Well, it happened!

Show us your project. In progress or finished!

Moderator: Ken

Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 03 Sun Feb, 2013 2:44 pm

Hello Club,
It happened! It was so nice out on Saturday, February 3rd, that I put about 50 miles on my buggy. While enroute back home from Kemah, a loud clicking started. No loss of horse power, but loud enough to believe that I had blown a hole in my exhaust. Got home and shut it down. Looked for holes but could not find any. Started the engine again and it ran smooth but still had the loud click! I could hear it coming from No.1 and thought it might have been a valve gone out of adjustment. Then it happened! It stopped! I put a wrench on the pulley and tried to turn the engine a complete cycle. It would stop and I could hear metal-on-metal near no.1. I took the valve cover off and saw that no.1 valve was not moving. I have pulled the engine and too start my investigation. It is 50 years old and I have gotten about 3000 miles out of it since bringing it back to life! Pics for you guys to enjoy.
Attachments
Start Engine Pull.JPG
Start Engine Pull.JPG (78.99 KiB) Viewed 13575 times
No.1 Bad Lifter.JPG
No.1 Bad Lifter.JPG (75.89 KiB) Viewed 13575 times
Extracted.JPG
Extracted.JPG (73.27 KiB) Viewed 13575 times
Last edited by johber41 on 05 Tue Feb, 2013 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 03 Sun Feb, 2013 3:18 pm

More Pics
Attachments
Engine Out 2.JPG
Engine Out 2.JPG (64.75 KiB) Viewed 13572 times
Clutch Removed.JPG
Clutch Removed.JPG (76.14 KiB) Viewed 13572 times
Adapting for Engine Stand.JPG
Adapting for Engine Stand.JPG (67.24 KiB) Viewed 13572 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 03 Sun Feb, 2013 3:25 pm

Two More!
Attachments
On The Stand.JPG
On The Stand.JPG (85.6 KiB) Viewed 13572 times
On Stand 2.JPG
On Stand 2.JPG (71.41 KiB) Viewed 13572 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby BrianB » 03 Sun Feb, 2013 8:48 pm

Well now you can have it all freshened up for Fredericksburg. Post up progress pics as you go.
ThunderBug Buggy
BrianB
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 1010
Joined: 08 Tue Jan, 2008 9:49 am
Location: Katy Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 04 Mon Feb, 2013 12:40 pm

I hope so sir. Might even bump the horse power up a bit!
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 05 Tue Feb, 2013 12:15 am

Started the tear-down of my engine and found some interesting problems. An oil leak I was contributing to bad push-rod tubes was actually dropping through the block from the oil cooler. Nothing bad, just drips, but the oil sure made its way across the block. The second problem I found was that the plastic cone which houses and guides the push rod for the fuel pump is broken in half inside the block. I tried to build a tool to pull the bottom half out but I was unsuccessful. I also thought you guys would get a kick out of my Bosch distributor with a bake-lite cap. Now that is old school! Pics for your viewing pleasure.
Attachments
Getting Started.JPG
Getting Started.JPG (72.33 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
Coming Apart, Oil Leak Detected.JPG
Coming Apart, Oil Leak Detected.JPG (67.9 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
Oil Cooler Leaking 2.JPG
Oil Cooler Leaking 2.JPG (84.96 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 05 Tue Feb, 2013 12:19 am

Fuel Pump guide broken in the block!
Attachments
Damaged Fuel Pump Base 1.JPG
Damaged Fuel Pump Base 1.JPG (55.25 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
Tool To Extract Cone.JPG
Tool To Extract Cone.JPG (56.75 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
Attempting to Extract Broken Cone.JPG
Attempting to Extract Broken Cone.JPG (78.21 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 05 Tue Feb, 2013 12:21 am

Bosch Distributor
Attachments
Bosch Distributor with Bakelite Cap.JPG
Bosch Distributor with Bakelite Cap.JPG (56.24 KiB) Viewed 13526 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 05 Tue Feb, 2013 10:46 pm

Well, found out what the loud clicking was! It wasn't a lifter, lifters are OK. Somehow, from somewhere, a small square nut moved into the cylinder and the no.1 piston was smashing it into the head. Lucky though, minor damage and no valve damage. Cannot imagine where it came from! Air cleaner? carburator? who knows! Pics of my pain for your viewing pleasure.
Attachments
Smash Mark in Piston.JPG
Smash Mark in Piston.JPG (79.2 KiB) Viewed 13509 times
Nut Smashed into Head.JPG
Nut Smashed into Head.JPG (54.31 KiB) Viewed 13509 times
Problem.JPG
Problem.JPG (22.63 KiB) Viewed 13509 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby staggerwing » 06 Wed Feb, 2013 4:41 pm

What the heck is that thing!?
User avatar
staggerwing
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 638
Joined: 16 Fri Jun, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Seguin, TX.

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 07 Thu Feb, 2013 3:48 am

That object found in the cylinder was a small square nut. Looks like it was in there for a long time. Maybe even smashed into the head for a long time. The nut is rounded and smooth like it has been through a rock tumbler. I was able to get the fuel pump debris out of the block using a slide hammer (dent puller) which threaded nicely into the broken part. There may still be some debris in the block but I believe that it will move to the oil screen. I got one head polished and I am working on the other.
Attachments
Fuel Pump Debris Pulled with Dent Puller.JPG
Fuel Pump Debris Pulled with Dent Puller.JPG (83.39 KiB) Viewed 13483 times
Start Polish.JPG
Start Polish.JPG (76.29 KiB) Viewed 13483 times
Polish Done.JPG
Polish Done.JPG (61.41 KiB) Viewed 13483 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 09 Sat Feb, 2013 8:17 pm

Pressure washed the oil and grease off of the block and polished the pistons. Bought new push-rod tubes, fuel pump spacer, and oil cooler seals. Ready for reassembly! Hopefully there is not another little nut waiting to fall in from somewhere else!
Attachments
Block Washed and Pistons Polished.JPG
Block Washed and Pistons Polished.JPG (59.62 KiB) Viewed 13448 times
Heads Ready for Re-Assembly 2.JPG
Heads Ready for Re-Assembly 2.JPG (77.05 KiB) Viewed 13448 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 11 Mon Feb, 2013 2:03 am

Waiting for parts so I thought I would freshen up the tins a bit!
Attachments
Tins 1.JPG
Tins 1.JPG (51.54 KiB) Viewed 13426 times
Tins 2.JPG
Tins 2.JPG (55.91 KiB) Viewed 13426 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 13 Wed Feb, 2013 10:40 am

Started getting things back together. Engine is now back to long-block status!
Attachments
New Pushrod Tubes 2.JPG
New Pushrod Tubes 2.JPG (64.9 KiB) Viewed 13389 times
Back to Long Block Status.JPG
Back to Long Block Status.JPG (70.84 KiB) Viewed 13389 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby staggerwing » 13 Wed Feb, 2013 11:07 am

If you made that generator pulley cover chinga, NICE JOB! Keep up the good work!
User avatar
staggerwing
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 638
Joined: 16 Fri Jun, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Seguin, TX.

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 14 Thu Feb, 2013 2:39 am

Thank you sir! I spent the good part of my evening reassembling the engine. No big changes besides the polishing and some new seals and push-rod tubes. I am anxious to get the thing started. I am hoping there wasn't any collateral unseen damage to the internal stuff like the crank, piston rods, cam shaft...etc. We will see! I want to spray my mufflers with high-temp flat black paint and then get the car moving again. I am having buggy with drawls!
Attachments
Reassembled 1.JPG
Reassembled 1.JPG (79.93 KiB) Viewed 13228 times
Reassembled 2.JPG
Reassembled 2.JPG (77.66 KiB) Viewed 13228 times
Reassembled 3.JPG
Reassembled 3.JPG (74.91 KiB) Viewed 13228 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 18 Mon Feb, 2013 11:38 pm

Ready for Installation. Have my fingers crossed that it will run! I do not have a second bell housing to set up a run on the stand, so, I will have to slip it back into the trans and see what happens. I had a local bug guy tell me that I am running too light of an oil (10W-30) for an engine that old and he told me that I need to use 20W-50. Does anyone have any ideas about that? They told me that the tolerances in the older engines are loose and that the 10W-30 oil turns to soup pretty quick as this engine will beat it like a mixer.
Attachments
Ready for Installation.JPG
Ready for Installation.JPG (67.57 KiB) Viewed 13206 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby staggerwing » 19 Tue Feb, 2013 9:20 am

Man that thing looks clean!

Yes sir, 20/50 should be fine - I've used it before without any problems; running 10/40 synthetic these days; no problems. Get mine at Walmart as they have the best price on synthetic oil! I get the 5 quart size!
User avatar
staggerwing
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 638
Joined: 16 Fri Jun, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Seguin, TX.

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 19 Tue Feb, 2013 10:25 am

Thanks Staggerwing...I will give 20W-50 a try. I forgot to respond to your compliment on the pulley cover. I did not create it, but, I think it was modified from a former use as an old compressor or generator guard. The mounting brackets were definitely added to meet the mounting bolts for the fuel pump and the generator stand. It is cool looking and thanks for your compliment.
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby Bill K » 19 Tue Feb, 2013 11:06 pm

Hey, I'll Amen that pulley cover. 8-)
Dream It - Plan It - Build It
User avatar
Bill K
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 2168
Joined: 06 Thu Oct, 2005 8:08 am

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby johber41 » 21 Thu Feb, 2013 11:37 pm

Back running again! Wow....no oil leaks! A big lesson learned after assembly. I put the distributor back into the block and secured it without checking to see which way the rotor was pointing. I tried to start the thing and got some back firing. Of course, I thought that the cam had jumped timing or something as horrific as a bad lifter or a blown valve! I looked at my 1973 VW manual and watched an internet video. I saw that the rotor should be pointed in the direction for the plug wire for cylinder #1 on the cap when the crank is at TDC. Lesson learned! Did the light bulb timing and now it runs great!
Attachments
Running again.JPG
Running again.JPG (70.5 KiB) Viewed 13210 times
johber41
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 441
Joined: 23 Tue Oct, 2012 10:40 pm
Location: Seabrook, Texas

Re: Well, it happened!

Postby staggerwing » 22 Fri Feb, 2013 9:17 am

Yay! Back on the road again! Awesome! Thanks for keeping us up to date on yer progress.
"No leaks"? You better check to make sure you have a VW engine in there.
User avatar
staggerwing
Buggyholic
 
Posts: 638
Joined: 16 Fri Jun, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Seguin, TX.


Return to Member's Projects

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

cron