locked up engine?

[beetleman91]

hey guys new to the forum...

i just picked up a 67 beetle today, i am in high school and am restoring a bug for a senior project. the bug came with an engine, not sure what it is, he said it came out of a different bug. how do i know what cc it is? it is a single port. anyways, it is locked up, how can i unfreeze it?

[glutamodo]

welcome to theSamba!

Well, considering how many times an engine may have been worked on in the last 40 years, it's impossible to tell you what size the engine is inside. Probably a 1600 if it's a single port, as 1600 pistons/cylinders have been by far the most commonly available parts the last couple of decades.

You can see what it was originally by getting the serial number under the generator pedestal and looking it up on this chart:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/bugchassisdating.php

Now, about it being seized.... Usually, there are three ways that an engine might seize - either water got into the engine and corroded piston(s) to their cylinders(s), something fell into a combustion chamber and the piston is wedged up against it and the head, or a connecting rod got thrown or other internal engine part failure.

First thing, try turning the engine over with a wrench backwards and see if it budges. It probably won't though. Then drain the oil and take the strainer plate off and have a good look - is there any water in there? If yes, then it might be corrosion. Are there metal particles and debris on the bottom plate and in the strainer, and/or lots of metal "shine" to the oil? If so, you got serious engine failure problems to deal with.

In all cases, you will very likely have to take the engine off and apart to see what kind of damage you have to deal with. It's at that time you can meaure your bore and stroke and find out what size engine you got.

-Andy