[T3] BBbbrrrrrr!

[Jim Adney]

On 8 Jan 2014 at 14:30, Keith Park wrote:

> I don't see how the bearings can spin with the alignment pins in place, The
> crates old motor had a center main that was beaten way out in the case, you
> could hear it on startup but I drove it that way for a while and it didn't
> spin.

The pins are only there to make sure you position the bearings 
correctly. The feed holes in the bearings have to be at a low 
pressure point in the journal or they won't feed. A loose bearing 
will hold for awhile, or maybe a long while, but eventually it will 
tear the pin out of the case, or rip a slot in the back of the 
bearing. Either way, it's a mess.

With cold oil, there's more torque on the bearing, so that is more 
likely to spin it. OTOH, a cold case may grip the bearing more 
tightly (especially if it's got the steel inserts) so it's not clear 
when things will go bad.

If the case has been stretched, the bearings are likely stretched, 
too, so they may hold up in there, but new bearings of the "same" 
size will be loose.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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