Waterboxer engine

[Passatman]

k can't wait to here about this engine. So 100mm to keep some meat in the sleeves. I am wondering if a Deutz aircooled engine sleeve couldn't be modified and used also i heard that volvo truck liners could be used.

[Piledriver]

Yesterday while I was messing with the waterboxer engine I pulled one of the connecting rods off the crank the journal seemed ok ( need to measure these with my starett mic ). After cleaning the rod and torqueing it to 22 ft/lbs I use my snap gauge and digital vernier caliper to assist with measuring the diameter, that big end reading came out to 2.275 inch, that I think is stock measurement for the waterboxer big end, also I am looking at the bolts in the rod and I think these are the ridged ones that can be reused.

The stock rods big ends ae frequently seriously ovaled out---leading cause of low oil pressure and eventually violent death of WBX 2.1s according to multiple sources... the 311-derived rods don't like the 76 stroke much..

Tencentlife has SCAT make him up some of their Ibeams with 24mm bushings--- should be a good, long life choice, and available in 5.5/5.6/5.7 for alternate piston use. (I did the same with CBs OLD Ibeams, the only thing wrong with them is they are too short for the AA pistons I have that were made with the wrong deck (-1mm))
... one of those things I wish i had known ahead of time.
(That longblock still sits in storage, out of disgust and lack of interest, I may throw the original Mahles in it and some nice 1.9 heads I scored cheap)

[Passatman]

The stock rods big ends ae frequently seriously ovaled out---leading cause of low oil pressure and eventually violent death of WBX 2.1s according to multiple sources... the 311-derived rods don't like the 76 stroke much...

Took a look at another rod again today and this one is still in spec ( 2.274 - 2.276 inch ) do hope the other two are like this. So far I haven't seen any signs of oil starvation to the journal ( blue bearing ) only normal bearing wear, the small ends however I will have to have those rebushed.

Tencentlife has SCAT make him up some of their Ibeams with 24mm bushings--- should be a good, long life choice, and available in 5.5/5.6/5.7 for alternate piston use.

It's great that this was done as if in the future I should want to build this engine bigger it can be done. I have asked this question before and was told basically no but if fastback engine is built ( 84mm stroker WBX crank ) and does survive then the gloves are off on a big waterboxer build

[Passatman]

Well got the 4 bolts in the water jacket pulled today also the crankshaft pulley bolt. I now need to have this engine opened like an egg to do my checkup.

[Passatman]

Now i need to pull the crank pulley. Do you guys use a bearing puller to do this.

[Passatman]

Removed the crank pulley today and opened the block to take a look, sure is pretty inside, would love to convert one of these into a roller engine. The crank has no visual signs of wear,need to check the journals when my mics get here.

The remaining two rods i will have those checked tomorrow and post my findings.

[Passatman]

Well i think these post are worthless without photos so here goes the first set.

All four rods in a row


Photo with rod bolt exposed. These look like the none stretch rod bolts


Rod bolt appearance. Engine wasn't in use for some years when i got it.


More rod bolt image.


Yet another rod bolt image.

[Passatman]

More pics of my waterboxer engine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12185319@N ... 177604535/

[tencentlife]

Those are the 2.1rod bolts that were TTY'ed. Don't re-use them.

[Passatman]

Don't understand the term TTY'ed. Are you saying that these rod bolts are totaled, if so can these rod bolts be changed for an ARP set.

Tencentlife can you have a look at the link in my second post and comment on my engine.

[tencentlife]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... =tty+bolts

[Passatman]

Don't understand the term TTY'ed. Are you saying that these rod bolts are totaled, if so can these rod bolts be changed for an ARP set.

Tencentlife can you have a look at the link in my second post and comment on my engine.

Ok so i did some searching on google and these bolts are torque to yield bolts which shouldn't be reused but the question is now can i use ARP bolts instead.

[pocketrocket]

You can use the ARP bolts if the cap & beam are shaved ARP bolts installed and big ends re-sized. I other words big end rebuild. A set of ARP air cooled T-1 style bolts $135 to $180 a set of 8. plus labor to rebuild. You can not just take out the old bolts and install the new ARP bolts. The big ends must be rebuilt. I just machined the small end for a set of aftermarket T-1 rods for cnc made bushings WBX size 24mm. I will post pictures on July 2nd. Better, lighter, & stronger rods with ARP 2000 bolts. Set of 8 $300. Rocky

[Passatman]

Ok rocky thanks for that info but would you have to do the same in having the caps and big end resized if you want to use the 1.9ltr rod bolts understand that these rod bolts with 13mm length threads are desirable. If this cannot be done then I will have to buy your rods.

[pocketrocket]

IMO Yes the big ends have to be redone if you change any rod bolt.