The bottom half�which is really 9/10 of a waterboxer�seems fine. Ran good,
even compression, decent oil pressure.  Head seals were dripping coolant
and this is the fix.

Jim

On Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 8:09 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>wrote:

> I'm wondering why you aren't re-doing the bottom half too.  Did the engine
> have good oil pressure before you tackled this?
>
> Stuart
> '85 Westy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Jim Felder
> Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 11:14 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Trouble getting WBX piston out
>
> It's out! Last night, I discovered that I could get a bolt in between the
> cylinder and bare piston and then screw my puller in to get a good tug at
> it. It still didn't want to move. So, on my lunch, I gave the piston crown
> about five minutes of heat. It slipped right out!
>
> I have forseen the problem dennis is talking about, inadvertently using the
> main bearing as a fulcrum for all this banging, and had already cut oak
> wedges and splits to no only support the piston off the bottom of the water
> case to align the wristpin with the access hole, but also to jam between
> the
> piston and the wall to absorb the impact of the puller on the bearings.
>
> Jim
>
> On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 8:52 PM, Dennis Haynes
> <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
>
> > While methods like this have worked it is still a poor practice. When
> > pressing anything the forces should be applied directly to the part to
> > be moved and what it is being restrained by. In this case the forces
> > need to be applied to the piston and the pin.  This is a proper
> > method. Using the connection rod as the restraint means putting a side
> > and twisting load on the rod as a lever and transferring those forces
> > to the bearing.
> >
> >
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Stacy Schneider [mailto:vwcrewman@gmail.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 9:35 PM
> > To: Dennis Haynes
> > Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> > Subject: Re: Trouble getting WBX piston out
> >
> >
> >
> >                When I did my 1.9 WBX 10 years ago ,I found  that a Air
> > cooled engine case insert for the #3 cylinder worked great . This is
> > the insert that is in the case because you can not get to it with a
> > dog house cooler set up .
> >
> >                The insert fit perfectly in the center of the wrist pin
> > and inside the wrist pin hole of the piston . I then used a Long air
> > cooled case stud and a slide hammer or such to pull the pin .
> >
> >                  Worked great for me as it was what I could round up
> > in the garage when doing the chore.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Stacy
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 5:47 PM, Dennis Haynes
> > <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > You need to get a little creative and maybe even have someone machine
> > a sleeve for you. A 3/8" threaded rod and nut (9/16" hex) make a
> > perfect puller set up. The nut will actually fit the pin and will even
> > clear the snap ring. The trick is that the sleeve has to fit inside
> > the water pump opening and the water pipe connection on the block and
> > it should be notched to rest on the piston, supported by the recess
> > for the pin. It should not rest on the side of the piston especially
> > the ring groove. Resist the temptation to simply pull on the pin putting
> pressure against the case.
> > This
> > will put a side load on the connection rod which can damage the rod
> > bearing.
> > After this happens when the engine fails in the future we can blame it
> > on the stretch bolts not the bad action dome earlier. The snap rings
> > should be replaced. When putting the pistons back into the cylinders
> > they should be inserted from the top. A ridge breaker should be used
> > to cut the carbon ridge. Hone the cylinders lightly. They already have
> > some wear and removing even a few thousandths will leave you an engine
> > with piston slap. Note the pistons and the pins are directional. Keep
> > track. Clean everything. The piston pins are only tough to remove due
> > to carbon deposits. Solvent and keep working them in the pistons until
> > they can slid through with just some hand pressure.  I have learned to
> > remove all the cylinders to clean tem really well, especially the top
> > O-ring grove. I also use a bit of lapping compound and lap the
> > cylinders into the heads to get the top of the cylinders really clean.
> > This is the most important gasket sealing area. The top o-ring is just
> > there to keep coolant out of that space. The top gasket is what holds
> back
> the compressive forces.
> >
> > For the head nuts they should be replaced or at least cleaned with a
> > thread chaser. The threads need to be lubricated and the sealant only
> > goes on the flange. Do NOT fill the cap nuts with anything as that
> > will hydraulically prevent them from going all the way down. Apply the
> > never-seize or lubricant of choice to the stud threads only. If you
> > have stud that doesn't tighten up you should replace it.
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf Of Jim Felder
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 1:06 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Trouble getting WBX piston out
> >
> > I managed to get the heads off of all the waterboxer's cylinders but
> one...
> > and that one I had to stand on in the driveway and whang it with a
> > hammer like it was a brake drum. Anyway it's out and now it needs to
> > go back in. I have the wrist pin pulled out of the piston about 1/4
> > inch past the piston edge, so I've made a little progress, but now it
> > seems that it does not want to move any more, at least with what I am
> > moving it with. I have a bolt on my puller, about 3 pounds, and I put
> > the head through and catch it on the far side of the wrist pin,
> > working from the front of the engine.
> >
> > Does anyone know of a better way? A better choice of puller tools (I
> > don't have any fancy expanding collets)? Would about an hour of
> > propane on the piston crown loosen things up around the wrist pin?
> >
> > Got the heads back, want to get on with this project.
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >    1989 Swedish Tristar with Aluminum gates and Atiwe 16" Wheels.
> >     Oldest son is an Eagle scout.
> >
>
>