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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:56 am Post subject: 2054 motor disaster. recovery plan |
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Well driving back home on Thursday night, my Thingster really started knocking. good oil pressure, head temp, oil temp, but it was really bad. nothing poking out of the crankcase. Well I need a rebuild and I really want to do the 200 mile off-road drive on the Mojave road on Memorial Day weekend. My original plan was to put another engine in the Thingster. Then I thought to take the motor from my 63 singlecab and put it in the Thingster. Then I was driving behind my singlecab and saw that with Reduction boxes and 15" wheels (standard in 63) I had lots of ground clearance. So I have decided to take my time with as rebuild of my Thingster stroker, and use my 63 singlecab. It has a 'meximotor' 1600 double-port, type III twin solex carburetors and a bugpack header. So I think it generates about 60 HP and it does go fine on the freeway. I will put my off-road tyres on the back of the singlecab and so I will be carrying lots of spares!
Here are pics of my singlecab showing the ground clearance and pics of my beefy tyres for the back that are on the front of my crippled Thingster.
I might get the Thingster motor rebuilt in time, but I think removing the pressure will get a better job done.
_________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing
Last edited by sam_w on Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2765 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:17 am Post subject: |
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Thankfully it happened close to home, and not halfway to the Arctic Circle.
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"I might get the Thingster motor rebuilt in time, but I think removing the pressure will get a better job done." |
I agree with you 100% on that. My best (and most relaxed) Thing work is done when the weather is lousy and there is no rush to finish.
Good luck Sam, Mondshine |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:22 am Post subject: |
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Well, now that I have decided what to do, how will I do it? The first thing is to get the motor out and disassembled.
I am glad that I have done Cecil's mod so that I can remove the rear apron and just pull the motor straight back on a trolley jack.
The fan belt pulley felt tight and had no clonks and there was not visible metal in the oil, so I guess I will find out.
I am thinking of staying with the 74 mm stroke , but will probably change the camshaft to a real Engle 110. I also think that I will update to big valve heads and Weber 40's.
But nothing decided until the motor is out and disassembled. _________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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sirswank Samba Member
Joined: September 15, 2008 Posts: 50
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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i got nothing on your motor, but nice Single! those mirror arms are awesome, never seen those before |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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I got them at he Bad Camberg show in 1999, they are mirrors as found on German firetrucks. _________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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A picture says a thousand words.
We think it was started when I broke the gland nut last memorial in the Mojave desert.
Well The case is fine, and I was surprised that the motor did run, I guess I luckily stopped soon enough.
Well I am going to :
big valve heads
hotter cam
8 dowel standard flywheel
Weber 40 mm carbs.
I have the chrome-moly gland nut I bought at the CLassic last year.
I will just see how well it goes than.
_________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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saddlesore1 Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006 Posts: 548
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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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well Sam I have to say in the last year if you didn't have bad luck you wouldn't have any at all. I am sorry to hear about the latest brake. I will say that of everyone on this board your drive your THING like it should be driven. You never hold back. As for motor good luck. I just replaced mine with a 1914 single 44 and love it. It dyno'ed at 110 hp and 106 torque. I was after torque more than horse'ys in order to pull these big wheels. Good luck. |
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cecil Samba Member
Joined: February 23, 2005 Posts: 461 Location: Stockton, CA
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:11 am Post subject: |
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This is the point where Ian, Solomon and I try to talk you into going to a Type 4/914. _________________ I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented....I forgot where I was going with this
I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus." |
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FreeBug Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2012 Posts: 4278 Location: deepest, darkest Switzerland
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:57 am Post subject: |
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Just saying, don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but I would check the case bore alignment. If it's an alumin(i)um case, or you are luckier than me, maybe it's okay, but the last time that happened to me, the case was pretty much junk, bores were fine, but the case was warped... |
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volksaddict Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2003 Posts: 1724
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:20 am Post subject: |
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Someone I know recently broke a crank like that in an alum case 1914. Reliable engine builder who knows what he is doing checked the case out, line bored it (alum aftermkt case remember), put it together with a new crank, bearings etc.
Long story short the engine didn't make 3k miles before it lost the mains. Took the new crank with it. Case looked good and mic'd out but it was messed up. |
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citroen Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2010 Posts: 1578 Location: louisville ky
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:30 am Post subject: |
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I snapped one in my bus a few years ago and the case also bit the dust |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:52 am Post subject: |
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Boy, I am all set to rebuild. Maybe I should goto a type4?
I think I will stay with type 1. I think it was caused by having a 4 dowel flywheel on an 8 dowel crank,and not using a moly gland nut.
Has anyone used the A-1sidewinder muffler. It looks good but is not cheap.
I am excited as to how it will turn out. _________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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volksaddict Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2003 Posts: 1724
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:17 am Post subject: |
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That would not make your crank crack. |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 11:47 am Post subject: |
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Well I finally made up my mind and am getting Adam at Kirkwood VW to build the motor.
After much pausing, I am keeping to a 74 by 94, but will go to better heads, Weber 40's, stock weight 8 dowel flywheel, and A-1 Merged exhaust.
Some of the parts are special order so I will have to be patient.
I hope to have it all together by July the 4th so I can make my trip to the great PNW and the to Kubeltreffen East!
Oh I have been recommended to go back to a 26mm oil pump instead of the Melling 30 mm pump I have now. I am told that too high an oil volume/pressure makes it overheat! I do not understand that but it can be reversed if I do not like it.
parts list
A-1 Thing Merged 1 5/8" exhaust
Cleaning up the crankcase, while waiting for all the parts.
_________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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