Is This Engine Case Rebuildable? Need Advice/Opinions

[oscarsnapkin]

This is the engine from my ‘73 Thing, but I figured I’d post it in the Beetle forum since there are a lot more users and it’s basically the same engine. It is the original AM code block, so I would like to be able to have it rebuilt to keep the car as original as possible. I bought the car this past November. The engine would turn (with a wrench) almost one complete revolution, but it would bind up and I did not want to force it so I left it at that. After removing the heads I could turn the engine fully, there was a frozen valve so I guess that was the cause of the engine binding. When I removed the oil pan, about a gallon of very clear water poured out (as shown in picture). The exhaust was filled with a milky mess of oil/water mixture. The case has tons of what I can assume is gooey metal dust, which you can see on the cam gears and oil pump. The distributor drive gear is torn up pretty bad, but there’s too much crud for it to be from that. I can only assume that the engine had been underwater at some point, also evidenced by the brakes being rusted solid to the drums. I am wondering what I should be looking for as far as this case being salvageable. I had read in another thread that water can destroy the magnesium in the case. Obviously I know the crank, cam and other internal parts are junk, I am only interested in the block. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

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[Glenn]

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[hazetguy]

i would not even consider rebuilding an engine with that case.
perhaps the crank and rods are salvageable. everything else looks like junk.
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[evanfrucht]

Well. If you want an optimistic answer...

It's possibly a fine case to use... HOWEVER

Your pictures are useless. There is so much mud caked on that thing we can't even SEE it. Water can destroy a magnesium case but a lot has to do with how long it was sitting. It's possible the old oil turned to sludge and settled into the bottom of case and/or coated the inside, before water was introduced. If you are lucky it somehow may not be corroded that badly.

You need to clean it very thoroughly. Hot water, soap, deisel fuel, mineral spirits, power washer, etc. Then ideally have it soda blasted.

Then check for cracks, assess corrosion, and take measurements to determine if it can be cut for bigger bearings or if its three lives are up already.

Mine didn't look much better before I cleaned it, it had been sitting outside too. It checked out fine with my machinist and only needed the first oversize.
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[67 Sunroof]

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[vwracerdave]

All of it is junk.
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[vwinnovator]

wash it and see

[esde]

I don't think anyone can see well enough to tell if the case is junk or not. If it sat for a very long time with water in the case, then it's likely there is corrosion damage in the sump area, but it's so filthy that you can't tell. Clean it, inspect and measure it, and if nothing is very obviously wrong, start looking closer..
I would say the crank and rods need to be reground/ rebuilt, or they could just be trashed. Everything else is a loss for sure.
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Pressure wash the case, and see what you have. The case would be the main thing to save, and everything else could be replaced. You would need to open all the oil gallys and do a thorough cleaning of them as well. If you have a local shop that would have a non-ferrous hot wash tank, that would help with the cleaning after getting the initial grime off. The VW certificates no longer show the engine number, so worst case scenario, find another AM case within a month of when your car was made.

[modok]

Looking good so far.
Clean it

[Rome]

Yes, clean the case, especially the sump area on the bottom inside surface. That will reveal if the oil sump drain plate/screen opening has been eroded too far so that any of the six sump plate attachment studs may be exposed. With so much water pouring out, it's likely the case is too pockmarked/eroded but you really have to clean and check first.

The crank might be saveable. Don't let the rust on the crank cheeks discourage you- once you have the crank out and the rods off, you can easily clean off the cheek rust with a metal wire bristle brush (powered or hand). If you don't see heavy grooves in either the main or the rod bearing journals due to the engine catching debris, and if no rust has developed on the journals, then you are likely to reuse it after a journal polishing, or grinding undersize. How are the crankshaft dowels that hold the flywheel? If they are loose in their drilled holes, or the holes are egged, then it's not worth saving the crank since that would require drilling new holes, or drilling the existing ones (and the FW holes) oversize and fitting oversized dowels.

Rods can be cleaned, then sandblasted and checked for straightness (that they are not bent) and the big ends resized/honed.

[jpaull]

So far, all I see is a case that is dirty that needs a line bore. Sump area looks pretty good from what is shown.

Its like when people see a car that is covered in dirt and super light surface rust and they think its worthless junk, when in fact it just might need a cleaning. Some of the best cases are the ones covered in crap.
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[esde]

[mcmscott]

I agree with Jeff and a few others, you cannot determine the condition of that case by those pics, it is way too dirty to get even the slightest visual let alone any measurements.
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[Dale M.]

That pic says probably not....

Dale
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[flat4Imp]

I think that definitely answer's my question in your other thread about it being a flood car. My main concern once you get it de-greased/washed would be cracks if it froze with that much water in it.
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[oscarsnapkin]

So I had some time to look at it a little closer to today. It’s junk. The bores (not sure what the correct term is) for the lifters are corroded. I didn’t notice until I pulled one of the lifters out. You can also see some corrosion next to the cam bearing. It seems as if all the damage is toward the rear of the engine, as if the car was parked on an incline and the water pooled in the back of the case. Total bummer. It’s a very low number case ‘000459’ so I was really hoping to be able to save it. Thanks for the replies. If anyone has an AM case I’m in the market...

_________________
- 1977 CEI Sunroof Bus 2.0L F.I. Hydraulic Lifters
- 1973 Thing

"It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind."