I used a threaded rod to pull the wristpins too. Only I used a deep socket
that was small enough to fit through the access hole but large enough to
allow the wristpin to draw through.
Frank Miller

At 03:42 PM 12/7/99 -0500, walt spak wrote:
>Karl,
>
>I recently bought the VW piston pin pulling tool.  I found that it did not
>work on the pins that came out of the old engine.  There was a little build
>up of old oil on every thing and the tool has no provision to lever the pin
>out.  I made my own puller out of a piece of 3/8" all-thread.  A nut was
>large enough to not fit through the pin, but small enough to fit through the
>rear side pin retaining clip.  I stood the engine up on the flywheel side,
>removed the front clip, dropped the All-thread rod through the pin and
>threaded a nut on the bottom end.  I then placed a steel plate over the top
>of the rod and ran a nut down to the plate.  I cut a hard wood shim to place
>between the piston and the block so I wouldn't be putting sideways stress on
>the con rod and tightened the top nut.  The pin pulled right out.  Of course
>you need a rod long enough to reach the rear piston and a much longer wooden
>block.
>
>The VW piston pin tool was great for putting the pins back in.  I also
>purchased the tool that holds the con rod in place, but found it was totally
>unnecessary when the engine was sitting on the flywheel end.
>
>Walt Spak
>Pittsburgh,  Pa.
>wnsopc3@3rdm.net
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Karl F. Bloss <bloss@ENTER.NET>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 11:46 PM
>Subject: Engine rebuilding resources
>
>
>> Well as I get deeper into this head gasket job, I'm hearing more voices
>telling
>> me to go for the full rebuild.
>>
>> Having never done more than change the oil on my cars up to about 3 years
>ago,
>> I'm working my way up the DIY shade-tree mechanic ladder.  Thus I was
>hoping to
>> just do the head gaskets and let that be the lesson from this engine.
>>
>> But now that the engine is on the floor and I have time (it's a spare
>engine
>> and the gaskets in Bev's engine aren't leaking _that_ bad :-), I keep
>hearing
>> it's just a bit more work and a few more $ to crack the case, do the
>bearings,
>> probably rings, etc.  Ron at the Bus Depot even offered the loaner VW tool
>kit
>> for wrist pins and he's "just around the corner" from me.
>>
>> So where do I read up on rebuilds?  I have the Muir Idiot Guide, but
>skipped
>> the rebuild sections so far.  I hear about a Fisher book, I check on
>Amazon.com
>> and found the Wilson and Grissom book about aircooled VW rebuilding.  Any
>other
>> suggestions?
>>
>> -Karl
>>
>> Karl and Kristina Bloss, Trexlertown, PA
>> '87 Westfalia Weekender  "Beverley" - 190K miles
>> http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/
>> PA/NJ Vanagon owner's mailing list:
>http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/pavanagon/
>
Frank Miller

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