My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

attack chicken · « **Reply #30 on:** December 07, 2009, 09:14:26 PM »

Quote from: "Ruttco"

HELP!! Ok, I finally got everything put back together on my son's bus and went to adjust the valves. It won't turn past 180 degrees in either direction. I am now sick of working on it and his Grandfather has agreed to pay for a"professional" to get it running. If we can just get it back on the road for now, that would be great. We are also talking about either doing a rebuild on the motor or buying a new motor for it.

Rick at R&M has worked on it before.. Care to take a stab at it?

What are everyones thoughts on the rebuild vs. new motor?

I'll take it in. It's always something simple that cause the most trouble! Ask me how I know :roll: :lol: The good news is that as long as the starter has not been used there probably is no damage. We'll figure it out if you want.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #31 on:** December 08, 2009, 08:03:54 AM »

Grasshopper, Come to think of it I remember a fan hub long bolt-v-short bolt deal only this Guy used just one wrong bolt. That's what would be the first thing I would check. You just might luck out [-o<

certdubtech · « **Reply #32 on:** December 08, 2009, 08:27:44 AM »

Makes sense to me. :wink:

Check it out. you might get lucky

Ruttco · « **Reply #33 on:** December 08, 2009, 09:20:42 AM »

I have not tried to move the engine with the starter. The wires are still off the starter as a matter of face.

I am thinking it is something with the push rods or the rocker arms. I think I will let Rick have a go at it.

I will let you guys know what he finds out. Thanks for all the help

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #34 on:** December 08, 2009, 09:34:54 AM »

Quote from: "Ruttco"

I have not tried to move the engine with the starter. The wires are still off the starter as a matter of face.

I am thinking it is something with the push rods or the rocker arms. I think I will let Rick have a go at it.

I will let you guys know what he finds out. Thanks for all the help

I'M not so sure about the rockers causing the problem. You could take the rockers off and if see if the engine turns all the way through. By the way does your engine have hyd. lifters or Solid lifters ? This makes a big difference in the way you adjust the valves

Ruttco · « **Reply #35 on:** December 17, 2009, 07:26:07 AM »

Well, the engine is pretty much shot. Rick got it back up and running but she is squirting oil and losing compression. Looks like it is time for a rebuild...

Where would one start on something like this? Need to find someone to do it for a reasonable cost. Need to find a "kit" or something for the rebuild. Anyone have any suggestions?

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #36 on:** December 17, 2009, 08:19:22 AM »

I find it kind of strange that all that happened at once without a little help.
Squirting oil from where ? Leaking comp. from where ? What did Rick do to get it to run ? Sad to say that there is no cheap way to rebuild a Type-4 engine and you have to be very,very careful about getting a rebuilt engine from out of town vendors . You can be "lead down the garden path" if you know what I mean. Trust me on that one. I have rebuilt a lot of those engines but not anymore due to high cost of parts if you can find all the parts. Being a general pain in the Butt didn't help out either. I will try to help you out as much as I can from a arms distance :lol:

Ruttco · « **Reply #37 on:** December 17, 2009, 08:23:30 AM »

Ok, now I really feel doomed. What would be the way to go? Conversion to an upright motor? Will it be strong enough to push the bus up a hill? Anyone want to buy a nice 77 camper. Motor runs. Needs paint... :lol:

Let me know which way would be the smartest and most economical garden path.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #38 on:** December 17, 2009, 08:49:43 AM »

Don't make Horse Shoes out of it just yet. Most of the mechanical engine problems are on the "top end " like heads ,piston/cyl's . For the most part the "bottom end " of the Type-4 engine is really stout. I still want to know where the oil is coming from and how all of this got started from a blown out spark plug.

Ruttco · « **Reply #39 on:** December 17, 2009, 09:22:16 AM »

The motor has always leaked oil, just more now. We think it is coming from the push rod tube seals. I used new ones when I put it back together but Rick had to pull it back apart because I left the piece of tin off between the push rods and the head so those seals got reused. Now remember, I put this thing back together as best I could. I have never done it before.

The main thing is my son is going off to college in the coming year at Georgia Southern and wants to drive it down there. I want him to have this thing a reliable as possible.

Maybe we could pull the motor and just work on the top end and get it sealed up better.

certdubtech · « **Reply #40 on:** December 17, 2009, 10:53:53 AM »

All of what David said, all over again. The last ones i did (I had two with failed heads at the same time) were a pain to get the stuff for, what i did get was expensive, and i had to re-use some stuff because the owner got tired of waiting on the parts to come available. Not the way you want to do a rebuild. :wink:

If you can live with the underpowered lack of speed, an upright conversion is not a bad idea in my opinion.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #41 on:** December 17, 2009, 10:55:47 AM »

That little piece of tin is very important . Maybe it was a good thing that you didn't get started. You would have melted the engine down without that deflector plate tin. Also what was the problem that the engine didn't want to turn all the way though ?
Ruttco, We love you like a Brother and we are here to help you but getting all the story and info from you is like pulling teeth. I know you are a "Newby" in the world of VW and you don't know everything about these "Critters" , neither do I even being in the business for 45 years plus. I'll say this, you get the "Big Cookie Award" for trying to repair the most cantankerous, problematic and expensive Air Cooled engine that VW ever made in my estimation .But thats just me. The Van Guys in the club give me hell about this all the time :lol: :lol:
As far as a Type-1 conversion you will be down some H.P. but if you drive them right they can get the job done, just slower. Zen drives Homer "Balls to The Wall" and has puked a few engines in the process. But I would bet he has less money in all those Type-1's than he would in one Type-4. You need to talk to Justin about his conversion . He did a very nice job and as far as I know hasn't had any trouble.

Ruttco · « **Reply #42 on:** December 17, 2009, 11:03:03 AM »

The reason that the motor would not turn is due to my stupidity and frustration. When the tow truck driver went to pull it up on the roll back he reached in and took it out of gear. Yep, the damn thing was in gear.

Right now we have around $1000 to get this thing running a smooth as possible. Don't know if that will be enough or not but he is about to go on winter break and this would be the time to do it.

I know I am a noob at all of this and greatly appreciate all of the help you guys give me. I keep telling him we need to sell this thing and get him a nice bug instead..

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #43 on:** December 17, 2009, 11:20:26 AM »

In gear huh, Don't feel to bad about that. That is a lot better than finding that missing 13mm nut on top of a piston. Maybe there's hope. You mention a compression leak now?

??

Ruttco · « **Reply #44 on:** December 17, 2009, 12:11:17 PM »

When Rick was working on the motor he said he tested the compression and it was low on 1 and 2. The same side that I, master mechanic Scott, was working on. What if I was to pull the motor, buy new heads and exhaust, it is leaking also, and get someone to help me put it all back together right.

I just don't want to throw good money at it and not have it done right.

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Topic: My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head (Read 16425 times)

attack chicken

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

certdubtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ruttco

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ruttco

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ruttco

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ruttco

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

certdubtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ruttco

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

Ret.Bugtech

My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

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My son's bus blew a spark plug out of the head

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