Author Topic: VW air cooled guys? (Read 5777 times)

Don R · « **Reply #25 on:** August 15, 2019, 08:04:53 pm »

This just in, 7/8" of toe out in the front end. The steering appears to be new. The outer tie rod ends are threaded all in, the inners show a lot of thread.

Don R · « **Reply #26 on:** August 18, 2019, 01:58:03 pm »

I took the engine apart, and measured, it has 7.4/1 compression due to a 2.3mm deck height. The best cylinder, leak down tests at 10% the worst 32%. I think the low C/R combined with the leakage keeps it from burning the fuel on the worst cylinders until it gets up to a higher RPM and rams some cylinder pressure. In addition, we aren't sure how old the gas is, that may add to the issue.
Gene Berg perfectly describes the problems with this engine, the 92's go out of round and lose ring seal. His experience is, they don't last much over 5,000 miles. Excessive blow by and loss of compression is exactly what I'm seeing.

Scott S · « **Reply #27 on:** August 18, 2019, 02:15:44 pm »

While it's apart.... what cam?

And measure the valve sizes.

Both of those can make a HUGE difference in performance and ease (or difficulty) in tuning.

Don R · « **Reply #28 on:** August 18, 2019, 04:52:29 pm »

Thanks Scott, I even checked the intake for debris inside. I'll for sure check the cam and I didn't think about valve size but they are newer heads. The block and heads both say auto line. 50cc chambers, if it has the same deck height the comp ratio should be 7.71/1 I'm hoping the new pistons have a little more compression height. Just dreaming though.

Don R · « **Reply #29 on:** August 20, 2019, 03:29:00 pm »

It needs bearings, crank polished, new cam and lifters, yadda yadda, That deck height is only on one side, the other side is significantly better. The valves are 40 x 35mm, 50cc combustion chambers. Stock length rods, regular compression height on the pistons
One rod bearing wasn't rotating on the crank easily, I think it was preparing to fail. A pushrod end was in the crankcase too. All of them that we have are sporting both ends. We may trim a pair of cylinders to equal the deck height, if not I'll have the shop fly cut the cases.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #30 on:** August 20, 2019, 04:36:19 pm »

What a mess! Too bad you can't find a cheap motor that is complete with everything in good shape. I feel sorry for the owner. Sounds like if she overheated it pretty bad then she isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to cars.

Scott S · « **Reply #31 on:** August 20, 2019, 04:48:41 pm »

Again.... cam?

40x35 heads are nice. I assume not ported?

Scott S · « **Reply #32 on:** August 20, 2019, 04:49:36 pm »

And is there at least a deep sump? Full flow oil filter is nice, too.

Don R · « **Reply #33 on:** August 20, 2019, 10:21:57 pm »

Quote from: Scott S on August 20, 2019, 04:48:41 pm

Again.... cam?

40x35 heads are nice. I assume not ported?

The cam was junk. One intake lobe significantly smaller than the other one. I didn't spend a lot of time trying to ID it. I'm thinking of getting an Engle W100 or Scat C25 at 8:1 compression. Mostly due to the small carb. The heads are fairly large in the ports, I think they might be mofoco 050 castings. They say auto line on them. Probably won't have a lot of port velocity, the case is clearanced for a huge stroker crank. The 69mm crank is fully counterweighted and balanced, rods appear recent and stock length, were also balanced and they're gray steel I beams. Not old black rods.
I'm assuming it had an interesting past. No deep sump, or full flow filter.

I'm also thinking full flow filter and a set of twin solex carbs. but I'll end up with a grand in parts if we do that. I wish we had a rebuilt stock 1600 to give her. The crank will need a good cleaning too. Also a center main had Permatex around the joint of the cases instead of the o ring seal. omg.

Don R · « **Reply #34 on:** August 20, 2019, 10:29:21 pm »

I have the 90.5's and a doghouse 36 hp fan housing with new tin coming from AA. Still need to order rod, main and cam bearings and a cam with good lifters. And also a bottle of assembly lube with some break in additive for the oil.

Scott S · « **Reply #35 on:** August 21, 2019, 03:40:02 am »

110 cam, full flow, sump and the dual single throat carbs. Probably make an HONEST 75-80 HP and run forever.
Don't be afraid of a little compression either, as long as you can set up the squish/deck height properly. 8:1 will be fine on the street, maybe even a couple more tenths. I'm running almost 9.5:1 on my 2,276cc and wish I had gone higher.
And a Pertronix ignition in an 009 with a (real) Bosch Blue coil. (See how easy I spent her money?

)

Rockers look stock?

Seriously though, before I got into old bikes, I was into air-cooled VW's. Drove them daily for years, even a couple of stroker motor carbs with dual 48 IDA's. It's a snowball effect, but if you set them up properly you can get a hot little engine and 26-28 MPG and nearly bone stock reliability.

Don R · « **Reply #36 on:** August 21, 2019, 08:58:47 am »

My brother says 1.25 on the rockers, thanks for the help, we're good on stockers but not so much on the hot rod motors. I notice mofoco sells a 90.5 crate motor very similar to what I'm thinking so I can't be too far off. Standard on bearings and I'm hoping the thrust is too. I'll pull the crank and check it today. We'll polish the crank, and check it.

Scott S · « **Reply #37 on:** August 21, 2019, 03:45:15 pm »

Stock rockets are 1.1:1, so keep the 1.25 rockers in mind when you're looking at cams. I still think the 110 or similar would be fine.
If it has chromoly pushrod's, you can set valve lash to nearly zero. The stock pushrods are aluminum and expand with the engine. The chromoly don't, so keep lash a little tighter.

Don R · « **Reply #38 on:** August 22, 2019, 07:24:23 pm »

Aw jeez, my brother brought over the 36mm socket for the gland nut, it's 1 7/8" He also can't find his pilot shaft, he worked on a Dune Buggy motor or two at his daughters house.

Don R · « **Reply #39 on:** August 26, 2019, 09:27:58 am »

It has aluminum pushrods. I'm not a fan especially since I found part of a broken one in the motor. I'll see if the budget allows moly ones and a full flow oil filter or just buy them myself. I'm also wondering if the pump mount filter would allow the Buggy's belt cover to fit. Not a fan of a lot of rubber oil hose. I know we did it for decades, still not a fan.

Joewago · « **Reply #40 on:** August 26, 2019, 09:11:32 pm »

My God. I just finished reading from the beginning... My heart broke more with every post lol. I love Bugs, I have a 69. First of all: those people were not mechanics. They are criminals. The things they did are crimes against volksmanity... The Bug I own had lots of loving body and interior restoration... But my first repair job was scraping rtv sealant off of the sump drain plate... It only went downhill from there lol. This poor owner could have bought a turnkey engine at this point, man, that sucks. Sucks!

Scott S · « **Reply #41 on:** August 27, 2019, 02:53:01 am »

The In/OUT pump filters are OK. The Berg full flow kit is worth every penny, but then you have to tap the case. Even a good 1.5 qt. sump is helpful.

The aluminum push rods are fine for a mild motor like hers. If there are parts in the case, it's probably from the shoddy assembly by the first guy.

Don R · « **Reply #42 on:** September 15, 2019, 10:36:28 pm »

Oh my. I had the case assembled and was ready for the cylinders. I'm doing a kitchen remodel and my race car refuses to be fixed so I've been busy. The only way to get done is dog it till it's all done.
Anyway I was in the crawl space running steel gas pipe and my brother came over to help with the VW. I hadn't dropped the dist. drive in yet and he was taught to do that first so, he took it all apart and started over. Then tried to assemble the case halves but at least one bearing wasn't on the post. By then the assembly lube and case sealer was everywhere, he gave up and went home. I spent at least 8 hours cleaning and struggling to get it back together, finally removing the dist drive assembling it and dropping the drive in afterwards like I was going to anyway. I timed it by TDC and both lifters being on the base circle. no centrifugal advance anyway but I'm fairly certain it's right.
The kitchen is done and the race car has more cracks in the head that was already repaired. No racing this year so I'm free to finish this freebie nightmare.

jgger · « **Reply #43 on:** September 15, 2019, 11:09:16 pm »

Count your blessings, Don. I have been working on a Jetta with the 5 cylinder 2.5 motor. WHAT A FREAKING NIGHTMARE THAT IS! I have named this car Hitler, and after working on it I have come to the conclusion that you can't properly use German and engineering in the same sentence. Who would put the timing chain on the flywheel end of the engine and think it was a good idea? Everything has to come off to get to it except for maybe a couple of fuses and the left tail light bulb. Then when you do take off something it has either a single use bolt or gasket or both. I am SO thankful that the allied forces kicked my ancestors azzes in WWI & and especially WWII so the whole world isn't like "German engineering"!........rant off.🤬

70CB750 · « **Reply #44 on:** September 16, 2019, 02:36:07 am »

Quote from: jgger on September 15, 2019, 11:09:16 pm

Count your blessings, Don. I have been working on a Jetta with the 5 cylinder 2.5 motor. WHAT A FREAKING NIGHTMARE THAT IS! I have named this car Hitler, and after working on it I have come to the conclusion that you can't properly use German and engineering in the same sentence. Who would put the timing chain on the flywheel end of the engine and think it was a good idea? Everything has to come off to get to it except for maybe a couple of fuses and the left tail light bulb. Then when you do take off something it has either a single use bolt or gasket or both. I am SO thankful that the allied forces kicked my ancestors azzes in WWI & and especially WWII so the whole world isn't like "German engineering"!........rant off.🤬

I went through this with Volvo. Did you know you have to take of the intake manifold to change PCV valve on that piece of manure? And the oil pan for good measure too.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #45 on:** September 16, 2019, 07:56:28 am »

The PVC valve (flame trap) on a Volvo 240/740/940 can be changed without removing the intake and oil pan. Changing out the plenum box requires them to be removed. Many Volvos of that vintage would run without the flame arrestor insert because if it clogged you would start blowing out oil seals because of the pressure.

70CB750 · « **Reply #46 on:** September 16, 2019, 04:08:35 pm »

This was V70, mess of a car my oldest bought and used for two years. I was very happy to see it go.

Don R · « **Reply #47 on:** September 16, 2019, 09:08:22 pm »

The cylinders and heads are on. Ring gap was right on, I could see where the end was filed. I'll get my brother to help reassemble it and with some luck this nightmare will end soon. It should run awesome even with the smaller cylinders.

jgger · « **Reply #48 on:** September 16, 2019, 09:20:34 pm »

Don, you are a good man for helping your friend out with that thing, good job.

Also sorry I hijacked the thread for a bit. It's just when I see those two letters together (VW) it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull for me. Trust me I know the " why the hell did I take on this project " feeling.

Don R · « **Reply #49 on:** September 17, 2019, 08:06:07 pm »

I enjoy the feedback and miss having a VW. We used to buy a tank of gas on Saturday morning and drive any new direction until the gauge was on 1/2 and turn around to go home. That was what we could afford then.

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Author Topic: VW air cooled guys? (Read 5777 times)