Aircooled VW South Africa

Last night I spent taking Christn's engine apart.

This is the engine she is registered with, i.e. the single-carb single-port 1500 Type 3.

I've not taken a type 3 engine apart before so there was a bit of a learning curve. But all seemed to go rather well.
The first good thing I noticed, was that none of the bolts were stuck. But I ignored that and chalked it up to my diligent use of penetrating oil, the day before.
The tin came off, the exhaust needed some convincing but relented with out too much hassle, the fan tin came off and this is where things started getting interesting.

The crank pulley looked very shiny, some would venture to say it was new.

Next was the fuel pump... which also looked very shiny, after I wiped the gunk off with a cloth.

The head-covers came off next, they also needed quite a bit of convincing, but when they came off I immediately noticed the gaskets, they looked brand new.
They weren't the cork ones either, but the high quality black ones.
I didn't allow myself to get to excited yet, but the brand new nuts on the rocker arms made me smile anyway.

Next to get off was, the oil cooler. One of my friends joined me at this point, his initial inspection of the engine was positive, but like myself, he was showing
reservation.

And then the oil cooler came off, the brand new seals under it put more wight on the piling evidence... Someone rebuilt this engine, and hardly ran it!

But the heads needed to come off so that we could inspect the cylinders and pistons.

First was the head for cylinders 3 and 4, as that is where the most heat is and any evidence of damage would show there first.
I took the rocker arms off and that was yet another clincher, after inspection I found that even the clips are brand new.

But the really good news, came when the head finally popped off. The pistons have no pitting of any kind, there is zero sideways play and the cylinders
have no ridges inside... infact it looks as if they were machined less than 1000 miles ago.

The head on 1 and 2 told the same story. But the push rods told the real story... they have not even seated yet.

When I started dis-assembly last night, I was apprehensive and rather concerned. The decision to do an engine rebuild was not one I made under the best
of circumstances, and the time frame to do it in was close to impossible. Especially when one considers that this would have been my first engine re-build.

Right now though, I'm smiling! Very broadly!

The heads need a clean.
Some new push-rod tubes.
Wash the case and get rid of all the gunk.
Re-assemble with a new exhaust.

DONE!

Wayne showed me how to use a valve spring depressor last night, now Christn's heads are up for a clean and the valves will be re-seated.

BTW, I thought the intake and outlet valves on a type 3 were the same size. Turns out that these aren't...

Found out what HiPacs, and door post bottoms cost from Hooky's. Have ordered a set of door post bottoms from Rui, but have two shells so could do with two sets - might get both and see how they compare.

Also found out what a decent mig welder costs :X and am considering chucking it (and a 150l 3hp compressor) on budget and paying it off over two years...

davetapson wrote: Also found out what a decent mig welder costs :X and am considering chucking it (and a 150l 3hp compressor) on budget and paying it off over two years...

Hold up tiger, I think it is Afrox, is going to release a new CO2 Mig welder onto the market later this year. And it is going to go for a very low price in order for them to penetrate the market. So maybe give it some time...

JamesD69 wrote:

davetapson wrote: Also found out what a decent mig welder costs :X and am considering chucking it (and a 150l 3hp compressor) on budget and paying it off over two years...

Hold up tiger, I think it is Afrox, is going to release a new CO2 Mig welder onto the market later this year. And it is going to go for a very low price in order for them to penetrate the market. So maybe give it some time...

Hmmm - got a time frame?

Removed valves, cleaned heads.
Re-seated valves on one head.
Will be doing the other head tonight... then it's re-assembly.

Christn's engine will be ready soon.

Second head was cleaned, and valves re-seated.

Stubborn engine bolts have been sorted out as well.

Dirk, nobody is saying much, but you seem to be doing a lot of good work there. Hope you're enjoying it!

Dirk wrote:Last night I spent taking Christn's engine apart.

This is the engine she is registered with, i.e. the single-carb single-port 1500 Type 3.

I've not taken a type 3 engine apart before so there was a bit of a learning curve. But all seemed to go rather well.
The first good thing I noticed, was that none of the bolts were stuck. But I ignored that and chalked it up to my diligent use of penetrating oil, the day before.
The tin came off, the exhaust needed some convincing but relented with out too much hassle, the fan tin came off and this is where things started getting interesting.

The crank pulley looked very shiny, some would venture to say it was new.

Next was the fuel pump... which also looked very shiny, after I wiped the gunk off with a cloth.

The head-covers came off next, they also needed quite a bit of convincing, but when they came off I immediately noticed the gaskets, they looked brand new.
They weren't the cork ones either, but the high quality black ones.
I didn't allow myself to get to excited yet, but the brand new nuts on the rocker arms made me smile anyway.

Next to get off was, the oil cooler. One of my friends joined me at this point, his initial inspection of the engine was positive, but like myself, he was showing
reservation.

And then the oil cooler came off, the brand new seals under it put more wight on the piling evidence... Someone rebuilt this engine, and hardly ran it!

But the heads needed to come off so that we could inspect the cylinders and pistons.

First was the head for cylinders 3 and 4, as that is where the most heat is and any evidence of damage would show there first.
I took the rocker arms off and that was yet another clincher, after inspection I found that even the clips are brand new.

But the really good news, came when the head finally popped off. The pistons have no pitting of any kind, there is zero sideways play and the cylinders
have no ridges inside... infact it looks as if they were machined less than 1000 miles ago.

The head on 1 and 2 told the same story. But the push rods told the real story... they have not even seated yet.

When I started dis-assembly last night, I was apprehensive and rather concerned. The decision to do an engine rebuild was not one I made under the best
of circumstances, and the time frame to do it in was close to impossible. Especially when one considers that this would have been my first engine re-build.

Right now though, I'm smiling! Very broadly!

The heads need a clean.
Some new push-rod tubes.
Wash the case and get rid of all the gunk.
Re-assemble with a new exhaust.

DONE!

I TOLD YOU SO!

Ek sê Chris, doen hy nou al die goeie werk vir f0kk0l? Shame... Maar hy sal sy enjin ken as hy klaar is!! En dit tel vir baie!

Chris wrote:I TOLD YOU SO!

Nee dude, ek praat nie heir van die een wat sy in gehaad het toe ek met haar Kaap toe gery het nie.

Ek praat van die engine wat op haar rigestrasie is.

Daai was 'n supprise. Ek weet die een wat sy in gehaad het toe ek haar gery hit is solid!

davetapson wrote:Also found out what a decent mig welder costs :X and am considering chucking it (and a 150l 3hp compressor) on budget and paying it off over two years...

Have also found out that if you phone around (and not much phoning either) you can get a higher spec machine of the same make for less than 2/3rd's the price. And from a specialist welding supplies shop not an online bucket shop or Makro / Builders Warehouse type place either.

Could wait for Afrox, but then have to sit and watch my project do nothing while I wait for Afrox? (oh, and for Rui to get the door post bottoms )

well i repaired my handbrake cause it was pulled up to high and the thingiemebob flipped around.
What was going to be a 5 min job was in fact a 1hour and 30 mins.Why you ask let me tell..lol

As i unscrewed the button the damn pawl rod fell right down the shaft.damnit:D and the pawl pin flipped again keeping the 2 stuck together,now looking down the shaft i tried to grip it with prestick and a pen to bring it up.This did not work and after a hour of trying different ways to pull the pin out and unstucking i nearly gave up and wanted to proceed and take the whole damn thing off the chassis,This is the funny part and a bit .

I saw to my wonder that you could push a thin flat long screwdriver at the back of the handle and push that beech loose.All in all if i had only opened my eyes and think logical this could have taken me 10 minutes max.
Well the handbrake is adjusted and working great after 10-15 years.True this bug never had love and attention

Chopped out the putty/resin that had been used to bodge up the door posts. K@king myself a bit as I've never fixed rust (properly) before.

Cut angle iron to make a trolley to move body/pan around on. Bought a cutoff machine so that all the angles would be cut properly but even with a cut off machine they don't seem to come out right - well the vertical cut is not vertical. I think it's due to cutting a 45 deg angle causing the blade to flex. Anyone give me any suggestions?

Dave above: practise on some old bits of steel if poss. Just 'cos the machine shows 45 or 90 degrees doesn't mean it's exactly so, keep adjusting and making practise cuts until it's right. Try marking or scribing your cut lines and check the accuracy of the tool against these. Don't press down too hard on the blade, just let it ease through without flexing. I'm not an expert so don't take any advise from me as gospel

Today I filled the seam on the right hand side and smoothed it out. Long way to go still but my arms are killing me from all the sandpapering