VW Engine Building: Case Evaluation, Type 1, 1500-1600cc

Aircooled Volkswagen Type 1 engine building video: Case evaluation. Mike Smith shares some great info on how to identify problems with used VW engine cases.

If you want to re-use your old engine case, there are some additional things to look out for. It’s very common for the entire pounded-out center main bearing saddle area to “sink”. Lay a high-quality straight edge across the front and center mains, where the saddle halves meet, beside the head stud area. If the straight edge bumps up against the rear main bearing saddle, as opposed to being able to lay flat across it, the case is shot. Another way to check the center saddle is to put a thin piece of paper between the bare case halves, just at the saddle area next to the head stud, where the case halves come together. Torque down the case halves, and if the center main saddle has “sunk”, the paper can be pulled out easily. When a main bearing saddle “sinks” or gets pounded out like this, it won’t maintain proper crush on the bearing. That crush is what keeps the bearing from spinning in the case. The dowel pins are there just for alignment purposes.

Cracks in the engine case, as mentioned in the video, are another big problem. Some people will clean off the case halves and run a blowtorch over the areas that tend to crack. Do not overheat the case when doing this. When looking for cracks in the jug bore area, it sometimes helps to squeeze the head studs together a little bit. This torque tends to widen the cracks slightly so they can be seen easier.

Another way to look for cracks in the case is to squirt oil in the hole where the head stud was, then run a bolt down on top of the oil. If there are cracks in jug bore area of the case, where the end of the head stud was, oil will usually be forced out through the crack. Do not over-tighten the head stud into this area! It should only take a little bit of pressure to force oil through an existing crack.