Pop Top Tom's Rebuild Thread <updated 10-17

airkooledchris · Post by **airkooledchris** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:05 pm

who smelt it first? you know the rule!
---------------------------
thanks for the pics, looks beautiful in that bay (both engine bay and baywindow bus)

bajaman72 · Post by **bajaman72** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:31 pm

That engine looks delicious =D>

Xelmon · Post by **Xelmon** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:54 pm

Dude, you could heat up the chassis and fry burgers on there it looks so clean!

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:36 pm

vwlover77 wrote:I adjusted my AFR with an LM-1. Guess what?

Colin dialed it in nearly PERFECTLY using his method. it was just a tad too rich per the LM-1.

Much better to be a tad too rich than too lean.

I agree wholeheartedly.

The engine does communicate it's needs and is translated to human using the colin method. The lm-1 can help fine tuning but intimate feedback loops like "The CM" gives greater 'understanding' twixt the entities...

woa...I think I just slipped into the twilight zone....

must be the gumout.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:23 pm

Don't bogart that gumout dude.

-John

poptop tom · Post by **poptop tom** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:35 am

The smell? What smell? I remember the smells of gas........oline........and and and.....fresh paint burning off the exhaust and HE's..........and the distinct smell of the vw.........

Oh. THAT smell. Somebody put the wiper arms on waaaaaaay out of adjustment. They wanted to keep the emblem clean.

Sooooo, the wiper motor was trying to work a little OT on the front of the bus while Colin and I attended to the starting up of the engine. And only the 3/4 cylinders firing......then 1..... then finally all four!

Drove the bus 75 miles last night. Drove nice. Country roads basically. Have to put about 100+ on before leaving today. Then an oil/filter change. Should I then switch from 30w to the 20w50 Brad Penn?

All advice above will be heeded. I'm not in a race to get down there. And will keep the speeds down, and varied, and will keep a watch on everything!

Westy78 · Post by **Westy78** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:05 am

poptop tom wrote: Then an oil/filter change. Should I then switch from 30w to the 20w50 Brad Penn?

Yes. The break in oil only lasts for about 100 miles before it's done. At least that was the case with my engine. When it went it went fast too. I was out driving and all of the sudden temps went high and pressure went low. Viscosity had all but completely broken down and it was like water when it drained. Luckily I was close to home.

poptop tom · Post by **poptop tom** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:13 pm

Just did a 100 mile run. With an hr cool down half way.

65 degrees out with 15-20 mph winds.

Bus seems to be running like a top. Oil temp went to 218 on a decent grade at 55 mph. Generally around 210 degrees the whole way. That was up and down some hills with winds. Oil pressure on the highway was between 25 and 30 psi. This is a Shadek modified type 1 pump.

Not sure on CHT. Guage (Dakota Digitals) isnt working properly. It was giving me numbers around 97-100. Which isn't fahrenheit or celsius. At least correctly, it isnt.

Dip stick seemed cool to the touch after driving. Engine sounds great. No knocking or pinging.

Changing the oil in a few min., timing check again, and a valve adjustment.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 4:05 pm

poptop tom wrote:Just did a 100 mile run. With an hr cool down half way.

65 degrees out with 15-20 mph winds.

Bus seems to be running like a top. Oil temp went to 218 on a decent grade at 55 mph. Generally around 210 degrees the whole way. That was up and down some hills with winds. Oil pressure on the highway was between 25 and 30 psi. This is a Shadek modified type 1 pump.

Not sure on CHT. Guage (Dakota Digitals) isnt working properly. It was giving me numbers around 97-100. Which isn't fahrenheit or celsius. At least correctly, it isnt.

Dip stick seemed cool to the touch after driving. Engine sounds great. No knocking or pinging.

Changing the oil in a few min., timing check again, and a valve adjustment.

Hot dog. Unleashed are you.

25-30psi on a fresh rebuild on the highway seems low. Are you running the 20/50 yet? Let us know if it improves or not.

CHT 97-100 is basically saying that the gauge is not hooked up.

Cool dipstick is excellent . . . AFTER the 3-5 minute heat-soak that Type 4 engines require to allow the crankcase heat to get up to where your fingers are. If you check the dipstick immediately after stopping, most of the dipstick has been cooled by its passage through the fan housing hurricane.

Enjoy that moving view out the windshield!
ColinInIndianaSouthToAtlanta

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 4:34 pm

T,

My CHT usually runs about 200 degrees F higher than the oil temp and the oil temp changes more slowly, so usually you see a lag in trending.

Did you install the 26mm or the 30 mm shadek?

T.

poptop tom · Post by **poptop tom** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:32 am

chitwnvw wrote:T,

My CHT usually runs about 200 degrees F higher than the oil temp and the oil temp changes more slowly, so usually you see a lag in trending.

Did you install the 26mm or the 30 mm shadek?

T.

26 mm.

25-30psi on a fresh rebuild on the highway seems low. Are you running the 20/50 yet? Let us know if it improves or not.

That was the 30 weight break-in stuff. Switched to the 20w-50 before heading to FLA. After getting the 1,000 miles in with the 20w50 on the way there, I changed the oil for the return trip. On an average highway run speed of 60-62 mph, my psi was usually right at 40.
Oil temps maxed at 229. Usually around 210. Varied between 195 and 220 depending on conditions. Dipstick always seemed cool to the touch. Are higher temps normal for a fresh rebuild?

CHT 97-100 is basically saying that the gauge is not hooked up.

Correct. Never got it hooked up properly, but always felt confident. Engine ran like a champ. Always sounded really strong. Tuned it before leaving, and adjusted valves. Exhaust never seemed like it was too hot. Unsure of my actual head temps though. Mieage seemed really good, although I haven't done the calculations yet.

Read about the trips' travels in my other post!

Westy78 · Post by **Westy78** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:14 pm

poptop tom wrote: That was the 30 weight break-in stuff. Switched to the 20w-50 before heading to FLA. After getting the 1,000 miles in with the 20w50 on the way there, I changed the oil for the return trip. On an average highway run speed of 60-62 mph, my psi was usually right at 40.

Oil temps maxed at 229. Usually around 210. Varied between 195 and 220 depending on conditions. Dipstick always seemed cool to the touch. Are higher temps normal for a fresh rebuild?

Pressure sounds about right. I'm in the same range. As long as you have about 10psi per 1000rpm you're good. Oil temps look good. They'll be a little elevated till the engine is broken in. From what I've heard and read 230° is not a problem for the Brad Penn.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 8:29 pm

poptop tom wrote:Dipstick always seemed cool to the touch. Are higher temps normal for a fresh rebuild?

Dipstick temp assessment should be after a heatsoak interval of about 4-5 minutes. The fan cools the dipstick tube.

High temps should be expected until the rings are seated. Usually the temps return to normal within 2,000 miles.
Colin

midatlanticys · Post by **midatlanticys** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 8:15 pm

poptop tom wrote: Just did a 100 mile run.

Right on Brother Tom! I'm soooooo happy for you!! and for your bus!! Well done. =D>

VWBusrepairman · Post by **VWBusrepairman** » Thu May 26, 2011 1:27 pm

This is excellent and I congratulate you on this milestone. Hope you get many years of service out of your bus.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Pop Top Tom's Rebuild Thread <updated 10-17

Re: Pop Top Tom's Rebuild Thread <updated 10-17