Aircooled VW South Africa

Sorry to hear that guys, but after all you must be happy with what you get, and if not right, then do it in wet.

Herman

Damn, that's frustrating. Keep at it, it will all be worth it in the end though.

Just a little advice I picked up in the latest Volks World magazine: when you get your rims back from coating and are ready to mount them, clean away the coating in the lug holes where the lug nuts seat against the rim. This will help the nuts to seat properly so that they won't work loose while you're driving. It happened to the guy featured in the mag, when he was towing a '53 tear-drop caravan (similar to yours Herman) behind a '54 Oval window Beetle across Europe. The fresh powdercoat wore away with the constant movement of the wheels and the lug nuts became unseated, causing the rear wheel to fall off. Luckily he was only travelling at 40 kays an hour.
Also, don't forget to use some copper slip/ grease on the threads when you do bolt them up so that they don't become rusted vas.

My 0.2 worth...

B.t.w. Good luck with the exams

Thanks, will keep trying and will follow that advice with the rims.

Cyndi

still waiting to see Cyndi's brazilian...........

Haha nice

Today we went to powder coat the rims, brackets and grill. We had them coated white and silver vein.
We don't have them back yet but we should soon.
Here are a few pics

Cyndi

Cool - which rims are yours, the white or silver ones ?

Cyndi Kritzinger wrote:coated white and silver vein.

Morning Paul
Work in progress looking real good

Warwick-Lowlight wrote:

Cyndi Kritzinger wrote:coated white and silver vein.

Morning Paul
Work in progress looking real good

Perhaps I'm having a slow day or two here ? I see white finished rims and nice looking silver ones ................ Is the white an undercoat or will the finished product be two-tone ? ok don't worry I think I've answered my question

There are 2 sets of rims. One set white and the other silver. Mine are the silver ones.

Today after an early morning surf and then giving a guitar lesson we worked on stripping the engine.
We found some interesting stuff; perhaps someone can tell us what it is (Pics posted)
We took off all the tin which will be powder coated the same as the rims, bumpers and grill.
We also took off the heads and after testing the valves with a liquid test, we found the no. 3 cylinder valves not seating properly.
My dad will try and reseat them with paste. If that doesn't work we will replace the valves.
Check out some pics.

Cyndi

Cyndi Kritzinger wrote: We also took off the heads and after testing the valves with a liquid test, we found the no. 3 cylinder valves not seating properly.
My dad will try and reseat them with paste. If that doesn't work we will replace the valves.

Very very bad idea!
Exhaust valves have a very limited life span and when they reach the end of their life, they break their heads off and destroy the engine.
A new set costs less than R300 (intake valves are a little cheaper). For very cheap insurance, just throw out all the exhaust valves and put in new ones. It isnt worth saving money here!!

Today my dad took out the valves. It turned out to be a bit more difficult than he thought. First he had to run around and try to find a valve lifter. When he finally got hold of one, the vavles were so tight that we couldn't get them loose. We went onto the net and watched some stuff on youtube and read the books we have again and after a few sharp raps with a hammer onto a socket put over the valve spring, we managed to loosen them.
That wasn't the only hitch.... One of the valves wouldn't come out. It was stuck to the valve guide. After some time we managed to loosen it and get it out. We are not sure but we think that the guide was put in upside down. We were hoping to put the new vavles in today but we ran out of time after we still cleaned up the heads. We still have to get a new valve guide now anyway. We will check if the spares shop is open tommorrow.
The number 3 cylinder wasn't firing and you can actually see the area where the exhaust valve wasn't seating.

Here are some pics.

Send the heads to a vw engineering company and let them replace the valve guides and re seat the valves for you,it will be well worth it as much as you would like to do it yourself you don't have the machinery to do it all unless you are happy to take a chance.

Yes definitely send the heads for new guides, recut valve seats and reface valves. I was quoted R400 to do a pair of beetle heads(new guides, seats and valves reface, bead blast heads and pressure test heads) by a motor engineering place in Elsies River here in CT, they also use a Serdi machine to do the valve seats. Also get the heads inspected for cracks from the valve seats to spark plug holes or in between the valves, a common problem on vw twinport heads.

Any suggestions as to who to use in Durban?

Cyndi

Sorry for the small hi-jack,

TonyZ, does the left side of the Head look correct. Wheres the split between intake and exhaust valve???