Re: Diagnose My Engine Pictures and Win!

steve.nospam.ballantyne@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
A boat anchor? This engine isn't heavy enough to hold down a rowboat!
I think I had better stick to repairing it. :-)

Remco wrote:

I remember reading somewhere (probably here or on the samba) that you
can't just do a ring job on a bug engine because the cylinders don't
wear in a round fashion. I think it basically said that if you replace
rings, you replace cylinders.
My 75 engine was in similar shape so followed that advice. My case was
also junk so built the whole thing back up almost from scratch.


What needs checked with the case? When you all are saying to have the
case checked, are you referring to all the parts inside? Or would the
wear of the cylinders have unevenly bored the inner walls, and that
needs checked by a machinist? I'm a little out of my element on this
job, know. Replacing cylinders would no doubt be expensive ... but
understandable.


If I were you, I'd ask Bob Hoover and see what he thinks before you
decide where to go from here.


Is Bob a poster in this group?

Bottom line, I would like to save the car. Even if it entails a very
expensive and complete rebuild of the engine. I have seen the
country-side in it, and I'm not ready to let her go. ;-)

What then is your suggested next step?

Thanks,
Steve Ballantyne

Look at #3 head pic. The exhaust valve (smaller one) is set really deep in its seat. It looks to me to be too deep, as in the seat has collapsed or "dropped". Look at the little line that radiates outward from the valve seat toward the spark plug hole. Notice that there is a similar one almost exactly opposite that one. I suspect if you clean the gunk away those will be cracks. That is the reason for #3 compression being low. If you get somebody with a valve removing tool to get that valve out for you, I suspect there will be obvious damage. I suspect new head time. Not worth doing that without doing a total rebuild on top end and bottom end. If it was a T4 then chances are the bottom end would be good but not a T1. I apologize for not reading your post thoroughly - I just saw compression on #3 and went straight to the photo, blew it up to where I could see it. I don't know the reason for others suspecting case and bottom end damage, but feel the main culprit is #3 head toasted. The hole in the pushrod tube is not good, but not significant to the storyline. I suppose the suspicion of pulled case studs could come from the phot of #4 where it has definitely been blowing past the "gasket" but it looks more like it was loose than burned through. The heat that caused damage to #3 also affected #4. That's what I 'think' I'm seeing. Good luck. If you DO rebuild, if you use Tom Wilson's book, "How to rebuild your Volkswagen Air cooled engine," be careful of the part where you load the cam and crank into the cases. He has the timing information all screwed up, but other than that it's a good book. -BaH
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