TheSamba.com :: View topic - Water and sediment in old engine- Is it salvageable?Or worth it?

Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:29 pm

Hi everybody,
This is my first post and it’s probably in the wrong place so please forgive me. I bought a 1966 VW beetle and the engine was out. Although it’s a 6 volt engine It’s doesn’t appear to be a 1300. According to the location of the serial number(on the top by the generator base) and not below it, it looks to be an engine from maybe a Type 3?
Anyway, The engine spins freely and I was going to try to start it once it’s back in the vehicle. I went to drop the oil and found tons of sludge, sediment and water. The water came out first…then the funky oil and sediment( see pics).
My questions is this. Should I even try to start this engine? Should the engine just be considered toast? Or is there something I can put in the crankcase to clean it up…then put new oil in it?
I’m not a mechanic but I can and do repairs on my own cars and my daughters 1970 VW beetle.
Let me know your thoughts!

Thanks,
Travis

Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:32 pm

Pop the valve covers off. If the valve springs have any rust at all, I wouldn’t try and start/run it. Very high risk of scattering the entire engine when a valve spring breaks while running. You may well have a number of good useable parts there for a rebuild, but I wouldn’t gamble it all on a rusty valve spring.

Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:34 pm

With all those solid chunks in the filter something is going wrong inside the engine. I'd tear it apart for a full inspection.

Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:47 pm

Between the oil filter screen and the outside photo the only way to tell is to split the case!

Mon Oct 03, 2022 2:16 pm

[

quote="Vanapplebomb"]

Pop the valve covers off. If the valve springs have any rust at all, I wouldn’t try and start/run it. Very high risk of scattering the entire engine when a valve spring breaks while running. You may well have a number of good useable parts there for a rebuild, but I wouldn’t gamble it all on a rusty valve spring.[/quote]

They look pretty darn good. What do you think?

Mon Oct 03, 2022 2:45 pm

A little surface imperfection goes a long way on valve springs. I see some rust spots on the springs in the first couple pictures. I wouldn’t try and run it as it sits. I would tear it down and salvage what you can.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 12:55 am

With that much gunk in the bottom I would expect on or more valves were open, that is likely where the water got in and you will have a cylinder or two with water damage. Stuck rings and piston scoring will be the result if started without cleaning them up. You might have some rusty valves and valve seats too.

As for the valve springs... mahhh... stock engine, stock springs and cam, low rpms... clean them up and see. Toss the ones with pits.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:26 am

Needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Anything else is a waste of time and money.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 5:09 am

Whats the drain plate area look like ?
I've seen water eat the case their :wink:

Tue Oct 04, 2022 5:34 am

I’ve seen water eat the case around the sump plate, as Mike said. And one where the bottom of the cam gear was rotted right off.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 6:43 am

Hell, life is short. You only live once. Throw some fresh oil in it, marvel mystery a few drops in the cylinders overnight. Try and fire the bad boy up and give it some rpms. If it blows it blows, if not change the oil again and run it until it does blow.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 7:30 am

Salvageable?

Only one way to know;
rip it apart and see what's in there.

If nothing else you'll get some parts.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:39 am

Or you could follow Emeraldlion's advice and end up with some tins, a few nuts and bolts and maybe a carb.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:40 am

Lol, oh ye of little faith.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:25 am

I told my horror stories, but rebuilt both engines.
As someone posted earlier, run some fresh oil though it and give it a try.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:30 am

Too many crunchy bits in there for me to be happy starting that as-is.

Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:45 am

If it had an oil filter, yes, fill with fresh oil and send it. Without a filter, all that grit is going into the bearings and lifter bores. If you're hoping to use this on your new beetle, best to tear it down. Best case scenario you clean everything and put it all back together, but if you start it now add in a crank polish or grind and who knows what else..

Wed Oct 05, 2022 3:39 am

txoval wrote: Needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Anything else is a waste of time and money. Agreed. Not worth the risk...especially when the hard part is done and it's out of the car

Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:00 am

Emeraldlion wrote: Lol, oh ye of little faith.
More like: Oh us of little budget!

"Faith is the substance of things unseen" - we can clearly see the substance in this case!

Wed Oct 05, 2022 6:14 am

Fair enough. I guess I have saved up a lot of spare parts. I see that as part of the fun with these old things. If the budget is tight, and the skills are not there to be cracking the engine open. I had a 60 beetle from Montana that presented similarly on the valvetrain and didn't have any trouble firing up and running. Went on for a few hundred miles before I redid rings and cylinders. I will admit it did not have that amount of water inside the case though.