endplay on crank

Why use a paper gasket? Your flywheel should be grooved for an o-ring.

When the endplay is out of spec, there's more "room" for the crank to bang more violently back and forth, and it will eat more room for itself at an accelerating rate. A tiny little bit of play is required to ensure there's no chance of binding.

The instructions you quoted mean that WITH a .009 paper gasket, you should achieve .004 play.

Today, on an o-ringed flywheel like you have on that thing, the paper gasket is left out (as instructed by the factory I think, not sure). Replace O-ring inside the flywheel and install with very light coat of oil on the o-ring. No sealant needed. You CAN use the paper gasket if you want, it's not a disaster.

.009 is a bit on the wide side, .004 is ideal but you can leave it a little looser or a wee bit tighter if you have difficulties achieving it. As the shims "wear in" etc. the gap grows a little, during the first few hundred miles. Then it settles. Your .009 would start to grow too, but faster and it may just keep growing when the chain reaction begins. (When you are past the wear limit point... accelerated wear etc.)

Jan

Yeah, what Jan said.

Plus....toss the Idiot Guide and get a more recent "manual".

Well, you don't have to *toss* it. Muir bible is pretty entertaining reading but you have to question the "wisdom" that you will find in it.

It's probably best just to get the VW Bentley Manual for your year car and then form your own conclusions.

Geoffe Elias '74 Super Beetle

The paper gasket was only used on earlier engines, Your 1600 dual port should have a flywheel with an O-ring and would require no gasket.

No, the gasket adds play, since it spaces the crank and flywheel apart, but this is academic since you won't be using it anyway.

You should get it between .003 and .006, while shooting for .004". At .009 it will allow the crank to "rattle" back and forth too much and cause accelerated wear on the # 1 main bearing faces, and possibly on the # 1 main bearing web in the case.

Crank shims are available in various thicknesses. You should use exactly 3 shims in a combination of thicknesses which give you end play in the range above.

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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Dead on! That about says it all :)

Jan