WBX Block Corrosion and Rust, Rebuildable?

[mbwesty]

I am wondering if it is going to be more work to try rebuilding an WBX engine that's been sitting around and had some corrosion and rust on the engine studs and water jacket and head mating surface? I know there is a seal there...but can these be cleaned out nicely and install a new head?

Thanks for your comment/help!

[crazyvwvanman]

Might clean up ok, hard to say from the photo.
At the asking price of $150 not that much risked. You will likely need new cyls and pistons, and all the missing parts to make a complete longblock. Small parts can add up. Hopefully they are still with the engine like it seems from the ad.

That yellow sticker on the top of the case usually means it has been rebuilt before.

Mark

[mbwesty]

Ya, thx! The engine code has been removed, so can't say for sure it's a 2.1 block originally.

[MayorMcCheese]

Yellow sticker on top means it's a factory rebuild. All of those rebuilds were line bored and have larger bearings but (sometimes?) stock crank journals. Those bearings no longer exist so you would have to have the crank ground undersized in order to use the case.

That would be the first thing i would check.

[tencentlife]

[mbwesty]

Thanks for all the great info!!!

It ends up I got an un-opened 2.1 block from a friend who had went to subi. So I have been looking at the costs and for sure nothing is cheap anymore, and it doesn't seem like a budget rebuilt is possible. $400 for a set of offset rods to go with the QSC and etc...or....

The options are shrinking over time and GoWesty has seems to be offering the most complete solution. $1500 for the 2.2 kit or $800 for the P/L set with the copper seals...I will hv to tear the case down and take some measurements before I can decide on what to do, and what I can afford, I guess. The engine I have is approaching 200K miles, at least that's what I am aware of...this is gonna be the replacement engine hopefully in 6 months...

[MarkWard]

The only affordable way that I can see to refresh a WBX engine is if you can reuse the cylinders and pistons with new rings and the cylinder heads need just a simple valve job. It really adds up quick with new heads, cylinders, pistons, rods etc. If you decide for your first refresh to use original parts, the 2.1 will require replacing the connecting rod fasteners. Don't skip this step.
_________________
☮️

[markswagen]

i'm having a 2.1 wbx rebuilt for a customer as we speak, the guy building, has be building aircooled porsche engines for 30 years plus, i have had him do a couple of type IV aircooled engines for me, they still run like sewing machines, and i know he's done the occasional the WBX, so he's doing one for one of my customers, he's expecting the final bill to come to around $2k, i hope to get a break down of what's gone into the rebuild.
_________________
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310

[mbwesty]

Yes, would luv to see the break down. He's probably a lot more resourceful that I though...

[markswagen]

that's a fairly easy one to prove, the craigslist advert, the 6th picture, on the top of the engine block, where the plenum bolts to it, the last stud, by the flywheel, on the 2.1 engines, this part of the casting is thicker than the 1.9 engines.
the next casting is the one at the front on the top, between the distributor and the breather tower, again the casting is thicker there than it is on the 1.9 engines.
also under the water pump pulleyyou will see the dynamic oil pressure sender, this one i guess is easy enough to retro fit into a 1.9, so that alone would be a true indication.
the addition material, in the thicker parts of the casting, is not something that you could modify.
so i would happily say, that this is a 2.1 engine block.

[mbwesty]

Awesome info! Thank! Tim

[mbwesty]

Yes, will definitely change out and use a ARP bolt. Thx!

[mbwesty]

so i ended up with this 2.1 core for the rebuild, and i have started tearing it down already...i did not pick up the one on GL...i got some questions on the heads and will post some pics soon in a new thread...thx!