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Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:07 pm

It hasn't paid off yet. Updates up till today, built a skidplate for the motor (the oil drain plug kept getting loosened up by scrapeage). Raised up the back a hair too. Today I took it to the docks to take some cool pictures of it (on film too!! excited for that bit). On my way back home the CV axle came loose from the tranny on the drivers side (all the bolts rattled clean out!!!) right in front of a super fancy resturant (which was kinda lawl-wrothy). Anyhow, my brother helped me out and brought me the tools to fix it, no big deal. So I drive it to my girlfriends house to go pick her up for the car clubs local thursday night cruise. Get to the cruise and the engines covered in oil. Great, now I'm slightly pissed. Anyhow, cruise around, get to the food destination, have a burger and fries, blah blah, then I go back to check on the motor. I'm lookin around for where the oil is coming from then I realize.... THE ALTERNATOR STAND IS BROKE IN HALF. WHAT?!?!!! WHY!!!!! I'm still baffled as to why a piece of cast aluminum would shear in fucking half but oh well, I'll go buy an old OG german alt stand tomorrow and rid myself of this BS. Btw it has a BMD serpantine system. Which could have been my problem. I'd love to go to stock but it's all balanced with the motor. Anyhow RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:17 pm

Oh and here's some film porn from my friend at the last car show.

Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:21 pm

I've broken a couple of alternator stands myself, and never quite understood why. It wasn't ever a dramatic occurrence that caused it, but instead just like you, I noticed oil all over the place one day at random. Both times it was while using aftermarket fans/engine tins, so maybe it's a misalignment issue?

As for the engine balance, I wouldn't worry too much about the front pulley throwing off the balance. It's a very lightweight part when compared to the crank, flywheel, and even the clutch. The pulley being out of balance isn't going to affect the balance of the rotating assembly in any amount that will make any bit of difference. Change that pulley if you want to, and don't be afraid of ruining anything.

I've been told that V belts are great because they slip a bit under high RPMs or sudden changes of speed, and that helps keep the fan and alternator from being damaged. I've even heard of people keeping them slightly adjusted looser than stock, to help the slippage occur.

Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:17 am

That's exactly what I've heard. I've also heard of fans exploding with a serpentine system :shock: . I guess most of my anger comes from just the absolutely brutal rate that this thing throws problems at me. I seriously considered ripping out this VW motor and swapping in a subaru motor today :lol: . Instead I worked on my band's CD a bit. BTW, I'm in a band, we're called The Minute Hand, like us on facebook! And here's a video update I just made on the album :lol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPCEkcuM5BQ
Shameless plug :lol:

Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:57 pm

Sweet ride... I LIKE IT.

Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:19 pm

Awesome work. Best looking super I've seen in a while. The headaches suck but ones you work out all of the bugs it will a blast to drive. But also have decided if my motor goes, subby swap all the way.

Sat Aug 13, 2011 1:31 am

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Especially Glenn, means alot coming from a legit guy like you. Anything I should know about on the MSD distributor? What should my timing be around with a mild cam and the 48s? I've got it at about 10 deg idle, sound good? Also now the alternator stand is replaced! Hopefully this should be the last thing. I managed to find a step above OG for alternator stand beef. I found a cast iron one!! Get to know the old guys and vw shops locally, itll save boatloads of money!

Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:04 pm

yeah, the torque spec for the CV shaft bolts is 25ft lbs, I remember it being kinda a pain in the butt to torque them with my big ass torque wrench but i didn't have the engine in at the time.

same thing happened to a friend of mine, one just worked its way loose. I asked him if he torqued them and he said "your supposed to torque those?"

one other thing... is your fan welded? if not i would lose the serpentine even though it looks awesome. I run my belt pretty loose because i'd rather slip a bit than blow my fan

Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:51 am

Yeah that's the other thing! My fan isn't welded :shock: . But I can't loose the pulley system. When they built the motor they drilled into the back of the pulley for balancing purposes! :evil: And IMO it doesn't look cool, it's stupid with those iron crosses (i painted over 'em :lol: ). Anyhow, whatever, I should get a welded balanced fan (although I've heard of serpentines grenadeing those too).

Anyhow, update, I tore into my front end today, gonna re-bush it all. I put a newer starter on and cleaned the contacts (it was hard starting when warmed up). I also adjusted the cutch cable and fixed a screwy brake light. Anyhow, I'll go pick up some new bushings tomorrow and I'll have the tightest super beetle in town 8) Oh and also I got my photos back from the developer and there are some cool ones, but overall I think I had to much aperature and ISO. Although some MASSIVE depth of feild which is awesome. Anyhow, I'll scan 'em in some time.

If you feel like any of 'em are good, feel free to stick 'em in the photo skills thread :lol:

Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:31 am

yeah, i would get that fan welded and balanced or never rev it over 5k even then you might be pushing your luck.

Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:37 pm

So I got the motor all put back together from the alternator stand mishap. I also re-bushed the front end because I figured it needed it. As well as installed the topline caster fix bushings I hadn't put in yet :oops: . And wow, I am in love with super beetles :lol: It's so tight and sporty feeling now! I ended up doing 75 around a corner in a 45 and I barely noticed! Not that slightest "ohshitohshitohshit" feeling you get cornering in an old car normally. Also the motor seemed to run great, but I took these temperature readings with an infra red gun when I got home:

Exhaust: 580 (if I held the gun there it'd climb to 600 and then say err)
Heads: 300-350
Case: 176
Intake: 130
Carb: 120
-All temperatures in Fahrenheit-

But then when I shut it down it did a big detonate. Not the running kick over type thing but just one fire on one cylinder. I'm thinking more timing and fuel?

Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:17 pm

WOW!!!

I haven't looked at your car in a long time, last I saw it was just a painted shell. This car is so sweet!! :D

How in the world did you afford that motor? :shock:

Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:30 pm

Well it was one of those work for it deals. We bought a '72 super beetle (with the 2332) in california for 2900 as well as a silverado ss and trailer for about 12900 and 2000. We towed the bug on the trailer up here, sold the truck for profit and the car for 1500. so I think it netted out to around 1800 for the motor and we kept the car trailer 8) . I should also say, I got a piece of breastplate tin and got that installed. WOW! What a difference, the motor runs sooooo much cooler now. It's a huge difference. But now I'm going away to college and I can't drive it til next summer :(

Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:47 pm

LeviMan2001 wrote: But now I'm going away to college and I can't drive it til next summer :(
What? you need to drive it TO college!

Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:40 pm

Haha right, it's like a 6+ hour drive. Also it will insanely cold once winter hits (fairbanks alaska).

Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:14 am

DAMN I like it and here I was thinking blue was a good choice. rock that grey its suprisingly sexy. BTW I'm very jealous.

Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:30 am

Thanks!

I made a few videos of this thing this weekend, managed to get one last drive in before the snow hit! (The very next day!!)

You'll see it again next year!

Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:32 am

Next year?! Meaning you won't let it play in the snow? Ha, that's when mine runs the best and likes it the best! ;)