TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:52 am

Hello fellow vw enthusiasts my name is Ford I bought a 77 westy about four months ago and immediately planned a west coast trip with my girlfriend and dog packing up and leaving nothing behind the town of Saint Augustine Florida. After many many hours and dollars put into the van we left October 4th and have been on the road since. we are currently in a small town Montecillo, NM where we will reside until i can fix the van which is not mobile. She stopped on us leaving to go to California. A friend and I determined that the camshaft/gear was done because the rods and arms were not moving when we tried to turn it over.I towed it to the closest mechanic my friend recommended in Las Cruces ,NM. D and D auto repair assessed it and agreed and has already pulled the engine and split the block. The news was not good all four rivets on the cam came off and the 1 and 2 cylinders had major gaps as well as the main bearing was down to the brass or copper. Any help or advice, directions i can go would be gratefully appreciated. People here have been very helpful and i am fortunate to be in the situation I am in minus the van. I have 2.0 long block solid lifter engine converted with a progressive webber carb. The bus is not the prettiest on the road but i care for her dearly and would like to see her back on the road and not in pieces. thanks for any advice

Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:32 am

well thats not a good first post.

i would be looking for a good used T4 engine. ebay, craigslist, whatever. i got pretty lucky, bought an unknown off of ebay for $650, all they knew about it was that it turns over. (i can fix it, right?) key word being 'lucky', ive got over 9000 trouble free miles (plus more if you include some trouble!)

too bad youre not closer, i have a 2.0 unknown in my garage you could basically have.

good luck!

Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:36 am

... if the OP would pay shipping, Greyhound has a depot in Las Cruces.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:18 am

Sorry about your bus trials. At least you can enjoy the bright blue NM skies and scenery. It's a beautiful fall day today.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:40 am

I agree with the previous poster. You should concentrate on finding a turn key motor and just have it installed instead of trying to repair the old engine. You will be time and money ahead.

What's your budget look like?

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:43 am

yeah not a good first post. im on the hunt for one. the guy at the shop says he has a 2.0 sittin inside of a bus he bought a while back but he doesnt know the condition its in, he said the guy he bought it from said it was good. i asked how much he said 950 just seems like alot for somethin unknown so ill hunt around ive got alittle time before the money runs out and my journey comes to an end

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:46 am

$950 would be a bargain if it runs. You could easily spend $3500 having your engine fixed.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:47 am

There's a 1977 bus for sale under craigslist in albuquerque but they don't know if it runs or not either.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:57 am

Here's a rebuilt longblock near San Diego for about $1500

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/pts/1432253191.html

Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:16 pm

post a wanted ad on here in the classifieds. I bought a bus that had a 1600dp engine it it. It was supposed to have a 1700 type 4 engine in it, but I didn't know any different at the time. Anyway, when the 1600 dropped a valve, I posted a wanted ad for the type 4 engine. Within a couple hours, I found a newly rebuilt turnkey 1800 type 4 (still sitting on the engine rack) and traded my busted 1600dp and $500 for it. She's been running like a charm ever since. knock on wood.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:29 pm

What's the Samba name of our T-4 guy in Bisbee AZ? Can't remember. He did his engine and he might have contacts.
Maybe a Craigs list want add for Tucson, Albuquerque, Sierra Vista, Phoenix, El Paso.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:49 pm

sweat pea.....an eBay customer of mine told me his dad was a long time ACVW mechanic and had a bunch of rebuilt engines laying around his home. He gave me his dad's area code and phone number and the area code appears to be in Abl., NM.

I'll PM you the guys name and phone number and try calling him....? He is old so.....and I don't know him either.

JM

Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:48 pm

I don't know if you are familiar with this link, but it could be a good one to get some help sourcing out that engine:

http://www.type2.com/rescue/

Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:37 pm

Hey sweet pea, let us know how things progress. Hopefully, with enough help from all of the good folks and connections here on thesamba.com, your journey won't have to end so swiftly. These old buses have in some cases really been abused over the years, but most of the people on here are serious about taking care of their buses and want to see the same for other buses still out there running the roads.

I've seen some amazing things come about from the helpfulness of other vdubbers ( especially the bay window folks ) that frequent this board.

It'll all work out. Set backs always make the greatest stories, no matter how much of a bummer they turn out to be in the short term!

Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:19 pm

Go here and post:

http://www.aaavwclub.com/forum/index.php

It is the Albuquerque Air Alliance VW Club. Perhaps they can assist.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:20 pm

Looks to me like the original poster has disappeared.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:27 pm

No, he is in an area where he only has occasional access to the internet.

Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:19 pm

I think the Samba dude in Bisbee is Ryan? His Samba name is Solexes@hotmail.com

Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:40 pm

950 for a used T 4 is a rip off,,,, maybe 3 to 350 tops.

or is it 950 installed

Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:34 am

hey guys still here making some good progress thanks to all your help. there's a guy in las cruces who has a lead on a 2.0 in el paso and his friend has a 1700 in town. been playin phone tag with a guy in Alb,NM who might have 2.0 laying around in the garage. contacted the San Diego craigslist posting about the rebuilt longblock but then decided I don't have that kind of bread. my friends that I'm staying with said I could keep the bus here and his neighbor has pullled and replaced a handfull of engines from buses to bugs so I might get it out of las cruces and try to do it here just entertaining the idea, but I am still on the hunt I appologize if I don't respond swiftly I'm helping out on the farm each day and we started construction on a green house plus I'm doing all this from my phone thanks to everyone for the leads and advice I was doubtful about my journey continuing but I am sure now that i will able to enjoy many more experiences in my bus, much love