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Sun Oct 06, 2024 11:06 am

Wow, excellent summary and really nice photos of what you found.

I did not know the generator commutator had a date code.

Are you asking if the cylinder tin should be 3-hole?
Yes.

Sun Oct 13, 2024 12:54 am

EverettB wrote:

Are you asking if the cylinder tin should be 3-hole?
Yes.

Yes those with the different pressing.

Tue Oct 22, 2024 8:38 am

RockStock wrote: sgellis wrote: Was the fastener on end of fan shroud a flat head or hex head?
Should be a cheese head screw, not the hex head.

The parts manual says different - N 10 212 3, bolt, hex head 6x12.

Byas

Tue Oct 22, 2024 1:20 pm

One example. Jan 55 bus engine.

1954 Bus Parts Manual
#45

Tue Oct 22, 2024 8:59 pm

You’re right it seems to have been superseded only sometime after 67 with 2 hex bolts.

The fan cover screws seem to have been hex bolts throughout.

Wed Oct 23, 2024 3:28 am

I think the confusion comes from the 356 community, where the purists are much more anal.

356/912 fan shrouds, which are no more than modified VW stampings, are held in place by 2 hex bolts on the ends. I have never seen an original 36 or 40hp VW engine with anything other than cheese head screws holding the fan shroud in place.

Mon Nov 11, 2024 7:28 pm

Anyone know if there is anything unique to the Heater box tin, no the box itself, but rather the "Sled" that runs under the pushrod tubes with the flap?

Looking for one for an early 55 (jan) engine, and not sure if I am looking for something specifc.

Thanks

Sun May 25, 2025 1:39 am

If it’s part #35 in the exploded diagram above, the main difference is probably the number of captive nuts/holes on the rear top. 2 or 3. Early is 3, late is 2 (but may also be different, lhs sled to rhs sled, I can’t remember)

— — —

Pinpoint the engine date!

Colourised

Sun May 25, 2025 9:55 am

1956 or later due to the oil fill. The heater boxes would define it too since they changed design sometime late 50s.

Sun May 25, 2025 10:41 am

Oil filler with the removable cap but a strap air cleaner? Weird...

I wonder if that's a square regulator too but it's hard for me to tell for sure from that image.

The early boxier heater boxes are into 1957 sometime.

Sun May 25, 2025 10:59 am

It also has the pre55 curved top oil cooler

Sun Oct 05, 2025 4:33 am

Engine update from p31
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=600

RockStock wrote: I thought it would be fun to document me assembling a stock 36hp bus engine based on a 14 May 1954 industrial motor (122-0378), and share it with guys on this thread who are also sick with correct 30hp engine detail!

The target is to dress it factory-correctly for my 9th February 1955 built Barndoor bus.

I will try to use original parts, original paint tinware, original fixings…and to get all of the original details right for Feb 55. With my very limited engine knowledge, I will not be pulling the long black apart - I am working on the assumption that this 122- engine has low operating hours.

The original engine for my bus was 20-974182. If anyone out there has a block 20-97****, please get in touch.

I have a bare short block 20-994202 (Feb 55) which I may rebuild at some point.

Comments (errors, advice, and especially detail/date minutiae etc) welcomed…
And if you have a very original Feb 55 engine, please post up a picture or two.
Engine is now in the bus…the culmination of this thread for me!

Mon Oct 06, 2025 10:09 am

How is it running?

Mon Oct 06, 2025 1:47 pm

Does this have the m6 nuts or screws on the clamps? Hard to tell in the pic

Mon Oct 06, 2025 2:33 pm

Yes, it appears to be running well/strong thank you.
I have covered around 520 miles so far.

D-train wrote: Does this have the m6 nuts or screws on the clamps? Hard to tell in the pic
Great question! I was running the captive-nut version, but I had confirmation from an original Jan 55 engine (Tempie on p32) that they were screws - so I swapped out the captive-nut clamps for the screw clamps.

I think I have most things right. Have realised I need the little rubber boot on the oil switch wire…that type of thing.

The tinware is all original paint apart from that rear crank tin.

Fri Oct 10, 2025 4:41 pm

I have not seen that oil switch boot in any parts book. Can you elaborate on that?

I wonder why it would even need a boot? :?

That natural patina engine looks right at home too!

Mon Oct 13, 2025 11:38 am

The little rubber boot (actually a sleeve) covers the soldered portion of the terminal, leaving the eye exposed.

I installed a NOS '54-'55 harness on my '54 years ago, which still had the remnants of the rubber sleeves in place. They look very easy to replicate, as they are thin pieces of tubing slipped over the connector.

Mon Oct 13, 2025 1:40 pm

You are right to question the boots as I’m still not certain

I mean like this (although I don’t think this one is original)

I still have the remains of an original rubber boot on the connection to my Coil’s 15 terminal, lhs…difficult to make out:

I think they would be there to minimise the risk of a spark?

From the 54 Workshop Manual:

Dan22 wrote: That natural patina engine looks right at home too!
Thanks

Mon Oct 13, 2025 7:57 pm

Thanks for the clarification. It makes sense the cover for the crimp on the terminal. Heat shrink will work well for that. I have some of the original style terminal eyes from I think Virtanen. I can mimic that cover.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 12:16 am

I think the rubber sleeve on the solder on terminals were more to minimize bending, as the wire is more prone to break from bending close to the soldered connection on solder on terminals. When they switched to crimp on terminals they were bare/ no sleeve.

I think have the Bosch documentation on solder on crimps somewhere

Rubber sleeve (51) in distributor parts diagram