Soooo..... a buddy of mine has a son who is about 15 years old and in high school. He is doing a sort of science project that is a little more than science fair type thing. He has access to a 3-D printer and they have a fabricator that will help with particular parts that aren't readily available.

I went my high school football game last Friday and ran into them. The student began telling me about how he was going to build a "Brown gas motor." I later found out that this is another name for the hydrogen generator on a gas motor. He began telling me that he still needed to get everything set up through the teacher and if she can't find him an old vehicle to work with, he would end up using his dad's old tahoe. I told him I had a VW 40hp air-cooled motor sitting in my garage and if we could go through it and re-seal it/clean it up, I was certain that it would run. I told him I even had a test stand that we could use to try it out without having a full car.

Today he texted me and said that he was willing if I was, so it looks like I'll be rebuilding a 40hp and making an attempt at it.

My goals:

- Get a running 40hp at the (beginning and) end of it all.
- Minimize damage to the engine I currently have.
- Convert it over to 12 volts.
- Help this kid get hooked on air-cooled VWs early
- Maybe have neat display at Bug-A-Paluza next spring.


My Concerns:

- Running an air-cooled engine on hydrogen and the heat
- That a 40hp will be harder to manipulate than a 1600
- Converting it to 12volts
- That I ruin his Science project with a VW engine.

If all goes well, I might even swap it out for the engine in Bonnie and do some "real world tests" for him.

I already know what Zen is going to say: "Put a relay on the generator so that its not pumping hydrogen into the intake of a non-running engine...and then you get in a fire it off!" Apparently, Ted did this and it cost him an air cleaner box and a straight hood!


Does anyone else have any thoughts on this science project?

I broke it down tonight and split the case. I have one set of rockers, the pistons and cylinders look serviceable so far (new rings), heads look serviceable but I have 3 extra if needed, I have a good oil cooler, intake and exhaust. Picked up a 40hp bus muffler at SAP for $30!!!

The crank and flywheel look to be the early ones... I need to figure out how to put a 12volt flywheel on this one. Any ideas?!?

There don't appear to be cam bearings. I guess this is ok? They don't look bad. Does the 40hp use the same cam as all the others?

Cleaning everything up in the next few days and then seeing what all I need to track down.

Started reassembly the other day. I got the short block put together and forgot the gears for the oil pump, so I had to take the cover off to get them in. I went to put pistons/cylinders and heads on tonight, but I ended up breaking a ring. Turns out the ring compressor I have says it will do 83mm pistons, but it won't! I have it mostly closed up now with the heads loosely installed to keep everything somewhat covered. One day it will look nice!!!

Do anyone have NOS 83mm piston rings?!?!

And a distributor clamp?!

I'll check

Also, I have a stale air bus exhaust. It was cheap so I got it. I went to put a pea shooter in the one hole and the pea shooter is to big around to slide in! Did they make two sizes?!?!?

That makes sense. I don't think I'll fork over the money for the correct tail pipe just yet. I think the 3/4 female to female rigid conduit adapter will fit fine with a 6" piece screwed into it!

Looks nice

If you ever want to part with that sp bus intake with the vacuum assist port , let me know.