I'm gonna say upside down piston. IIRC it DOES matter on the bug motors. They're temperamental at best on a good day. I've seen so weird things happen to VW motors. My uncle had a microbus that dropped a valve for no apparent reason. Proper maintenance, clean oil all the time. It just started popping out the exhaust one day on his way home from the store.

 

Post 1970 European engine cases had filters built into them like a waterboxer Vanagon, but they were only 1200 or 1300cc. Same stroke as the 1600 but with very small pistons. You couldn't machine them out to accept the 1600cc pistons because there would be no shoulder left and there needs to be that strength for the head studs. That's why they never took off here in the US. I'll try a google image search after this post for one.
All US engines right up to 1979 when they stopped production for the US had the steel screen sump for a filter.

If you feel a need to put a spin on filter, just "full flow" the case.

IMO that's a waste of time, I've broken down 200,000 mile dual relief engines and the bearings are not worn out yet, crank is still good. What gives up is the case itself, the aluminum get's beat out after a while right on the bearing shoulder and you are forced to align bore the case for oversize bearings to restore the fit.

An out of balance flywheel/clutch assembly is usually the culprit. If you have a bug engine that you plan on driving for half a million miles, get it balanced. Otherwise it won't make it.

 

I did that google search and recieved and education. The air cooled engine cases with the filter mount built in were made for the bottom-of-the-line European Vanagons.

http://www.tunacan.net/t4/tech/ct-cz.shtml

.
I'm off to read some more!!.



.

 

Hey Dutch, We aren't getting any younger.

And the answer is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I see that somebody got it...

One of the things that drives me nuts is finding perfectly good machinery that wasn't taken care of at all. This was one.

Firing order = 1-4-3-2, Ja? Well guess what:

There was a complete ring (all the way around the #4 jug) of corrosion pitting, telling me that #4 was all the way filled with water at some time - and for a while! #3 had pitting in the bottom of the jug, where water had got in and formed a puddle. Crying shame too - it was a NICE set of pistons and barrels.

How does water get inside of an air-cooled engine, you ask?

Most likely someone was working on it, stopped after the heads were installed, stuffed rags in the intakes on the heads, and left it outside. Very possibly mounted in the car- it's a Baja, and has no cover over the engine.

I've got news, people: RAGS don't stop water for even a little while! Why this thing didn't have a piston or con-rod totally slammed I dunno. It must have had time to dry out...

I can't believe somebody would allow that to happen to an engine that was that nice, but it happens all the time. Maybe the PO's wifey poo wouldn't let it stay in the garage. Seems to me the engine at least should have been kept indoors. Then again - the engine was out of my super, and inside a garage - but it too had a load of H2O in it. One thing is for sure - bugs don't like moisture. At least not these bugs!

So the answer is: Water Intrusion. Probably the last thing on earth that would be expected...


~Wolfie

 

I voted upside down piston, but have seen this happen as well, to the point of the cylinder walls getting so rusty that the engine siezes up. All it takes is to leave the air cleaner off and leave the car outside. That carburator is pointing straight up at the sky and that makes for makes an excellent rain guage!

 

Funny - I never thought of leaving the air cleaner off. But you're right - that would do it too.

 

I have no idea, but I must say that you make some of the longest polls of anyone here...

Tim

 

It's also possible that someone ran it through a puddle where it stalled and they never bothered to pull the plugs and spin it to get the water out.

 

Not on this one, trust me.

besides - they float!

 

HEHE wolfus. My family has owned several, and trust me. It's not hard to get water in the cylinders on those things. One puddle deep enough to splash or raise the rear and cause a rooster tail, and your carbs get water in 'em. It does sound like it sat out in the elements though.

 

So now what?
What's the plan?

 

rebuild time?

 

Depends on how bad the rust is dug in to the cylinder walls you may have to find a different block or sleeve the one you have. and rebuild from there

 

All four cylinders, + all four pistons, + a complete set of rings, + four little paper gaskets = $125.oo


That's the beauty of the old bugs, as long as the lower end is good you can take the essentials apart and have it all back together in a matter of hours.

About two, in fact.