30+ year old bus engine!

[Marc]

I see the Factory Exchange stamps on the heads, too Are the exhaust valvestems the normal 8mm or are they 9mm?). The numbers on the case halves definitely look like they were stamped with a European number punch set, probably just something they did for internal identification rather than having any meaning to us. I see what you mean about the carbon, and the cylinder finish doesn't look too good. Better scrape off the piston tops and make sure they're standard bore (~85.45, for example) and not 86mm - oversized rings are hard to find.

[bmerge]

First off, a Happy Fathers Day to all!!!! Here is my granddaughter who at 3 is unaware that she will inherit the camper and ALL my VW "stuff"!
http://s1278.photobucket.com/albums/y52 ... edia_share

Those exhaust valve stems are 8 mm!

Found an old dial indicator my brother had given me and proceeded to check the end play. After 15-20 checks, I consistently got this reading of 0.0045 when pushing the flywheel in at the center.
http://s1278.photobucket.com/albums/y52 ... edia_share
If I then placed both hands on each side of the flywheel/case and squeezed as tight as I could, then my end play reading jumped to 0.006. So I'll assume this is the more accurate reading????

Scraped the carbon off two of the cylinder tops and they are standard bore! Regarding all that carbon, I've got to believe that the occasional drive around Moscow, ID RARELY allowed that engine to heat up in the 3 years the professor drove it. One is only 5 minutes from anywhere in Moscow!
http://s1278.photobucket.com/albums/y52 ... edia_share
http://s1278.photobucket.com/albums/y52 ... edia_share

On a side note, 5 of the pushrod tubes had the VW part # (raised lettering) followed by MADE IN BRAZIL on them while 3 showed nothing! Can we assume the heads were off at some point?

Also, does that triangle on the piston crown tell you anything?

[Marc]

Don't recall ever seeing Brazilian pushrod tubes on a factory exchange motor, but it wouldn't surprise me. If someone went to the trouble to remove both heads you'd think it more likely that they'd go ahead and replace all eight tubes, but that's sheer conjecture.
Triangles, I believe, are just a manufacturer's marking.
When you manipulate the flywheel at the perimeter you do cause some flex that adds to the endplay measurement, although 0015" is a lot (for a non-lightened `wheel, anyway). If the shims are "cupped" like a Belleville washer they can make the endplay measurement vary, too.
From this distance it's hard to say, but both readings are in spec so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. If you have a helper available, see what the reading is when one of you clunks the crank from the pulley end.
For a time they were making 35.5x32 SP heads with 9mm exhaust valves, but they're rare - even more rare than the `74 DP heads with 9mm exhausts. They're less inclined to breakage than 8mm but can be difficult to locate - the only reason I brought it up.
Be sure those cylinders get honed, preferably with a Tru-Hone, before you re-ring. I thought I saw some pitting in one of the photos, you may need to replace one or more of them.

[bmerge]

End play pulling on the pulley sides gives a reading of approx. 0.00275. With a lot of additional hand pressure, I get a reading of 0.004. Any thought that "dry" wrist pins/rod mains might cause a slight binding effect and hence the two readings? I'll check it again for the fun of it after removing the pistons.

[Marc]

..Any thought that "dry" wrist pins/rod mains might cause a slight binding effect and hence the two readings? I'll check it again for the fun of it after removing the pistons.

Can't recall ever encountering that...but I can't recall ever checking the endplay meticulously on a motor that'd been sitting this long, either. It's certainly feasible - a slightly tweaked rod will do the same thing. Odds are you don't have that issue, but do take a good look at the wristpin bushings for signs of uneven wear once you have the pistons off.