Tearing down for CW crank

[kangaboy]

Just for spits and giggles...is it any added stress on the case/build to tear a motor down to the crank, just to swap it out and put a C/W crank in? I'm assuming new main bearings, rod bearings and a gasket kit are the min that would need to be replaced. The motor has been rebuild prolly 8500 miles ago with new bearings througout...but I have been tossing around the idea of putting in a C/W crank to "safely" raise the RPM range a bit.

[Marc]

Done right, there's no strain on the case worth mentioning. Be sure to use lifter clips, you'll want to ensure that the cam followers all go back into the same locations. Mark them with a felt-tip when you remove them from the case. Spring-type wooden clothespins work fine (just spread them open and insert the "handle" ends into the lifters).

Most 69mm CW cranks drop into most cases with no need for any clearancing, but it's not a given - you must check for interference (most often at the center main web, sometimes elsewhere). You'll want to have a flywheel in place so the endplay can be set (a bit loose, say .010" or so) for this, else you'll get "false" interference. Other than that, the most time-consuming operation will be cleaning things so as to not introduce any new oil leaks.

Never roll the crank over with the distributor drive pinion installed unless there's a distributor in place to hold it down - if it rises in its bore, damage to the brass gear on the crank will result.

Nearly all CW cranks on the market these days come already 8-dowelled. It's better practice to do them at the same time for the best match, but provided the drilling was done using a standard SPG jig it should be possible to use one to produce a flywheel which'll match well enough. Otherwise, a machinist will need to use "points" to transfer the pattern to which the flywheel is drilled.
As a rule, a lighter flywheel is used in conjunction with a CW crank. Somewhere around 15-16 lbs will result in approximately the same inertia as a stock-weight 'wheel on a non-CW crank, but most folks go for ~12½ lbs (ubiquitous because it doesn't take any special trickery to machine one that light, and the clutch & ring gear areas needn't be weakened).
If you purchase an 8-dowelled flywheel from the same source as the CW crank there should be a better chance of the dowel pins aligning*. Beware of "new" flywheels which may be cast-iron rather than steel.

Don't be surprised if you find it necessary to add valvecover vent lines with the CW crank. The center counterweights act as a labyrinth seal, restricting movement of the crankcase gasses back & forth so more pressure pulsations have to transit through the pushrod tubes. This can encourage VC gasket failure.

*Years ago, when CBPerformance was known as "Claude's Buggies", I knew a guy who bought a crank & 'wheel from them. The one offset dowel pin in the flywheel was offset the opposite direction from the crank, so that only 7 dowels could be used. When he complained, CB refused to authorize a return, pointing out that they never made any claim that the 2 parts were compatible.                           
                

[GoMopar440]

*Years ago, when CBPerformance was known as "Claude's Buggies", I knew a guy who bought a crank & 'wheel from them. The one offset dowel pin in the flywheel was offset the opposite direction from the crank, so that only 7 dowels could be used. When he complained, CB refused to authorize a return, pointing out that they never made any claim that the 2 parts were compatible.   

I was wondering if that was the case with the name. I recently picked up an aluminum breather box with some other random parts when I picked up my Bus trans. The lid on the breather box had the name "Claude's Buggies" cast into it and I never was able to find any definitive info on who that was or if they were still around. I was guessing that there might be a relation to the current CB Performance company, but only because the initials would have been a match. I was never able to find any real proof either way, until now that is.

From the description of Claude's customer service from back in the day, it's not a name I'd want to be advertising on my rail. The breather box cleaned up fine and is in excellent shape though so I still plan on using it. The name on it can be removed easily enough with a quick trip though the Bridgeport. That is unless someone wants it and is willing to trade a plain finned aluminum breather box for it. My valve covers are finned as well, so I'm trying to use finned aluminum parts where ever I can. I've yet to find a finned belt cover being made anywhere anymore. I may just have to make one out of a big piece of aluminum I have if I can't find one.

Pic of the breather box after cleaning it up.


Sorry for the thread hijack. I was just surprised to see the Claude's Buggies name mentioned so I felt the need to post.

[Marc]

Claude's Buggies is still the corporate name. Founded by Bob Tomlinson (named after his father Claude), and doing business as CB Performance under his children Rick & Susie. I dunno exactly when they decided to change the name...I suppose it was done because they had diversified far beyond "off-road" goodies.

[GoMopar440]

Have they improved their customer service relations since that time you mentioned or is stuff like what happened to your acquaintance still going on? I've never dealt with them directly so I don't have any first hand experience with them yet. Just their ads I happen to see and what's in their online catalog to go by. That and what other people post up about their experiences in dealing with them, like the guy you mentioned.

EDIT: I guess I wasn't looking very hard before. Google came up with enough leads to reach the same conclusion by just typing in the "Claude's Buggies" name. Now I feel stupid. lol

[Marc]

I haven't heard of any horror stories about them in years. A few minor glitches that were resolved satisfactorily. Haven't purchased anything from them personally since the early `90s.

[GoMopar440]

That's good to know. I hate to black list any VW parts retailer for any old reason. Crappy customer service is one of those things that will do it for me though. Mostly because I pretty much have to buy everything either online or through the mail. There just aren't any VW/Buggy parts retailers around here to go to. There's one guy nearby that sells used VW stuff (30 min away), but he's retiring and closing down sometime this year. I guess I got into this VW thing a little late in the game.