68 Regatta Blue Karmann Ghia Vert 22,350 Original Miles

[Marcdeb]

It's not looking good. I started the engine up again today and it's not ATF that's leaking. I only ran it for 3 minutes and the engine started smoking. I did not get any warning lights but the dripping oil was very dark and has metal flakes in it. A few days ago I originally thought it was Autostick ATF related and started a thread for help from the AutoStick community but this is looking more like an engine problem now. Here's more info in his thread. Looking for any ideas at this point?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=781030&highlight=
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Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[restocal63]

What is the exact location of the oil dripping out in relation to the engine?

If you're looking from the back, on the left side I'd rather say most probably say it's from the oil cooler seals, but then I'd rather say I'm guessing.

Can you exactly locate the dripping and move back to the source?

May I suggest that you remove the engine out again and try to bench start it. Being an auto-stick may be much more difficult, however this can give you the opportunity of what exactly is going on and once sorted, you can install it back with full piece of mind.

Just my humble thought. thanks.
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63 Beetle
66 Beetle
71 Karmann Ghia Convertible
75 Baywindow

[Marcdeb]

[Marcdeb]

Pulled the engine again to try to find out where the ATF leak is coming from and to find out what caused the smoke. Nothing obvious, but will try again with another new Torque Converter Seal. While waiting, I'm doing more cleaning.
Before:

AFter:

_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[TRS63]

Now that is a cleaning 😎

Antoine
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Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[Marcdeb]

[Marcdeb]

On The Road Again.....

After finding no reason for the white smoke and no obvious issue with ATF leaking, I replaced the Torque Converter seal a 2nd time and put the engine back in the car. Finished the job yesterday and fired it up. Let it get good and warm while watching for leaks and smoke but everything went well. I decided to let it sit and cool off. Took it out for a short test drive today and still no leaks and no smoke. Will probably never know what caused the smoke but it would seem like the first TC Seal was the cause of the leak. Nice to have a clean engine and for now a clean garage floor.

_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[mouse action]

👍 nicely done.

[Trylon]

Yay!
Terryville Bug-A-Fair?
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1973 Porsche 914 2.0
1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
1979 Volkswagen Rabbit
1973 Volkswagen Bus
1970 MGB-GT
1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire

More tomfoolery on
The Karmann Ghia Fever YouTube Channel!

[Marcdeb]

[Marcdeb]

[Trylon]

[Marcdeb]

[restocal63]

Nice work
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63 Beetle
66 Beetle
71 Karmann Ghia Convertible
75 Baywindow

[Marcdeb]

[Marcdeb]

Regatta got 4 new tie rod ends today. 68 can be a tricky year for parts. So much was changed mid year. I did my home work and knew I needed the old style tie rod ends, but that's not what arrived. Sent them back and tried again. This time I got it right and received the right parts.

Now that the back end is mostly cleaned up, the front end looks quite messy. A project for another day.

All 4 tie rod ends that were on the car are likely original. Or if they were ever replaced, original VW parts were used?

Took it for a test drive. It was easy to feel the difference. It wasn't horrible before but it now feels like the steering is tighter.

_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[Marcdeb]

Even though two of the tie rods were bad, the steering was normal and it drove well. I didn't have to constantly correct to keep the car going straight ahead.

I was careful to to take accurate measurements of the overall length of the tie rods and kept the lengths within 1/8". Now the steering was pretty sloppy and needed constant small correction to keep it going straight. I wasn't surprised the toe would was out at least a small amount, but I expected the front end to feel tighter than it did. I did an alignment this week using the string method which worked really well.

Funny how lighting can change how things appear! This picture makes it look like I just waxed the car but I have not waxed it since it arrived over a year ago.
Anyway, took the car out for a test drive after the alignment and I still had sloppy steering, but at least now the steering wheel ended up perfectly level.

Pulled out the Bentley and checked the steering play which was over 2 inches so I adjusted the steering box. That made a huge difference and it's back to driving like it did before. I'm surprised that the steering play didn't cause any symptoms before changing the tie rods though?

Is it normal to find this much grease on top of the steering box though?

While adjusting the steering box, I found a small factory flaw in the bottom of the right (passenger) side of the spare tire well. A spring washer apparently got pinched in the metal work and ended up becoming a permanent addition to the car.

_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[Ian Godfrey]

I think for the age of the car that steering box looks pretty 'normal'

[Marcdeb]

That time again, State of Vermont yearly safety inspection is due. They now require a photo of the odometer be sent into the state? What does that have to do with "Safety"?

At the same time, a very sharp Pontiac Bonneville Convertible was having some work done. Like Regatta, it still retained all it's original interior.

Had the same mechanic as last year. He took one look under the back of the car and said "You got a new engine?". It was quite a mess under there but I was surprised he remembered.

I noticed that they still had the old air pump hanging on the wall. I remember using these to fill my bicycle tires back in the 60's
The one year only 1970 tail lights of the Pontiac Bonneville are visible through the glass.
_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[Braukuche]

Is your state contemplating an odometer based road tax?
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Go Reds! Smash state!

Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now