Manx Club

It looks like it's new motor time A fair bit of dust made it through my air filter on a trip a few months ago but the motor seemed ok. I gave it an oil change and cleaned up the dust straight away and hoped for the best. About a month ago it started to smoke a little bit. Last weekend it started to smoke a little more. This weekend it's smoking a lot:eek: I tried putting some thicker oil in it (25W60) but it has made no difference. Looks like it's time for a rebuild. Any suggestions on how I should build it this time?? (A decent air filter will go on this one!)

If the engine has good oil pressure and you think it's sound other then the smoking, you should be able to hone the cylinders with a "ball" hone, throw a set of new rings on the pistons and be on the road for under $50.00.

It has good oil pressure. The motor was fully rebuilt by a Volkswagen mechanic back in 2004. It has probably only done about 10000 km (6000 miles) since the rebuild. That sounds like it's worth a try.

One thing we do for the dust is to run an oiled gauze air filter with a billit aluminum base and top (seals better than the weak press steel ones that bend and develop gaps when overtightened) . Then I throw an Outerwear over that. I finally oil the inside of a foam filter, and slide that on the outside. Before we ran the foam filter, the Outerwear would allow enough fine dust in that it choked the guaze filter, and I would have to clean it out every day . Now with the foam filter on top, most of that fine dust just falls off and I can run an entire weekend without having to clean the main filter .

[QUOTE="5150bossman"](seals better than the weak press steel ones that bend and develop gaps when overtightened) . .[/QUOTE] I think this is how my problem started in the first place. The nice looking chrome pressed steel filter that I was using had a gap just like you say. I didn't know that any dirt was getting in until my buggy refused to idle, then I found the problem.

If you think the motor is toast anyhow, try full throttle with your hand over the carb to clear out the idle jet. If that works try using a pre filter sock on the air cleaner. I have a bunch of cars and they all smoke a little but they have been running for years. But I am a cheap skate.

I'm thinking of fitting a new set of rings and bearings to this engine. Apart from the smoking, the engine still runs quite well. This all depends on what it looks like once it is pulled apart. I'll get some photos of the build.

If the motor has good oil pressure there is no need to split the cases to replace bearings. If you decide to replace the bearings you must drill out and tap all the oil galley plugs so you can get in the galley with a brush to clean out the debris that has settled in there over the years, otherwise it will end up in your new bearings. Odds are you will also need to machine the case to make it right for the bearings to last.

I've heard that you can replace the main bearings without splitting the case. Is that true?

You can replace the rod bearings, but not the mains. Tom

Sorry, I meant big end bearings:o