If you ain't knockin' keep on rocking ....... as long as the oil
pressure is good!!!!

Keep in mind that the 2.1WBX has a tendency for the bolts at the rod end
on the crank throws to stretch over lots of miles, then the rod end goes
oval, often resulting in loss of oil pressure and a rod thrown through
the block!!!  The WBX crank holds up well against wear, and it's not
often the failure is the result of gap-osis occuring due to surface wear
on the crank throw. It's a combination of rod end bearing wear combined
with stretched bolts and going oval that results in oil pressure loss at
the crank throw itself, that causes the failure to occur.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Stan Wilder wrote:

>If you've got 200,000 miles on your WBXer and still have plenty of oil
>pressure you should look around the floor and check everywhere ...........
>find that Plastic Jesus and put him back on your dash.
>Then just keep a truckin.
>
>Stan Wilder
>Engine Ceramics
>214-352-4931
>www.engineceramics.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "tabe johnson" <xtabe@YAHOO.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 11:58 AM
>Subject: 2.1: Check rods or just top end?
>
>
>
>
>>My old 2.1 engine sprung a leak through the head gasket at ~200,000km.
>>Because of the mileage, I'm a bit concerned about the rod bearings.  I
>>
>>
>have
>
>
>>no other reason to worry about the oil pressure.
>>
>>So - How doable is it to get at the rod bearings, but not break the case?
>>
>>
>I
>
>
>>don't have any special VW tools.  If I get the rods off, how do I inspect
>>them?  Or do I just ship everything to Bob Donalds & put in whatever he
>>sends me back?
>>
>>I have a vague recollection of someone compressing piston rings using...
>>zap straps?  or something equally clever.  If I pull the cylinders, what
>>is the accepted way of getting the pistons back in them?
>>
>>Or should I just leave well enough alone, redo the heads, and get on
>>with life?
>>
>>
>>tabe johnson/87 westy
>>
>>
>
>
>
>