How do I know what main bearings to get for my 40hp VW engine?

Im rebuilding a 1200cc engine but I am using a stock 1500/1600 crank. I had bought a set of standard 1600 bearings and they are too big. What is the stock diameter of the journals?How do I know what main bearings to get for my 40hp VW engine?If your going to go to the trouble of splitting the case you may as well send your rotating assembly flywheel/crank/rods/and pressure plate to a vw machine shop and have them dynamicly baleced. as well as have yuor case line bored. it is so worth the extra time and money. to have a perfectly balenced engine. It will last a long time that way. if you did that they would set you up with the correct bearings.

sound like your crank has been resurfaced already. so like chirco says use the calipers. if your any where near denver contact painters grinding for machine work. they did my bus motor bottom end and rebuilt my heads. now she purrs.How do I know what main bearings to get for my 40hp VW engine?Get your old ones and take them into your auto shop and thay will size them up andget you the right ones....... good on you.....good luckHow do I know what main bearings to get for my 40hp VW engine?Main Bearings for a 40hp engine are the same size as a 1600cc case when they are a stock uncut case. There is three different sizes to work with. The Thrust bearing or closest to the flywheel, the case main journal where the bearing rest on the case and the Crankshaft, where the crank lays on the bearing.



You will need a dial caliper to take these three measurements so you can call a company that specializes in air cooled VW engines to get the correct bearings you need.



Below I put a link to the main bearings we stock.



Good question

ThanksHow do I know what main bearings to get for my 40hp VW engine?
You need to have your case line bored at a machine shop, then they will fit you with the proper size bearings. Do as Tomato says, my 66 was balanced and rebuilt properly. It became my freeway sleeper.