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Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:59 pm

cool ride and awsome patina :D , but get rid of that plastic fuel filter under the hood, plastic melts, you can figure out the rest.

Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:53 pm

nice-now sell those other wheels so you can start fixing up the engine

Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:01 pm

Already in the classifieds 8)

I'm going to drop the engine tomorrow and clean it all up, check for cracks on the heads or possibly loose head studs. I have a feeling it could be causing my problem, too much air being sucked in compared to the fuel mixture so it dies.. even with a carb that is too big for the engine it runs better with the choke closed :?

Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:21 pm

Yeah my friend, it sounds like something where youve got to pull the engine out and take it apart. It could be cracked heads? Take it apart.
I will look at your bug and kind of wish I had bought it, but then I did a mental tally of the work it needed and the final cost. $$$$$.

Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:48 pm

What was the final # you came up with? just curious.. :wink:

I'm not really looking to change much besides fix up the engine, some new tires, radio, roof rack and roll it 8)

I'm hoping it's just a loose head stud or leak somewhere else because its pretty dirty, dirt is built up pretty thick in alot of places so hopefully just a good cleaning and tightening [-o<

Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:15 am

I figured brakes complete, the mysterious "engine wont stay running" (AND figured that was probably NOT something simple), plus it was another craigslist vehicle which had to be towed. And Im trying to get away from that scene at my age :lol:
I think it was a deal for someone with more energy than me. Its a great looking bug, and I would agree -- keep the sucker stock. It is nice.
Once you get it up and running everyone will want it. I doubt you'll lose too much money on it. Key is get it running and stopping well.
What could be causing the engine to not stay running? When it dies could it be losing spark? Could something be seizing i.e. oil pump, could it be losing compression? It does not sound like a carb/fuel issue. That would have been the first thing others would have checked out. right?
There are other engines that you could throw in there, that may be a good way to proceed. Keep us posted, Ive been watching your bug since Idaho! :lol: :lol:

Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:56 am

Id check the fuel sock inside the tank for debris blocking the pickup. Ive seen cars that run fine for a short time have this problem. Clean out any debris in the tank while your at it. Pretty simple to do, and it wont cost anything to try.

Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:03 am

dcollin wrote: I'm not after a clean original look. I like the vintage weathered look, its almost 50 years old, it should look like it. Here's how it looks with the original wheels, only one on so it only shows half the car..

[img][/img] wow looking better with the original wheels :D

Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:24 pm

Got the engine out today and partly disassembled, Boy was that hard.. every single nut and bolt was so rusted on there took about double the time it normally would have.. anyways there is so much crap clogging any air flow through the cylinders its no wonder it felt like it was running hot.

Here are some photos of it, hopefully tomorrow i will get the heads off and determine the problem, *hopefully*

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Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:00 pm

jzjames wrote: Keep us posted, Ive been watching your bug since Idaho! :lol: :lol:

How long ago did it come from Idaho where it was sitting?? I'd like to know some more about it..

Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:48 pm

got the heads off and scraped all the built up dirt and gunk off between the cylinders and the case.. I'm glad i dropped it now :shock:

Going to take the heads to be rebuilt, don't know if they need it but the exhaust studs are all rusted and bent and one is broken so I'd rather get it done right.. Also going to get all the tin cleaned up and painted..

Got the tank out and emptied. Since the last time i blew out the lines and cleaned the pump there was already a good amount of rust/dirt whatever it is in the screen in the pump. Going to clean the tank out and order up the POR-15 restoration kit and get in all nice and new again 8)

Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:36 pm

The very first time I drove my 59 (after it had been sitting in a barn since 1974) it smoked like crazy through the heater channels. Later, after I removed the engine I found the smoked remains of whatever had built a nest. Ever since that it has been a pet peeve to remove the tins and check when I buy an aircooled car.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:25 pm

haha wow, ya there was so much stuff built up that there was basically nowhere for the airflow to go to cool any part of the engine.. I found an old bottle opener buried in all of it.. Someone was drunk :lol:

Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:12 pm

Well I didn't know this since I've only disassembled two engines before. This one being my second, but I pulled the cylinders off the pistons on the #1 and #2 cylinders and checked the rings which were good, but then just put the cylinders back on... kept the rings staggered but did not know that they should not be moved because they were seated and no longer are #-o

Should I pull them back off and get the cylinders honed? Or do you guys think it will be alright?

Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:04 am

Yeah, youre like me. I only pulled one engine apart, and that was years ago. :lol:
I'll bet the consensus will be at least put in new rings while its apart? You could hone it, wouldnt hurt right? With new rings.
What are they doing to the heads? I was thinking just check for obvious damage/cracks. If you rebuild heads and hone the cyl.s and new rings, you will have a tight top end, with a questionable bottom end. I would be real careful breaking it back in if thats as far as you go with the engine.
You could do a total rebuild. How much is it if you do it yourself? Im sure someone could tell us. :D

Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:31 am

dcollin wrote: Well I didn't know this since I've only disassembled two engines before. This one being my second, but I pulled the cylinders off the pistons on the #1 and #2 cylinders and checked the rings which were good, but then just put the cylinders back on... kept the rings staggered but did not know that they should not be moved because they were seated and no longer are #-o

Should I pull them back off and get the cylinders honed? Or do you guys think it will be alright?

How did you check them to see if they were good or bad? It would be a good idea to just get a set of rings and hone the cylinders since you are down that far anyway.

Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:46 am

Ya I asked this question in the engine forum since i didnt get a response here before. I'm most likely going with a new set of rings and going to get the cylinders honed.

Definitely don't have the money or time to do a full rebuild, I just got done rebuilding a 1641 for my notchback and that took quite some money and time because I wanted to do it right and not cheap... I'm just trying to get this one running, not looking to get 100k out of it..

Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:43 pm

Its been a while since ive posted on this thread but i thought i'd give a little update.

I finally got the heads back from the machine shop and got it all put back together and installed. I've been spending the last few days getting everything ready for the road. Got the stock spindles back on and flushed the brake fluid, replaced rubber hoses, cleaned out the tank, installed new fuel tap, fuel lines, fuel filter under the tank. Packed bearings with grease, installed the speedometer cable and I'm ALMOST ready to drive it to the tire store to get some new tires on her 8)

Scored an NOS oil bath air cleaner today for very cheap :D

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Now my only problem is I CANNOT get the muffler on if my life depended on it. I struggled with it for over an hour and got nowhere. It just simply does not line up. I know it is not the original muffler but it is a stock muffler. It was on the engine just fine when i got it. Any suggestions as to how I can get this thing on?[/img]

Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:09 am

did the cylinders move away from the block when you removed the head? if so it will leak there. better to remove cylinders and use some (slight amount) of hi temp silicon there when reinstalling them.

Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:42 am

i had the cylinders off and had them honed and re-ringed the pistons... used permatex to seal them to the case so that's good. The Muffler is for a 40 hp i believe after looking them up in the classifieds. Maybe a repop? here's a photo of it if anyone could help me identify the problem that'd be great....

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