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Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:12 am

Ok guys, been a while since I did this. I picked up a motor from a '74 Ghia for $30.

I did a compression test using a rached to turn it but didnt put any oil in the cylinders. Just by feel it had more compression than the one in my bug, but the reults I got was 40 psi in 3 cylinders and 60 in the forth. this motor sat in a basement for 10 yrs or `so. What should I look at doing next?

Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:42 pm

Pull the plugs shoot some WD-40 in the cylinders (crank it over) add the parts it takes to fire it....fire it up.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:21 pm

rterfert wrote: Pull the plugs shoot some WD-40 in the cylinders (crank it over) add the parts it takes to fire it....fire it up.

Here, here.
You have two choices. Finish it and fire it up, or rebuild it.
For $30 I'd drop a shroud on that thing, burn the cob webs out of it, then run some tests.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:45 pm

I can do that, got the trans for $30 that came with the car.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:48 pm

You can not get an accurate compression reading turning the engine over by hand. Fire it up!

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:50 pm

Whooaah, lets do it its a $30 motor what is ther to lose!

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:54 pm

birddog1148 wrote: Whooaah, lets do it its a $30 motor what is ther to lose!

By golly that what I'ma talkin bout, fire that biotch up.

Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:55 pm

Instead of wd40 I wil probobly use Tribolube F189, its a syntetick lubricant and it works great!

Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:32 am

Well the engine in the baja started ratteling, so this one is getting ready to go in untested, its all I got so no choice, pics later today and results as they come.............
WISH ME LUCK!!!!!

Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:00 am

Run with it baby!!!

Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:32 pm

Here it is goes in tomorrow after work, painted the engine compartment too!!

Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:47 pm

so what do you think will happen?

Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:33 am

Hopefully it runs, the F150 is killing me on gas!!!

Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:59 am

why blue in a yellow beetle?

Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:09 am

My racing colors are blue and yellow, besides I like the idea of the contrasting colors back there, since its a baja and the engine is visable, I t will stand out more. Started painting the tin when the other motor was running good and I was sill drinking.

Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:15 am

Ok, here it is in the car, need the hardware to bolt the sump plate on and didnt have any oil either, hopefully I will fire her tonite. With a full flow oil pump and filter, should I run the screen or take it out?

Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:12 am

Run the screen.

Max

Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:24 am

Thanks Max, figured it out after I asked the question, protects the PU side right?

Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:34 am

Since you have an oil filter, the screen mainly protects the pump.

I once had a broken rocker clip go down the tube and jam the pump. This broke the pump drive where it fits into the slot in the cam gear. A bit of the broken drive got caught in the cam gear causing enough of a torque-shock to bend my Berg crank. The bent crank created enough heat at the #2 bearing to warp the case. It was all over in a few seconds.

The Bergs were able to straighten the crank, but it pretty much ruined a perfectly good engine.

Run the screen.

Max

Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:54 am

Well, got everyting hooked up last nite, had the exhaust off except the heat exchangers, got excited and wanted to fire it up before setting valve lash. Turned the key, it cranked a feww times and fired up. Sounded a little funny as I went back to check it out. Only running on 1 and 2, 3 and 4 were doing nothing, not even anything coming out of the head. I got a brain cramp and changed dist cap and rotor. Still the same thing. Then I remembered that "extra" rocker arm assembly that came with the boxs of parts. Poped the left valve cover and found it wasnt "extra". Bolted that on tried again. It runs better than the motor that came out of the car. Gonna set valve lash tonite, final fit and weld the exhaust and paint it, so compression test results in the next day or so.