So I got outside completely forgetting that I had not done everything needed to just grab them for power washing.
It took almost an house to get the remaining cylinder studs out. There were about 6 that was fused to the case. I used up my one remaining cylinder of propane heating up the studs and case (surface and inside) and quite a bit of penetrating oil but I finally got all but one out.
The deep inset stud at Cylinder 3 just was not budging at all. I was almost worried I was going to break the stud off.
After more heat, and then filling the recess with penetrating oil, I believe some of it finally soaked in along the threads and I was able to get the last stud out.
Oil Pressure Relief Valves
I completely forgot about the oil pressure relief valves as well.
Given how difficult the AH engine’s were to finally get to turn, I expected the same.
The fronts bolt turned without barely any effort. I was shocked. No heat. No swearing. Nothing.
It was when the rear one came off so easily that I started to realize something.
Look at the oil and grime around this area. And of course, these are both over one of the filthiest heat cylinders.
I think these were barely on, and that they have slowly been leaking oil, especially the rear one.
It explains the ease of removal as well as all of these oil.
While both had crush gaskets, neither appeared to have any sealant as far as I could tell.
Perhaps any either had gave up the ghost to oil leaking by a long time ago.
I’m just happy it wasn’t a multiple hours ordeal to remove these stock plugs as has been my experience with them in the past.
Both will be replaced with the hex style plug, which is now a standard operating procedure for me, regardless if they are not stock style. The hex style allows for hex bit on a wrench, and that means I can easily get them in and out and even measure torque if I need to.
Oil Pump
I had left the oil pump out last night.
From the looks of the plate, I do believe that the gaskets failed years ago and someone put some kind of sealant along the bottom hoping to stop oil from leaking but not actually removing the plate, putting new gaskets on, or putting on new sealing nuts.
This also explains a lot of the oil and dirt mess on the bottom from of the engine.
The pump is the original VW pump . While I suspect it is fine since the gears are still nice, I am going to replace it with a new one, though of course I’ll save this in my Murbella original parts pins.
So the outer gasket came off as one piece, but is brittle and in very bad shape. It died a long time ago.
What I originally thought were just washers behind the nuts actually are the rubber o-ring seals that are typically embedded into the nut itself.
All 4 separated and with the gaskets having failed along time ago, no doubt this contributed to the exterior of the plate cover being so filthy.
With everything torn out, it was finally time to take the case to be cleaned.