Engine bits n bobs needed

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Hi All

Me again (I can almost hear the sighs!!)!

The engine guy has come back to me tonight with the start of what I hear will be a fairly short list.....

1. Apparently my rocker covers are leaking oil. He says they are held on with the metal spring thing. I've looked around and can't work out what I need that are pretty much guaranteed not to leak. He reckons there is a well known issue with original rocker covers leaking.

2. I'd be stupid not to change the clutch and pressure plate whilst it's all out. Is it a Sachs unit I need to get? Any idea where is the most cost effective place?

3. I've reduced all the tin. It's going to be powder coated tomorrow (in black!). The front air channel parts look ok but the paint is a bit chipped so thinking of giving them the same treatment. He's suggested a chrome powdercoat. I'm not too sure. Thinking a kind of satin silver....thoughts?

4. He's taking about some two stage distributor........is the normal one crap?

5. I've asked him to remove the cooling flaps.......am I mad? The car won't be driven in very cold weather but could well be driven for long periods in hot weather and heavy traffic (Le Mans etc). Seems to me the flaps are a liability (one failed hence the rebuild a couple of years ago). Tell me I'm not mad or that I am before it's too late to put them back.......!

I'll get the rest of the list tomorrow.....

Thanks

Ben

[Psw1811]

For clutch kit try autopartstechnik.co.uk only £237 for full kit!!! I was suspicious as much cheaper than everyone else - but arrived direct from Germany in a couple of days.

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Thanks Psw, I'll have a look today.

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Point 3 should be collected all the engine tin, not reduced! Predictive text!!

[Bruce M]

Rocker covers shouldn’t leak with decent gaskets but they can be thinner than the ones from back-in-the-day.

You can’t run it without the cooling flaps. Well not for long anyway. The cooling flap on the left splits the air flow between the oil cooler & the cylinder. You could fit the flaps but not the thermostat and wire the flaps open (spring does that if the thermostat wire snaps, unless the spring is broken).

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Ahh, thanks Bruce. Is it common practice to have them in but wired open? Safety in numbers!

So it should just be a case of meatier gaskets to seal properly?

Thanks

Sorry for all the questions, learning as I go!

Ben

[Ben Nichols 1979]

I also need an alternator cooling elbow if anyone has one kicking about. I've removed mine to get the air channel powder coated and the base has broken up.

Thanks

[Darren C]

Ahh, thanks Bruce. Is it common practice to have them in but wired open? Safety in numbers!

NO!

It's best practice to have them fitted & working as Porsche intended



So it should just be a case of meatier gaskets to seal properly?

NO!

Take the old ones out, clean everything up & check for any issues on both faces, then fit a new original or quality gasket. Chances are a PO may have reused the old gaskets which is why they are leaking.

[914 KEV]

Ahh, thanks Bruce. Is it common practice to have them in but wired open? Safety in numbers!

NO!

It's best practice to have them fitted & working as Porsche intended

As VOLKSWAGEN intended

[Darren C]

As VOLKSWAGEN intended

cheeky!

Maybe so Kev, but if Porsche didn't want the VW flaps or wanted to wire em open, they would have done

[Mr Pharmacist]

I tried the reusable silicone gaskets - they were useless so went back to the original Cork type and have had no problems since

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Thanks Stuart. I'll have a look at some

[camperco]

If your engine guy was willing to remove the flaps I would be concerned.

[Ben Nichols 1979]

Right. Spoken to him tonight. Flaps ARE going back in. He says the original type thermostat is nla it's a modified beetle one you get now.

Anyone know or has an original style thermostat available? It would solve a lot of uncertainty. Cheers.

[davidoft]

If the spring clips become worn out they rocker covers will leak regardless of gaskets, they are available from Vw heritage etc, I may have an alternator elbow if you haven’t found one, send me a pm