1960 Beetle 6v - Gearshift Housing Bushing / Shifting issues

[Eric&Barb]

Thanks for the update! Keep this situation in mind when the next hurdle comes up. Just take it one step at a time, you will get there....
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[RCJH77]

I'm ecstatic to report that the motor is back in and the bug is shifting perfectly! To everyone who responded to this thread with advice, suggestions, etc., I cannot thank you enough! Couldn't have done it without you!

[RCJH77]

It's motor install day (if I can find a helping hand...otherwise it'll be Sunday)!

[RCJH77]

Well, then 253 ft lbs it is!

Tried a different method for measuring the end play and I'm feeling much more confident in the original shims that were used. I watched a Chris Vallone video where he was rebuilding a 36hp motor and noticed that he measured the end play like this:

1. Install metal and paper shims.
2. Install flywheel (torque to 75 ft lbs)
3. Measure end play (using the same EMPI tool I'm using)

Link

Using this method, I found that I have approximately .004-.005 inches of end play, which is within the allowable limit. With that out of the way, I think I have everything else buttoned up and ready for the motor to go back in.

The only lingering question, which happens to be the most critical question, is how this all happened in the first place. Best guess is that the PO didn't install the pressure plate correctly (tightened the bolts incorrectly, didn't torque them, etc.). I know he left out the paper shim on the flywheel, but I highly doubt that would've caused all of this.

Anyhoo, I'm just going to move forward and hope that I've corrected his mistake(s). Hope to report good news soon!

[EVfun]

[Eric&Barb]

[RCJH77]

Sort of a mini-sidebar, but still on the current subject of this thread...

Why does "everyone" suggest torqueing well beyond the recommended torque limit for the flywheel gland nut? I've done a lot of research (probably way too much) on this subject and I've found that ~99% of the resources I've found recommend torqueing the gland nut to 250-300+ ft lbs, which is significantly more than the Bentley manual states (217 ft lbs).

Today, I finally found one more resource that suggests 217, but that's it. My gut tells me to stick with 217, but I'm curious as to why anyone would suggest more torque.

[RCJH77]

[pastellgreen]

And don't forget the paper gasket should be installed also during measurement. It will be compressed about 0,05mm, so it adds 0,15mm to the calculation.

[RCJH77]

[RCJH77]

[Eric&Barb]

[glutamodo]

As far as the tool goes, I think you have the lock nut on the wrong side.

I also think the lock nut is normally much thinner than that. I had a look at pics I took of such from long ago, It was a much better quality SP brand tool and it did have slightly thinner lock nut, but while it was a feeler gauge tool. I had found I could fit an SP dial indicator onto it.

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Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[RCJH77]

[Eric&Barb]

If the .88mm shims did not lock the engine up before, then yes your measurement is incorrect. Get a good quality dial indicator (not a junk digital one) and a clamp setup to get a good reading. Then drop the EMPI tool in the scrap pile.
_________________
In Stereo, Where Available!

[RCJH77]

Something isn't right. They don't even offer shims under 0.24mm (x3 = 0.72mm), so my end play measurement can't be right. Argh. I'm stumped.

[RCJH77]

Trying to determine the end play and I'm running into some weirdness.

I removed the old rear main seal and shims and installed the flywheel (torqued to 225 ft lbs). I did see an old page that said to NOT torque the flywheel, but everything else I've seen says to torque it, so I did. Hope that's correct.

First issue: Using an EMPI end play tool from JBugs, best I can tell, it doesn't fit my flywheel (see pic). I had to modify my setup to get it to work (see pic). Is this the wrong tool for my 36hp motor and flywheel, or am I doing something wrong?

Second issue: I'm getting an end play measurement of 0.030 (.75mm). The shims that were in place when I took the flywheel off are 0.035 (.88mm) in thickness.

Could this have been the root cause of my problems? If I've measured the end play correctly, the shims should've been somewhere around 0.65mm (plus the 0.15mm compressed paper shim), correct? So essentially, the PO allowed for no end play at all, and actually overcompensated.

[Eric&Barb]

[Cusser]

[RCJH77]