learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

Share progress on your 356 related project or full restoration with others!
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#121 Post by Peter Schueren »

Harlan,
that does not help much right now as i am stuck with the engine as it is (and the exhaust)
The guys who rebuilt the engine have a good name and have been doing porsche engines for a long time.
My worst mistake probably was my small local workshop who did not know much about 356 and did not take care with those fat manifolds... ... This is something I hope to get right now. Afterwards I have to find someone for the routine maintenance. I will follow your advice but I can not go back in time...
peter

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... Look at the plugs!!!

#122 Post by Peter Schueren »

Friends,
here are pictures of my spark plugs showing what happened....
Peter
IMG-20230606-WA0001.jpg
IMG-20230606-WA0000.jpg

User avatar
Jacques Lefriant
356 Fan
Posts: 4602
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Washoe county NV

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#123 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Hi Peter
to me that #2 plug washer indicates an off center repair of the spark plug hole. not ideal. to improve the heat transfer it might be advisable to surface the top of the hole.
j
 

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#124 Post by Peter Schueren »

Hello Jacques,
the engine had been totally rebuilt including welding the heads and newly drilled spark plug holes. As I was told the whole damage results from putting in those plugs with an iron fist.. or is it calles "ham fisted". I will point to the possibility you describe, thank you!!!
Peter

User avatar
Jacques Lefriant
356 Fan
Posts: 4602
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Washoe county NV

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#125 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Hi Peter
addressing this issue is done usually especially if the head is off the engine. to do it in place is trickier.
j
 

User avatar
Martin Benade
356 Fan
Posts: 12188
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:52 am
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#126 Post by Martin Benade »

I wonder if the welded and rethreaded holes got Helicoils? Originally it would have had them.
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna

User avatar
Jacques Lefriant
356 Fan
Posts: 4602
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Washoe county NV

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#127 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Hi Martin
the 911 of the late sixties and all subsequent ones did not use Helicoils. Interesting the 4-Cams and some early pushrod engines had Bronze inserts for the plugs. Wilhoit uses i believe 12mm or 10mm spark plug with a longer reach to lessen the chance of cracks developing. The obvious problem with Peters head is the top of the hole was not faced orthogonal to the axis during thee repair.
j
 

User avatar
Martin Benade
356 Fan
Posts: 12188
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:52 am
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#128 Post by Martin Benade »

I guess lots of aluminum heads are not heli coiled.
I thought that washer was crushed like that because the plug went in crooked, cross threaded, although I’d think that would have taken quite a lot of torque.
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna

User avatar
Jacques Lefriant
356 Fan
Posts: 4602
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Washoe county NV

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#129 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

I think the repair was affected in place without removing the manifolds and maybe later it was welded later. It may had been better off using a "Time-Sert" or a Big Sert. the repair kit comes with a counterbore but it only serves to make the top of the insert flat when installed. https://time-sert.com/standard-time-ser ... s-inserts/
j
 

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#130 Post by Peter Schueren »

Hold it!!!!
The engine had been rebuilt - totally including the heads by AHNENDORP. I have described this in my post. Then this like-new engine was put back in the car by my local workshop. These people while changing the plugs damaged the threads so hard that they damaged the plugs too.The people at Victor Günther Motorsprort in Cologne had the car for the final adjustment of the new webers on the roller dynamometer. They discovered the damage and stopped their work. Now it is back at Ahnendorp who will have to repair it. The insurance of my little workshop will pay for this.
It was real bad luck that some ham-fisted guy at my small local workshop had put those plugs in...
Peter

User avatar
Harlan Halsey
356 Fan
Posts: 2339
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:05 pm
Location: No Cal SF Peninsula

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#131 Post by Harlan Halsey »

Maybe while the engine is back at AHHNENDORP those experts can properly fix the carburetor linkags, jets, accelerator pumps, so that their rebuild runs?

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#132 Post by Peter Schueren »

Yes, that is my intention to get that fixed properly....but the car was running before this devil killed the threads...
The final adjustment on the roller dynamometer was planned as the last step. There are few specialists around that can do this. But it really makes a difference as I have experienced many years ago on my MG.

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#133 Post by Peter Schueren »

Today I got the meassage that plug holes have been rebuilt. They will tell me what they did exactly. They did some work on the carbs too so that they can be finally adjusted. Something was wrong with the electric gas pump - some kind of safety mechanism that stops the pump after some time when the engine is not running (sorry, I can not describe it better).
Somehow I get the feeling that I am on my way to a reasonably good 356.... I presume that my 356 was a bit too much for my local workshop.
Peter

User avatar
Phil Planck
356 Fan
Posts: 2030
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: NE Michigan, lower penn.

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#134 Post by Phil Planck »

Peter
Thanks for sharing your journey.
Phil Planck

User avatar
Peter Schueren
356 Fan
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:07 pm
Location: Germany (Münster)

Re: learning the hard way... my '62 Coupe.

#135 Post by Peter Schueren »

I have to thank for the support...for me this old porsche cost a real lot of money.. and more than once I thought this is one of my really big mistakes. In these moments it was a great help to know there are a number of people around that will encourage me, support me, help me to laugh about the whole thing and get on with it.
peter

Post Reply