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Era Vulgaris Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1659 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:51 pm Post subject: bits of plastic washer in engine |
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I did a valve adjustment and an oil change today.
I found half of the little plastic washer below in the passenger side valve cover. I found the other half when I removed the oil sump plate, and it was sitting right on top of it. It's a couple mm thick, and probably a cm or so in diameter. Anyone know what it is?
_________________ Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
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cool karmann collected Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2008 Posts: 631 Location: Oxford, U.K.
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know what it is, but I found something similar many years ago in my bus, the engine has run fine since so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It could be a dried up o-ring left over from a previous engine rebuild.
A. |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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If the washer was complete, would the the inside diameter be about a centimeter, or the outside? Almost looks like a part of the fiber washer from the distributor shaft.
Paul |
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flat Samba Member
Joined: April 02, 2004 Posts: 160 Location: Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like an old valve stem seal. _________________ www.vdubengineering.com
IG: VdubengineeringCanada |
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Era Vulgaris Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1659 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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The inside diameter would be about 1 cm and the outside diameter about 1.5 cm, and then about 2mm thick. It's definitely a very hard material, not fiber.
The engine seems to be running ok. I haven't had any problems. I just don't want to be slowly destroying something where this washer is supposed to be, if it is supposed to be somewhere. _________________ Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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Era Vulgaris wrote: |
The inside diameter would be about 1 cm and the outside diameter about 1.5 cm, and then about 2mm thick. It's definitely a very hard material, not fiber.
The engine seems to be running ok. I haven't had any problems. I just don't want to be slowly destroying something where this washer is supposed to be, if it is supposed to be somewhere. |
Sounds more line an old valve stem seal like Flat mentioned then... |
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Era Vulgaris Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1659 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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I did a bit of searching, and from what I've been reading it seems people are saying these engines didn't have valve stem seals to begin with.
So the fact that I found one, would this be a possible indication that my engine was rebuilt at some point? _________________ Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Era Vulgaris wrote: |
I did a bit of searching, and from what I've been reading it seems people are saying these engines didn't have valve stem seals to begin with.
So the fact that I found one, would this be a possible indication that my engine was rebuilt at some point? |
I have not personally seen them on an original engine, but I don't know enough to say they never were used on any factory engine.
It may be that the valve guides were badly worn at one time, and stem seals were installed as a temporary fix, then the engine rebuilt later.
Paul |
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cool karmann collected Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2008 Posts: 631 Location: Oxford, U.K.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:49 am Post subject: |
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nearly every gasket set I've bought has had the stem seals included, I'm sure that someone could have installed them at some time in the past. I did some limited research a few years ago on these very seals (whether or not to install them on some heads I was rebuilding) and the general consensus was that they last a few thousand miles before going hard, cracking in two and floating off into the sump.
Ant |
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Era Vulgaris Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1659 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:01 am Post subject: |
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Cool, thanks for the info guys! _________________ Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
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