Aircooled VW South Africa

How much or how little crank end play should the aircooled engine have?

enough to stop it from seizing but not enough for it to destroy the insides!!!

Okay but shoud ypu beable to feel the play by hand or not?

Think end play should be 0.07 to 0.13, with a wear limit of 0.15mm.

so yes you should be able to feel it by hand.. But I stand under correction.

If you feel any end play then it's too much endplay.

I built my last engine with 0.1mm and you cannot feel that by hand.

Even if U think U can feel it ---Its too much. Set it up with a dial indicator gauge, and there must be 3 shims in place. 1 or 2 is no good. -must be 3 !

I aquired a ride some years back with engine end play in excess of 5mm and yes it was running, leaked oil like a sive, you did not need to feel the end play you could actually see it when you reved the motor you could actually see the pulley moving bacwards and fowards, it's amazing the abuse the little aircooled motor can take.

Thanks for all the info, then I can say my engine has no endplay, or atleast not than I can feel with the hand

Anyone seen the new Subaru's they look like a mazda3 and an Alfa 156.... The suck.. But the new Honda Civic is so sexy!!!

If you engine has no endplay, you can kiss it goodbye, it wont last long and when things warm up it will seize. And yes 3 shims is a must, 4 is allowed (many may dispute this, but it might even be better - but how much better can you get than something which is already 100%?) but 2 or 1 shim is a definite NO NO.

Hi Tony

Is there any spec how thick the shims should be, and were do they sit and how do i get to them?

you can buy kits of 10 shims of different sizes. The original VW ones are stamped with their sizes on them, for the others, you need a micrometer. Try contact Volkspares in Durban they will prob have, if not put a post in the wanted section on this forum or I can sterr you towards the guy I got mine from in the USA.

Hey Tony, Do you trust Vader sending you the correct parts!!!!!!!!! lol