I would start looking for a new crank. Make sure you know what the displacement is before you do that. If that is a 914 engine it may only be a 1700 or 1800 instead of a 2L.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[tristessa]

Looks like the outer shell of the pilot bearing is still in the crankshaft, just driven inward until it bottomed out in the hole...

[Bleyseng]

Nah, thats the spacer ring the stops the 914 flywheel bearing from sliding into the crank. Pretty sure all 914 flywheels are forged not cast. Just loctite the bearing in the crank ahter pulling the stop out.
_________________
70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles

[Wildthings]

Porsche and industrial engines had a pilot bushing used as a backup in for when the chintzy pilot bearing failed. Too bad VW didn't do the same, it would have saved a lot of grief over the years. The bushing is seen on the right in this picture:

[Bleyseng]

What are you saying???
_________________
70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles

[Miked914]

The buggered up hole isn't exactly round. When I test fit the bearing in the crank it "high sided" on two points in the hole. I will try to get a proper bit in there but I'm afraid of it not being dead center.

HJ - Hey Bleyseng, WCR 50th weeklong event June 2020!
_________________
Mike D.
'68 Fastback w/T4
'74 Porsche 914-6 3.0 Hot Rod
'73 TinTop Westy
'13 VW Sportwagon TDI

[Wildthings]

Buy or rent a pilot bearing puller and pop the bushing out of there. If a puller will not grab the bushing you may need to use a small diameter cutter on a Dremel and grind one side of the bushing all the way through and then collapse the remainder of the bushing with a small chisel.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Dremel-Tungsten-Carbide-C...nkQAvD_BwE

[SGKent]

I compared your photo to the photo of other pilot bearings and you've got something weird there. It is almost like the cavity is partially filled with JB weld or something then a smaller pilot bearing installed. It is already off center as well if the photo is correct.

Images from your thread and TheSamba Gallery.

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin