Reply to:   RE>Piston Pin

Vahid Lajevard writes
>I am doing a mini rebuild on my 80 vanagon. By mini rebuild I mean I am
>changing the cylinders and pistions but do not spliting the cranckcase open.

>Everything has proceeded well except I can't get the piston pin out.
>Any suggestions appreciated.

I don't know if the pins are the same size as a wasserboxer, but I had the
same problem in my '85 vanagon. Bentley specifies a tool that slips inside the
pin and expands to grip it and pull it out, but I found the tool impossible to
get. After hanging out at tool stores for many hours, I finally found a tool
that did the job. It's a hydraulic lifter remover, made by Lisle. Lisle makes
a lot of these engine tools and you should be able to find it at any good tool
store.  It just barely fit inside the pin, and then expanded to grip to pin.
You can then twist and pull to coax it out, or it has a sliding hammer built
into it if you're brave. As others have noted, if a ridge has built up from
the circlip, it's more difficult to get out, but it worked for me. 
    Again, I don't know if the inside of the pin is the same size in both
engines, and if it isn't then this tool won't work. It just happened to be the
exact right size for the wasserboxer.
Don Kane
Don_Kane@qmgate.arc.nasa.gov
'85 GL
'86 GL