| Author |
Message |
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
 Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 10:11 am Post subject: |
 |
|
Just a little update--
It's been one year today since I bought the car and brought it home, and I gave it its third tuneup yesterday (along with helicoiling two drain plate studs). I've put 10,700 miles on it in that time, and it's running better than ever.
Makes me wish I had gone to Type 3's sooner... 
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
Pulled the engine last weekend to fix leaky oil cooler seals...
Got everything off the top of the motor, got all the tin off, and before replacing the cooler seals I decided to check the head studs to see if any were loose. I checked the right side first, and one of the nuts was backed almost completely off the stud -- the bottom row, left-most stud. Got out the torque wrench and tightened them all in two stages per Bentley, and when I did the final 22 lb-ft tightening on that stud, I heard a low "pop" and the stud pulled out of the case.
Well, crap. This job turned into an engine disassembly instead of a leak-fix. Better to find out now, though, while everything's already out of the car. I'm headed to Harbor Freight to pick up an engine stand, and I've got one of these stand adapters on the way Tuesday:
The wife is already telling me how much she misses driving the Square -- I told her believe me, I know how she feels! 
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
Today I'm using an idea from bkeith85 -- I'm cleaning my case with detergent, in a 55 gallon drum with a fire under it. My trusty assistant is helping:
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 10:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
Been a while since an update...but I promise, it is coming along!
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22431
Location: Kimball, Mi
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| Donnie strickland wrote: |
Almost there...
|
Looks like you're getting close to putting it back in.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:41 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
I sure hope so...next month will be one year! I never dreamed it would take me this long. Life gets in the way, dang it.
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Well, I got the engine in, fluids in, and tried to set the timing...but my distributor drive is one tooth off.  I can't turn the distributor counterclockwise quite enough.
I'll have to try and pull the pinion with the special tool. In all of my years of working on VW's, I've never had to use one. Any tips or tricks?
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34022
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| Donnie strickland wrote: |
Well, I got the engine in, fluids in, and tried to set the timing...but my distributor drive is one tooth off. I can't turn the distributor counterclockwise quite enough.
I'll have to try and pull the pinion with the special tool. In all of my years of working on VW's, I've never had to use one. Any tips or tricks? |
As you know from installing the distributor, there are shims and a spring which can fall into the case. Have a magnet and flexible grabber handy. I would remove the hold down nut for the bracket and lift the whole assembly, rather than try to wiggle the distributor alone (with a thick new o-ring) out of the bracket. You may or may not be able to do this with the shroud flap rod in place, though.
If you put grease on the shims when you installed them, they should stay in place in the case for you. Otherwise this is a worrisome process and you should be prepared for (and have patience for) the worst-case event, which is some of those parts dropping into the case, requiring removal and probable disassembly.
Or maybe that's just my paranoia talking... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Yes, the shims are stuck in place with grease. I didn't put on a new o-ring yet, in anticipation of this problem.
When pulling the pinion shaft, will it help to rotate the engine to encourage the shaft to move up and out?
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34022
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 4:04 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| Donnie strickland wrote: |
Yes, the shims are stuck in place with grease. I didn't put on a new o-ring yet, in anticipation of this problem.
When pulling the pinion shaft, will it help to rotate the engine to encourage the shaft to move up and out? |
I think I'd just rotate the shaft as you pull up, not the engine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22431
Location: Kimball, Mi
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| KTPhil wrote: |
| Donnie strickland wrote: |
Yes, the shims are stuck in place with grease. I didn't put on a new o-ring yet, in anticipation of this problem.
When pulling the pinion shaft, will it help to rotate the engine to encourage the shaft to move up and out? |
I think I'd just rotate the shaft as you pull up, not the engine. |
Yup, that's how I'd do it.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Back on the road today -- and it only took me 50 weeks! 
Now I've got to figure out why the fuel gauge stopped working...
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22431
Location: Kimball, Mi
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 9:51 pm Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| Donnie strickland wrote: |
Back on the road today -- and it only took me 50 weeks!
Now I've got to figure out why the fuel gauge stopped working... |
That's ok, Brian Fye works about that fast too. 
You'll probably need to pull the sending unit out, and drop the outer cylinder, and clean up the insides, as it's been sitting for 50 weeks. It's probably something on the thin wires keeping it from working. The other option, is to leave it alone, and drive the car.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:26 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Oh yes, I'll be driving it every day.
I'm thinking you're right about the sender, but I thought I'd give it a while and see if it revives. I can use the trip meter to know when to gas up in the meantime.
Everything else is working fine.
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:09 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Looks like I spoke too soon. I drove the car for 2 days, with nary a problem. Then last night I got in to go to town and it wouldn't start. As in, it wouldn't turn over. I tried turning the engine via the generator belt , and the engine appears to be seized.
I'm mystified. The break-in was by the book, with no noises or smoke, smells, etc. Then it drove fine for 2 days, purring like a kitten. Now this.
We're putting our house on the market, so I can't tear it back down right now. I'm not sure what my next step is...
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Fisher
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 17970
Location: Eugene, OR
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:42 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Pull the valve covers & see if you find something amiss in there. Houses take months to sell/finance/close escrow, so take the engine out & fix it since you don't want to be towing it to your new house! 
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5998
Location: Brooklyn
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:44 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
Maybe just a stuck starter/solenoid? Fingers crossed for something simple and stupid (and easily fixed)
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:49 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| Mike Fisher wrote: |
| Pull the valve covers & see if you find something amiss in there. Houses take months to sell/finance/close escrow, so take the engine out & fix it since you don't want to be towing it to your new house! |
Thanks Mike, I'm going to pull the valve covers but haven't had time to do it today.
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:50 am Post subject: Re: 1971 Elm Green A/T FI Squareback |
|
|
| sjbartnik wrote: |
| Maybe just a stuck starter/solenoid? Fingers crossed for something simple and stupid (and easily fixed) |
I'm hoping that's the case. It was running so well...
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
