TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Oct 26, 2014 1:15 pm

I thought I would start a post for my 78 Bus project, where I can consolidate all my progress and questions into one thread.

I picked it up this July from another VW enthusiast, which makes me the third owner of this one. It was reasonably well taken care of, but does need some work here and there. I just got it back from a friend's shop where we did the rear cross member and front beam. It looks OK for now, but there is a bit of bondo in the rockers I'm going to take care of in the spring.

There is what sounds like some valve clatter coming from the right side valve cover area. I replaced the lifters (bled well, absolutely no squishiness) but it's still there. I want to pull the engine to take care of some oil leaks, and when I do I'm probably going to pull the head - I half suspect I have a valve/guide issue in there. Engine runs well otherwise - I'm slowly taking care of vacuum leaks.

There is some cool engraving on the side windows. Was this factory, or something a PO did?

We're turning this into a light duty service vehicle for our business, but really want to change it as little as possible - keep the original paint, interior, etc.

Sun Oct 26, 2014 2:52 pm

That's not a project. That's a great looking bus! That flower engraving on the window is definitely a PO additive.

Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:06 pm

Boston Bob's history of Hydraulic Lifters

Tcash wrote: Here is a little information. Good Luck

Pronunciation (Samba) English

Cleaning+Rodents+Hantavirus
Up in smoke... Bus fires... don't let it happen to you!
Volkswagen Type 2 Bus M-Plate Decoder
Bus VIN / Chassis Numbers
Type 2/Bus Owner's Manuals
Bus repair manuals
Bus parts manuals
Early Baywindow Bus Parts Book
Late Baywindow Bus Parts Fiche
Type 2 Wiring Diagrams
Model and Year Variations
Type 4: Secrets Revealed
Distributor Parts & Specifications
PARTS INTERCHANGE MANUAL
Youtube Videos

There is a ton of information located at the top of the Forum section.

Mon Oct 27, 2014 5:51 pm

Thanks, Tcash! I actually read through that not long ago - found the link from ratwell.com. I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes, but honestly I give it a 50/50 shot - I checked and one valve seems to move a bit sideways when the engine turns, and all lifters there on that side are pretty rock hard. Who knows, hopefully it will work.

I need to look into the oil feed to these heads. Can the engine be run briefly without the valve cover, and without making a huge mess of everything?

Zelten: Wait until I post the pictures of the underside and the rust issues! Looks great from the outside, but wow!

Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:05 pm

Question: Does the upper (outer?) valve train receive any oil from the oil pump? Valves, etc? It doesn't look like it in my Bently's - just want to make sure.

Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:43 pm

cmonSTART wrote: Question: Does the upper (outer?) valve train receive any oil from the oil pump? Valves, etc? It doesn't look like it in my Bently's - just want to make sure.

The pushrods are hollow and receive oil from the lifters and send it up to the rockers.

Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:06 pm

Great, thank you!

Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:45 pm

I set my clearance to .006 today and will run the engine for a while like that - hopefully it will work.

I ran my engine with the valve cover off for a bit today and wow the sound changed a lot. With no valve cover it sounds a lot like some sort of compression leak. The engine runs well, but I think I'm going to do some compression and leak down tests when I get a chance. Below is a video.

The sound came through a bit odd, but you can still hear everything.

Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:50 pm

Your valve clearances are WAY off. A stock 78 should have hydraulic lifters, which by your earlier posts it suggests you still do. Those are NOT set at .006, they are actually adjusted warm, and 1.5 turns past where the adjuster makes contact. Readjust them the right way and see how it sounds. You need to drive these things for a good half hour if it's been sitting any amount of time before the clatter will really go away. Drive it, don't let it sit there and idle.

Tue Oct 28, 2014 7:33 pm

Yes, I know. I'm following some advice above to help persuade the lifters to bleed themselves. I am driving the bus, the idle in the video was just me trying to diagnose the source of the sound some more. Within the next couple days I'll readjust the valves per the book and see if the sound has gone away or changed at all.

Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:30 pm

Sounds like and exhaust leak. Cover the tail pipe and see if you can hear or see where it is leaking.

Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:52 pm

Ya, it really does sound like some sort of compression or exhaust leak with the valve cover off.. Removing the valve cover really changes the volume and nature of the sound.

Interesting stuff. I'll try covering the tailpipe when I have a chance again.

Fri Oct 31, 2014 5:59 pm

Anyone know where the center of the heater tube hole in the front crossmember should be located? A PO replaced the member, but didn't cut the hole. since I'm trying to put heat back into the bus I need to cut this hole again. Is it centered?

thanks. can't find this anywhere..

Fri Oct 31, 2014 8:27 pm

cmonSTART wrote: Anyone know where the center of the heater tube hole in the front crossmember should be located? A PO replaced the member, but didn't cut the hole. since I'm trying to put heat back into the bus I need to cut this hole again. Is it centered?

thanks. can't find this anywhere..

cmonSTART wrote: Anyone know where the center of the heater tube hole in the front crossmember should be located? A PO replaced the member, but didn't cut the hole. since I'm trying to put heat back into the bus I need to cut this hole again. Is it centered?

thanks. can't find this anywhere..

The hole is in the center of the crossmember. If I were in your place, I would try to figure out how to add an all metal centrifugal fan to the heating system at this point in time. Maybe you could design it to be located at the cross member or add it up front under the floor beneath the defroster tree.

Fri Oct 31, 2014 8:28 pm

cmonSTART wrote: Ya, it really does sound like some sort of compression or exhaust leak with the valve cover off.. Removing the valve cover really changes the volume and nature of the sound.

Interesting stuff. I'll try covering the tailpipe when I have a chance again.

Get the engine warm then readjust the valves properly. Then go ahead and check for exhaust leaks. Use a length of hose and start probing for leaks at joints.

If the sound (leak) is more pronounced with the valve cover/s off you likely have hot gasses making their way past the guide/s. Does it have any dark discoloration in the rocker arm areas around the springs?

Sat Nov 01, 2014 1:26 pm

I readjusted the valves and went 1.5 turns in - honestly it still sounds the same as before. I think I'm just going to back burner the issue and work on other stuff - like the heat.

Wildthings, I was toying with the idea of using some sort of booster fan. I will be running a BA6 once I reinstall it - I wasn't impressed by the volume of its fan when I tested it on the bench.. seems a bit weak. It works, but I would love to find another.

Since it was raining today I did oddball stuff inside the bus - fixed the ash tray, lubed the wiper system, straightened my seat belts, mounted my fire extinguisher, etc. I found one wire to my rear defroster broken, so I soldered that back together.

Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:37 am

Heating questions:

I'm going through the BA6 on this thing, and in case I have to abandon the system, are there any available substitutes on the market - installable auxiliary gas heater systems?

I didn't realize this BA6 was missing parts. I also can't get the fuel pump to work. I'm getting voltage to it, but I can't get it to reliably click on the bench. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it's reluctant to do so.

Sun Nov 02, 2014 1:30 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/1977eberspacher_ba6_repair_manual.php

Sun Nov 02, 2014 2:36 pm

Thanks for that link, TCash! I remembered seeing that before, but couldn't find it anywhere now that I need it!

Sun Nov 02, 2014 6:09 pm

Poking and prodding the BA6 fuel pump gets right around 8 volts measured at the two wires which connect to it. I know the voltage is pulsed to the pump from the second set of points in the combustion fan, so that's probably what's giving me the voltage reading I'm getting instead of proper 12 volts. Sound right? I could be completely wrong here.

Still, bench testing the pump again it will only click with a GOOD power source, like a 12volt battery ON a charger, and even then it's intermittent. I've tried banging, oiling, and cleaning things, but there isn't much change.

So, to complete this BA6 I need a pump, a temperature sensor, and the output duct which the temperature sensor screws into.