Auto trans, engine dies and vehicle coasts

[Tjhaga]

I am considering buying a 1973 type 2 bus with auto trans. It has not been driven in 10 years. I added 5 gallons of new gas with sea foam and it started quickly but won't idle. Anyway I attempted to take it for a test ride and when I slowed down the engine died but the bus just coasted with no resistance. I have a lot to learn but what's happening? Is there a torque converter that's not working, dry transmission. How costly for diagnosis and repair.

[raygreenwood]

Its a torque converter......there will be very little if any resistance....for the very same reason why you cannot push start an automatic. The design of the stator system only allows fluid lock up when driven from the engine direction.

I am not beating you up......just making a point.....I keep ranting at people who still have this belief that just walking up to an OLD VW....pouring in gas and starting it up will get you on the road.

Its a 43 year old vehicle.....likely with 43 years of silt and rust in the fuel tank....and it has not moved in a decade. The first move with a vehicle like that....is not to just pour in gas and drive it.

Personally I would have pulled or towed it home.....and first flushed the fuel tank and replaced the lines which are now guaranteed to be dry rotted and at full on lets make a "Car-B-Que" level. Flushing the tank would tell you if that will be enough with addition of n external $2 line strainer before the fuel filter......or if its time to remove and derust the fuel tank.

The other thing that I would have done in this situation.....is pull the engine (about an hours work).....pull the sheet metal and intakes (about 2 hours work).....and pull the heads (about an hour).....and inspect the bores for rust.....before turning the engine over under power at all.

The difference is that in many cases you may have an engine that is in awesome shape age and wear wise......and could motor on for ages....IF.....you run a quick brush hone through and get rid of bore rust. In far too many cases what could have been a long serving engine with just TLC.....now may need new rings due to running them over bore rust. Typically the bores can get scuffed in this manner as well. At that point.....what could have been a runner.....now needs at least a top end rebuild in the near future.
Its poor economy to do top end rebuilds on type 4 engines....so it may need a rebuild.

In this very instance.....the problem will most likely be found to be silt pluggjng the fuel filter and starving the engine.
Sorry for the rant....I just felt it needed to be said. Ray

[Tjhaga]

Thanks for your reply Ray. I hope I didn't ruin the engine.

[raygreenwood]