Itinerant Air-Cooled

Hello everyone. The engine came out fairly trouble free, so that is good. It looks like a piece of space junk that landed in my driveway, and of course, I mean that in the best way possible, as it is my space junk that takes care of me on the road, therefor, I must take care of her. I have my engine elevated now to make it a little easier to work on. I have removed everything to start pulling the head, 'overwhelming', but this is the point I am at. Can you see how dirty the engine is, I am a little embarrassed as to her aesthetic appeal, but I know she will be cleaner when she goes back in. Which brings me to a question; where in the hell to I start to clean her and is it carb cleaner, a toothbrush/copper brush and a shop vac? Does one use that poisonous engine cleaner? I am a little perplexed as to where to start. Also, I think Jivermo mentioned using red devil lie to clean the engine tins, obviously in a steel container, then is it off to the hazardous waste site to dispose of this stuff? Or do I just dump it in the river, just kidding:). Any who, I am making progress, kinda excited that I have gotten to this point, but I know I have a long way to go. Any thoughts would be welcome and of course I will follow up with the actual issue at hand, being my #1 exhaust valve. Also, while I have this beast out, is it smart to check the 3/4 side too? or anything else? Ideally I would like to get this reassembled before you get here on the 13th Colin, as there are other things to do, like the cv joints in the rear, etc. etc. Thanks everybody, even tho you are all out there, it makes this job digestible knowing that you are all right here.

Kris

Filth!

Tear it down, document everything with pics, all hardware in labelled baggies, notes on all wiring connections, more pics, lye in HD PLASTIC garbage can, not galvanized steel, poison fumes from that, neutralize used solution with a couple bottles of vinegar, and pour down storm sewer or in secluded area of yard. I let hose run in the can, and the dilute overflow in the backyard...it does not even hurt the vegetation at that stage. The heavy crud and gunk stays in the can, throw it in the garbage. Just be careful, and no aluminum parts in there! Hand cleaner is great for the wiring harnesses. Those cylinder cooling fins need air to cool them, pretty crudded up. Have fun, and you are in for the big learning curve, my friend. Not to worry, plenty of support in this neighborhood.

Mine looked that rough.



Now:

Damn, that looks good Jivermo. Thanks for the words and the pics, gives me hope. Ok, so here we go, I have added photos of the damage to my no. 1 piston and head, cylinder is ok believe it or not, but I am having it re-honed to make sure. I am on the lookout for parts, in the meantime, I am being very particular about cleaning my dismantled parts, tins, etc. and I will be installing a head temperature gauge when this is all complete, as it probably would have saved this from happening. If there is any feedback one wants to offer, besides what already has been, I am all ears. Thanks people.

Whammo!

Looks like you might have gotten lucky. But, I'm not certain what else you need to check after your engine has taken a hammering like this. Do you know what the end play is on your engine? I guess you'll find out if Colin is coming by.

khargis wrote:Filth!

This is what will kill a VW air cooled engine, Filth!!! A water cooled engine is cooled internally while a VW is cooled externally so cleanliness is next to godliness . Small oil leaks puke all over the engine and then slowly dirt sticks to the oil creating a thick insulation which is BAD!

Duly noted Geoff. In that cleaning process now...

khargis wrote:Duly noted Geoff. In that cleaning process now...

Let me know how this plays out. Guymon over on theSamba has bailed as of two minutes ago, which means "no Boise ID" for just a half day visit.
ColinDepositEquals"Commitment"

Is this a sign? I will keep you posted Colin. Thanks for the heads up.
Kris

How far are you going to take this engine block down? Have you taken off any of the rods to look at the bearings? Ya have to wonder how many miles where on that engine. As already mentioned, you should check the end play as well.

With this being my only vehicle and a limited cash flow, I am trying to as much as possible wcfvw69. I will check the end-play, I had to look that up and how to do it, because I have never done this before. If you have any suggestions, I got my ears on. I will be checking the 3/4 side of my bus and compression all around here shortly, I am ordering a new head and piston tomorrow. Would you all recommend replacing the head on the 3/4 side while it is out, a couple of people have mentioned this and since no.3 gets the hottest, it would totally blow if that head frizzle -fried next! Any who, I have not taken off rods to check bearings, but will put that on the list. Thanks y'all.

Kris

About those rod bearings...I had very similar damage on my first Vanagon engine, and I tried to repair the blown head and piston. Everything, end play included, was within spec, for about six months. Then, oil pressure tanked due to bad end play... Not that I would have done anything differently, but a full rebuild would have been waaaayyyy cheaper.

You have the engine out now. Bite the bullet, and get into the entire engine. Do both heads. My thought is that it's a false economy to slap this back together now. The knowledge of knowing that you are driving with a thourouhly rebuilt engine will give you much more peace of mind. Especially since this is your main mode of transport. When is Colin coming to see you? He is, right? He can help you check the end play accurately. Where are you getting the new head? Please check 3/4 before you order just the one. Look closely for minute cracks, too.