From: bjgaed@bb1t.monsanto.com
Subject: Re: [A] Engine Q's & more
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 13:51:31 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.235623.22876@engr.LaTech.edu>, jeffm@engr.LaTech.edu (Jeff L. Matocha) writes:
>      For Christmas, Santa (my brother) brought me a 1967 VW Fastback with
> 90K+ on the odometer.  I have several problems with it at this point and
> have many questions.
> 
>      To start off with, a little info:  
> The car turns the engine with the starter and has spark to the plugs.  The
> timing seems to be approximately correct.  There seems to be fuel to the 
> carbs.  The result of all of this is, every once in a while, there is an 
> explosion (no, not a combustion) in the crankcase that spews oil everywhere 
> and blows the cap off of the crankcase breather.  There have been no 
> noticable *controlled* combustions.  The results of a compression test show
> (in psi): #1-unmeasurable, #2-15, #3-30, #4-85.  I think I understand the
> explosions with this kind of non-compression.
> 
>      To me, this looks like a call for an engine rebuild.  I would like to 
> rebuild it just to get the experience rather than buying a rebuilt one.
> 
> Now for some questions...
> 
> 1)  How far should I go with the rebuild?  I could probably just fix the
> compression (which I figure could be due to rings, valves, guides, seats, 
> cracked pistons or cylinders), but I figure while I am in there, I might
> as well put in new valve guides and seats (for unleaded gas) and go ahead
> with a rebuild.  The major question is:  Should the crankcase be opened?
> Or do I have to just wait until I get in and get the engine taken apart
> before I can really tell?  I guess the Haynes manual has me scared.  Is it
> *that* possible that my crankshaft and camshaft (and associated bearings) 
> need replacing?  

*No one* should *ever* try to do an overhaul from a Haynes manual.  
Get a copy of "How to keep your volkswagen alive" by Muir (the Idiot 
book).  After reading this your anxiety level will drop considerably.

I have done four rebuilds and I have always done them from the 
crankshaft up.  If you are *really* short of money you can do the sort 
of rebuild you describe, but with 90K+ I can almost gaurantee you will 
be rebuilding the bottom end of that engine within another 25K.  If 
you have lots of time and no money O.K., and this is what Muir refers 
to as a "Muldoon".  If you start with having the case linebored and 
getting a reconditioned crank & rods, new mains, rod, and camshaft 
bearings, *then* go on with new jugs, pistons, rings, and 
reconditioned heads as you describe you will have essentially a new 
engine that should last another 75-90K before you have to do it all 
again.  Doing the complete rebuild rather than just the top end will 
add about 2-3 days of work and about double the cost.

> Also, I see that J.C. Whitney has a rebuild kit for ~$180
> and I wonder if that is a good kit (includes all gaskets, valves, pushrod
> tubes, pistons, cylinders, etc.).  Any advice from anyone, regarding these
> kits, would be highly appreciated.  Also any info from anyone who is pleased
> with a kit they recieved from someone else, would also be gladly appreciated.
> 
A number of problems here:  1)  The kit will almost certainly *not* 
have everything you need.  You will have to find a shop that does 
air-cooled VW work or a parts store that specializes in VW's anyway 
for all the little odds and ends, so you may as well use them for all 
the parts; b)  After you pay shipping on mail order parts you 
shouldn't pay significantly more by buying your parts locally, *and* 
you can take the old parts in with you for comparison.  Your engine is 
a very rare bird, and the early Type III's changed a lot from year to 
year or even within a model year as they worked out the design.  I 
have too many sad stories of getting the wrong part from J.C. Whitney 
to use them for anything that needs to be specific to the engine 
involved.  They are also no longer cheap for engine parts.

[By the way, folks, I was in Chicago over the holidays and stopped in 
at the store on South State Street.  They're still there, grubby as 
ever, still doing business as Warshawsky & Co.]

iii)  When you buy parts locally, even if you pay more, you can take 
something back if it doesn't fit.  You can even haul the partially 
rebuilt engine in and point to it and say, "See, it needs to go 
*there*, and this thing won't fit *here*", and the parts person will 
say, "Oh, you have such-and-such an engine so you need thus-and-so 
part."  This really happens, *a lot*, and this can make the difference 
between finishing and not finishing the rebuild job.

four)  J. C. Whitney really beats you up on shipping costs.  Before 
you compare prices check out what the actual *shipped* cost of their 
parts is, then compare to local purchase including sales tax.

> 2)  What about carburator rebuild kits?  I have 32 PDSIT 2/3 's on my Type
> III and plan to rebuild them.  What should I look out for?

Same problem as above with mail order for rebuild kits.  These tend to 
be "universal" kits and contain lots of extra parts for other carbs.  
Also, after you strip down the carb, take both the top and bottom end 
into a mechanic (not necessarily VW) and have them clean it, including 
acid cleaning of the float bowl.  You really can't do this yourself 
unless you have access to the right acids and a good ultrasonic 
cleaner.
 
> 3)  I don't understand the purpose of one tube on my engine.  It seems to
> correspond to the oil dipstick tube on the Type I's.  It also was a source
> of oil-spewing during crankcase explosions.
> 
> 4)  What's the difference between Single Port and Dual Port engines 
> (should I decide to get a rebuilt one)?

Approximately two ports. 8{)

Seriously, dual ports are better, although those rubber intake 
manifold boots are a pain in the butt.  Are you sure you don't already 
have dual ports?
 
> 5)  What is a reasonable price to pay for the Idiot Book and where could I
> get such a price?  What are good air-cooled rebuilding books and where are
> they available?  And are there any good Type III books available (Bentley
> makes one but it is for 1968-1973's and I have the Haynes)?
> 
The price will be about the same anywhere.  Order it from a good 
bookstore.  Compare the shipped price from J. C. Whitney as One Size 
Fits All for this item.

> 6)  My brakes are *gone* (not a problem now, but eventually).  What all should
> I plan to rebuild (master cylinder, etc)?
 
You might as well *replace* the master cylinder, all four wheel 
cylinders, the brake hoses, all the shoes, the brake hardware, and 
either turn or replace the drums, depending on their condition.  (You 
will need to go to a machine shop that *knows what they are doing* 
with VW's to have them checked and either turned, or have new bearings 
pressed into replacements.)

> 7)  My muffler is non-existant (not a problem either).  Where is a good 
> place to get a *stock* muffler?

Good Luck.  Type III's changed exhaust systems faster than anything 
else.  Once again, a VW shop or VW parts store is your best bet.
 
> 8)  My floorpan is rusted beyond repair.  Who has floorpans for a Type III?
> I might eventually find one at a junkyard or have one made from sheet
> metal if there is no one.
> 
Possibilities are V-Dub Resoration Parts and Recycled VW.  Get a VW 
magazine and check the ads in the back.

>      I know it sounds like a heap, but it is a *sweet* little vehicle.  I 
> just have many questions and hope that *someone* will be able to answer 
> them?  Please offer an opinion (I know you all have one) to this new
> air-cooled owner.
> 
> E-mail    jeffm@engr.latech.edu
> 
-- 
--Electric Monk            (Bruce Gaede); 
                            e-mail: bjgaed@ccmail.monsanto.com

"...and then time started seriously to pass."
--Douglas Adams, _Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency_
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw