All Caught Up Going Nowhere
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:50 pm
Had a hot day with Brewcruiser in California wine country, trying desperately to get his dual carb '74 bus back on its game. Discovered 0 psi compression in cylinder #4. Our sadness was tempered by the fact that even a three cylinder bus can run better than this popping and spitting and revving and stalling mess of a GEX engine. So we applied a diligent troubleshooting demeanor in the scorching heat, and we sought, we discovered, we conquered various issues that might affect the ability of this engine to run. It was a good test of focus. No matter how lousy an engine might run, you must prevail to get rid of variables. That included attempting to "time" the engine, "adjust" the mixtures, and shut up about it. I have learned to not attempt to "teach" when an engine is so ill-behaved. Upshot was that we got it to run pretty well and we drove it up and down the hills in the gorgeous hot evening light. Brewcruiser shall shortly join the legions of Itinerant Air-Cooled members who have bravely waded in and executed an engine overhaul. I hope he starts a thread about it, and I hope y'all jump in and help. It is a beautiful orange Westy with the orange plaid interior. I didn't take pictures on account of wooziness behind that spitting monster earlier in the afternoon, blasting us with 365* CHTs at idle!
Thought about doing the rear wheel bearings here at the ex-Mare Island Naval Shipyard, but the No Trespassing signs were too thick and shade was nonexistent:
Thought about doing it at a lightly rented-out corporate park in Sacramento, but the heat was oppressive at 108*. It should be noted that Chloe did not care a whit about any old heat, 360*s on the Dakota Digital at 60 mph in the heat of the afternoon. I was the one about to drop a valve. But the scientist in me, your scientist, decided to yank off the tailpipe to see if "less restriction" would change the CHT numbers or performance. I actually liked the sound. Reminded me of a few old Volkswagens in my past. Didn't do a thing for CHTs, but there was an improvement in highway performance, I think. Put the tailpipe back on at a bank parking lot.
Then, I drove into the mountains for relief. I am here in a pine forest outside of Colfax CA on I-80. It was a far cooler 99* when this picture was taken than what I left in Sacramento:
Now a cool 85* at 9:48PM, car is jacked upand going nowhere with this important assembly nowhere near attached to the car:
Good thing I finally demanded of myself to replace these bearings. The inner bearing's outer race had been spinning in the wheel bearing housing. It has opened up the bearing bore, and I am sorry to report that the new bearing was a slightly loose fit in there. We shall see how the red Loctite holds things.
Note to rear wheel drive VW owners, if your rear wheels are rocking up and down when off the ground, do not assume that it is just worn bearings, it could be a worn rear wheel bearing housing!
Must get some sleep so I can finish the other side, change the transaxle oil, and drive to Salt Lake City with quiet drums, fresh rear wheel bearings, and freshly repacked original (!) CV joints. Yes, I should have done this job thousands of miles ago.
OverlyHeatedProcrastinator
Thought about doing the rear wheel bearings here at the ex-Mare Island Naval Shipyard, but the No Trespassing signs were too thick and shade was nonexistent:
Thought about doing it at a lightly rented-out corporate park in Sacramento, but the heat was oppressive at 108*. It should be noted that Chloe did not care a whit about any old heat, 360*s on the Dakota Digital at 60 mph in the heat of the afternoon. I was the one about to drop a valve. But the scientist in me, your scientist, decided to yank off the tailpipe to see if "less restriction" would change the CHT numbers or performance. I actually liked the sound. Reminded me of a few old Volkswagens in my past. Didn't do a thing for CHTs, but there was an improvement in highway performance, I think. Put the tailpipe back on at a bank parking lot.
Then, I drove into the mountains for relief. I am here in a pine forest outside of Colfax CA on I-80. It was a far cooler 99* when this picture was taken than what I left in Sacramento:
Now a cool 85* at 9:48PM, car is jacked upand going nowhere with this important assembly nowhere near attached to the car:
Good thing I finally demanded of myself to replace these bearings. The inner bearing's outer race had been spinning in the wheel bearing housing. It has opened up the bearing bore, and I am sorry to report that the new bearing was a slightly loose fit in there. We shall see how the red Loctite holds things.
Note to rear wheel drive VW owners, if your rear wheels are rocking up and down when off the ground, do not assume that it is just worn bearings, it could be a worn rear wheel bearing housing!
Must get some sleep so I can finish the other side, change the transaxle oil, and drive to Salt Lake City with quiet drums, fresh rear wheel bearings, and freshly repacked original (!) CV joints. Yes, I should have done this job thousands of miles ago.
OverlyHeatedProcrastinator
