Splitting a 2.5 case - can't find a how-to

[davebugs]

I'm disassembling engines to sell parts and scrap.

 

Figured I'd split the case to see what was involved.

 

So just the short block is there.

 

Case halves crank, pistons.

 

Took out all the bolts I could find.

 

Baffle plate and that other access plate I assume for a wrist pin are still on. Engine is on a stand.

 

I assume I can split the case and basically pull the halves off the pistons/rods/crank?

 

Can someone point me to a procedure, pics, checklist, anything?

 

This one is a shame. Really clean inside, less than 110k.

[cal_look_zero]

Ok, you're going to have 14mm 12 point bolts hiding in the water jackets. There's also a 10mm bolt hiding in the bottom under the oil splash plate, and a 12(?)mm in the back under the crank.

 

Once you have ALL of the bolts out, you'll need a 14mm hex socket to remove the 3 piston access plugs in the block.

 

From there, you need to remove the circlips on the wrist pins, and rotate the crank until you can look in through an access hole and see the OTHER side of the wrist pin. I take an 18" length of 1/4" round stock and tap the wrist pin out instead of trying to pull it towards me. It takes some time and finesse to get.

 

Once you have all 4 wrist pins out; you can proceed to split the case halves. I took a putty knife and wiggled it in to separate the sealant from the halves, then pulled.

 

Getting those access plugs out is practically impossible without a 14mm hex socket. And getting the wrist pins out will suck on the first couple, and be a breeze after you figure out how to position everything.

 

Good luck!

[davebugs]

I'll have to look at the water jacket ones. There were 5-6 easy to get to.

 

The one under the oil windage tray has been removed.

 

The bolt above the rear main has been removed as well.

 

I saw those 14mm hex heads and wondered.

 

Until it's apart just not understanding why wrist pins need removed and halves just don't pull off the rotating assy.

 

Do you leave it on a stand or what - how is it easiest to do?

 

I had to put it on a stand to remove head bolts. I can't ever break them with my nice IR impact or even a borrowed one. So it's bolted to the stand but the fingers on the stand are loose enough to give me a little play for when it does start to seperate.

 

 

Thanks for the pointers. I have a few pics of how it is now. If I think of it I'll take more pics incase someone can make it a PDF or something.

[Durania]

Who likes pictures? Ask and ye shall receive

 

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t74366-tearing-down-ejxx-block-pictures-head-removal-splitting-block.html

[davebugs]

Thanks.

 

I'm a little out of order but basically at post 5 on that thread. I've already removed stuff in steps further down in the process.

 

Thanks for the link.

[Durania]

Yeah, it's just a gist of things but it helped me split a ej251 case when it developed a rod knock, friend threw it my way. Took the piston out, that is very seized at the wrist pin, and made a great office candy dish on my desk at work.

[cal_look_zero]

I'll have to look at the water jacket ones. There were 5-6 easy to get to.

 

The one under the oil windage tray has been removed.

 

The bolt above the rear main has been removed as well.

 

I saw those 14mm hex heads and wondered.

 

Until it's apart just not understanding why wrist pins need removed and halves just don't pull off the rotating assy.

 

Do you leave it on a stand or what - how is it easiest to do?

 

I had to put it on a stand to remove head bolts. I can't ever break them with my nice IR impact or even a borrowed one. So it's bolted to the stand but the fingers on the stand are loose enough to give me a little play for when it does start to seperate.

 

 

Thanks for the pointers. I have a few pics of how it is now. If I think of it I'll take more pics incase someone can make it a PDF or something.

 

Case structure is such that you assemble the block around the rods and crank, then put the pistons in. No way to do it otherwise.

[davebugs]

Case structure is such that you assemble the block around the rods and crank, then put the pistons in. No way to do it otherwise.

 

On my air cooled VW's it's a bit different due to the "jugs". They are removable and look like motorcycle combustion chambers with fins and all to dissipate the heat. Squished between the block and heads. Infact often they are shimmed to get proper displacement.

 

Then there are the push rod tubes that always rust.

 

So the case on them is actually magnesium? I forget, not aluminum and burns a bright white.

 

And while being the original horizontally opposed engine (I believe- could be wrong) that engine can be further broken down that a Subaru.

 

And it's been a while since I split a VW case. I actually have one one the stand (has been for a few years now) that I basically did break down almost to the case.

 

Tomorrow I hope to get this 2.5 DOHC apart. Then I'll decide how far to dis-assemble the next half dozen.

 

I do want to totally disassemble atleast one for science sake.

[ShawnW]

I should do this writeup on our site. So many missed steps, details, and mistakes that could cause a problem on that one. For just scrapping out to get aluminum, this works.

[davebugs]

Yea. I'm just selling the heads, oil pump, IAC, the usual stuff.

 

I would consider actually rebuilding one or two of these for kicks if there were a good rod bearing replacement procedure for instance.

 

I'm trying to get these all done in roughly the next week to make room for stuff when I part out the car I was hit in.

 

I still don't know how much I'll be able to do in the garage.

 

It took me about 1.5 hours to get this thing down to the stripped shortblock and I'm hurting from it.

 

A rob bearing procedure would be helpful and need to show the teardown.

 

I would contribute one if I knew how to do it. Or is someone wants to give me a very detailed order of disassembly I could try documenting my next one.

 

Depending on how the day unfolds I could be doing a few more of these today. My best local aluminum guy usually overlooks the metal cylinder inserts for me because everything else is so clean. Atleast he has with Saturn and VW engines in the past. He has his own smelter and pays more than everyone else.

[ccrinc]

I should do this writeup on our site. So many missed steps, details, and mistakes that could cause a problem on that one. For just scrapping out to get aluminum, this works.

 

If you think taking it apart is tricky, try putting it back together!

 

None of the big PERA builders are doing Subaru engines anymore.

[ocei77]

Although you have more tools than I ever will, usually the wrist pin is frozen in there and it takes a lot of work to get it out with the homemade tools.

On my 2nd excursion, after removing the circlips, I used a foot long 7/8 in wood dowel as a drift and knocked it out easy as pie. Worked well on installation too.

 

O.

[davebugs]

I got this apart yesterday.

 

Not following the linkso much as just seeing where things were hidden and borrowing a 14mm allen.

 

In the end I understand why the steps are done and why you just can't pull apart the halves without undoing the rods.

 

Not too bad of a job. Probably took me an hour trying to make it up as I wont along mostly.

 

I used a socket extension and pry bar thing with the one end like a drift to drive out the wrist pins.

 

Don't see any rods or crank on Ebay so I'll try listing them. Although I don't know why anyone would buy them used.

[davebugs]

For those that find this thread. For scrapping I find it easier to split the case and undo the rod bolts.

 

Infact I did 2 2.5's with a combination of both - following the instructions to remove wrist pin clips than pounding wrist pins out, and undoing rod bolts.

 

On the first engine it didn' tmatter much. On the second engine I broke part of the piston on 3 pistons from the retaining wring on the "other" side I suppose when driving the wrist pin out.

 

From this if I were going to redo the rod bearings I'd probably try to disconnect the rod bolts and skip the whole wrist pin while still in the block mess.

 

Just my experience.

 

Gonna put some cranks, cams, rods, pistons on Ebay to see what happens.

 

A few oddbal tools needed - 12 & 14mm Allen impact, the usual 14mm12 point for head bolts then also a 12mm12 point for case bolts.

 

Aluminum pays a little more than 3 times scrap metal and I seem to get about 50 lbs of aluminum per engine. Hard to tell because I had like 4 intakes, 4 block halves(form 2 engines), only 2 heads, bunch of brackets,etc.

[ShawnW]

I got this apart yesterday.

 

Not following the linkso much as just seeing where things were hidden and borrowing a 14mm allen.

 

In the end I understand why the steps are done and why you just can't pull apart the halves without undoing the rods.

 

Not too bad of a job. Probably took me an hour trying to make it up as I wont along mostly.

 

I used a socket extension and pry bar thing with the one end like a drift to drive out the wrist pins.

 

Don't see any rods or crank on Ebay so I'll try listing them. Although I don't know why anyone would buy them used.

 

A new crank is like 3-400 bucks, a used one cheaper but you have to machine it at around $150 depending on who does it and how many you bring them might be cheaper. But probably worth the savings if you need one.

[rallynutdon]

What's aluminium going for? I have a couple of blocks to get rid of but was going to give them away.