Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Diesel Folks: Machine Intermediate Shaft?
From:Neil N
Date:Mon, 10 Oct 2016 11:49:36 -0700

Sorry for not being clearer.
The helpful VW person was referring to machining the cast portion of shaft,
not the journals.

I haven't measured the shaft OD for any out of round yet (not sure I can)
but found it interesting that the shaft itself is tapered and that
the outer bearing journal OD was ~ 1mm larger than inner.

I will likely get at least the outer bearing replaced, or do it myself.
Regardless, the bearings look ok and I didn't feel any lateral play.

This part does not see a lot of load and doesn't turn that fast.

On 10/10/16, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:

> You can get oversized bearings for a turned intermediate shaft, and your
> shop may have to buy the proper reamers for them. I have never had a
> problem with anything that slicked up pretty well. Put it on a buffing
> wheel and see what happens. If it shines, and it probably will, you will
> save yourself a lot of trouble. And then there's the fact that this is the
> last part on the engine to go out of tolerance, so finding a replacement
> should be easy.
>
> I used to build engines as a teenager helping a guy who raced Sprites at
> Sebring. He left almost every part of his engines outdoors all winter to
> rust, and he claimed that the pockets provided by the rust held oil and
> helped lubrication. I don't know if I buy that or not, but he never had
> problems from the practice.
>
> Jim
>
> On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 1:26 PM Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>

>> The intermediate shaft has a somewhat rough OD.
>> A helpful VW person suggested that machining
>> this shaft smooth would help reduce engine vibrations.

--
Neil n

Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>

1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>

1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>

Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>