02 January, 2016

DKW Update - Free the Sprocket!

For no reason in particular, I stalled out on the DKW project.  I got to the point where I needed some engine parts, in order to reassemble it.  After much inspection and measuring, I found the cylinder bore needed a bore job, I need a new piston, and I couldn't for the life of me get the sprocket off the shaft.  It is a press fit onto a taper, held tight with a large nut.  Apparently they like to weld themselves to the shaft.

I soaked, I heated, I soaked, I hit it with a hammer, I soaked some more, I installed a large puller pounded as tight as I could get with my 1/2" impact.  Nothing.

Then...as luck would have it...I came across a guy in Reseda selling NOS DKW/Sachs engine parts.  This was roughly four days before Christmas, and Susan's youngest Sister happens to live in Reseda, and was coming up for a visit.  So I struck a deal for a new cylinder housing that cleaned up very nicely, a NOS piston kit, a NOS sprocket and nut, and a NOS set of points.  All for the same price a DKW specialist shop sells just a piston kit for.

So the old seized sprocket had become redundant, and I decided drastic measures were in order.  That meant getting out the angle grinder, and going to town on it.  10 minutes later, and a face and mouth full of grinding dust later, I was able to finally remove the sprocket, and pull the shaft out of the engine case.

So now I'm soaking the engine cases to help de-grime the past four decades worth of grease, oil, and dirt.  One of the pain in the asses about heavily finned air-cooled engines, are the deep fins that collect all kinds of debris.  I'm half tempted to find a local machine shop to dunk the cases in, before I give them a wire brushing and polishing.

Then, I need to order a set of bearings, seals, and gaskets for the re-assembly.

Exciting photos below proving I did do some work: