SOS calling all engine guys-I need help finding parts

How hard was it to do yourself. Never done it before but im going to do it this summer. I read the forum and watched the youtube video but ive never rebuilt an engine. The most ive done was replacing a timing belt and lifters.

Before I rebuilt my B2200 engine, deepest in I had been was timing belt, water pump, and oil pan.

I had rebuilt at least a dozen old VW engines though, but decades ago. I believe that at end of first day I was able to take the head in for machining, took like two days for me to assemble (like 9am to 5pm).

ok, I'm gonna just come out and say it.

I feel that the opinion that the smoking gun (no pun intended) is NOT the piston rings.

that's right I said it out loud.

in the video I watched on youtube the gentleman rebuild his engine and it still smoked and then he found a bad valve guide and a missing valve seal and when that was replaced he had no more problems.

I found a valve seal missing a rubber and I can't be sure but I would venture to say that if I had just replaced the valve seals alone my smoking would have stopped.

I could be wrong but if you are having smoking problems I would just take the rocker arm off and remove the valve springs to see if the seals are good. you could probably even use a strong flashlight to look through the double springs and see if there is any missing or badly damaged seals.

word of advice though. don't try to remove the valve springs with the head on. I don't anticipate success with this engine. there are double springs and compressing the springs alone doesn't usually bring the valve stem out of the keepers. I had to tap mine with a rubber hammer to knock them free of the keepers. if you try to use compressed air to keep the valve closed while removing the keepers you may end up with the valve dropped int the combustion chamber.

I'm no expert but I'm saying check the valve seals first to find the SMOKING GUN.

I hope you didn't set yourself up for failure by overlooking this step. New rings generally won't seat against a glazed cylinder wall. Your engine might be the exception.

I hope not too. but I feel pretty confident they aren't glazed badly if at all. I don't have a picture of them but I have seen some glazing before and these looked brand new. I was very surprised but I wasn't feeling confident in my skills because I have never done it before. If I have problems going forward I figure it will cost me 80$ in gaskets and a new set of rings and about 15 hours of my time to remedy the oversight. Ill be sure to post about it if I have to do it.

I'll take video and pictures if I do.

thanks for making me paranoid though...lol

I'm like 97% sure they were not glazed. plus the old rings were in great shape too.