Broken down in Tennessee - looking for help

[aatheoret]

Hi, I was making my way from Montréal to New Mexico when my engine started acting up after crossing into Tennessee. We were lucky enough to have a retired VW mechanic take a look at it. Looks like one of my cylinders is dead which leaves me with very little power and a little stuck in this hilly landscape.
Does anyone know somebody in the area who could help out? I am still hoping to get this fixed and keep going… we have been stranded for a few days now.

Vanagon 1982, standard, air-cooled, fuel-injection.
We are currently 45min South-East of Nashville.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

[jimf909]

Have you checked the Van Alert app?

https://vanalert.com
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- Jim

[tpinthepack]

These guys are close to you, never used them but the website shows modern cars, and classic VW and Porsche, you may want to call them and see if they can knock out a type 4 engine repair for you.

https://www.nichemotors.com/story

I second the Van-Alert option, that is a great app.
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TP in the Pack (I am a cyclist)
1968 Manx N.O.S. w/ Barrett Chassis
1960 Single Cab 1914 w/ 40 DLRA's
1990 Vanagon DOKA
1972 Super Beetle
1979 Super Beetle Convertible
2011 Porsche Cayenne

[MarkWard]

By dead, I’m assuming no compression in one cylinder? That’s a big job and could add up quickly paying someone to do it.

If you could live with being down on power, you could unplug the one injector and continue on. Better would be to temporarily remove the two pushrods, but more work. You’re basically converting to a 3 cylinder engine. Keep an eye on your oil level. Just a thought.

[aatheoret]

Yes, I have looked at the van alert app, there isn’t much around. I also was looking into Niche motors, but was told that they did bad repairs on a few cars around here, so I’m not sure what to think since they do have some good reviews as well…
Apparently J-3 restoration is good but months/year wait to get a job done.

Yes the cylinder has no compression, and just the parts + labour seem to be adding up to almost the price of a full motor!
Just for my understanding what is the advantage of unpluging the injector rather than leaving it as it is?
(It is drinking about 1quart of oil every 100miles!)

[xoo00oox]

My guess would be that the cylinder head had a valve go bad, possibly the valve seat or guide came loose. There is a very good chance that your engine could be fixed by just replacing that head. The problem is, finding someone nearby willing and able to get into it.
You guys are welcome to come back and camp in my lot again!

[AndyBees]

I suspect your engine has a burnt exhaust valve due to "valve seat" migration.

And, there is a possibility it has a broken compression ring.

Is it leaking oil?

I had a similar situation almost 30 years ago driving up the Alaska Highway. Right after we made it into Alaska, cylinder #1 went totally dead. I knew something was seriously wrong as we were driving across Canada because it begin losing oil at about any point oil could come out.... but, not smoking at the tail pipe.

I managed to get it to a garage in Delta Junction. Both compression rings were broken and the exhaust valve had a burnt spot that looked like a torch had cut it. A local junk yard had all the parts I needed. The owner of the garage allowed me to do the work myself.

Anyway, the engine will have to be pulled out. Due to the fan housing and cooling tin, it is impossible to remove the head with the engine in place.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.

[jlrftype7]

By disconnecting the injector to the dead cyl, you stop gas from flowing into the cylinder. Since it's not running on that cyl anyway, you are preventing unburned gas from getting into the oil and ruining the oil of the engine with contamination
.
Sorry to hear of your engine trouble.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[Xevin]

Just want you to have this link, should you feel it would help. Robbie is well known in the Air Cooled circles and a Samba member. He does video consultations. He might even steer you in the direction to a professional in your area who can physically help.

https://www.airschooled.com/
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Keep on Busin'

[danfromsyr]

Randy's VW in Comfort, Texas by San Antonio is about 1,000 miles away but it's on your route and he's probably the most qualified to assess, repair and replace your bad parts.
there is a holiday weekend coming up, but give him a call and see if there's something that you both can work out.

Bonne chance
Dan in NY

rent a Uhaul truck and trailer. still alot of $$$$ but keeps you moving towards your goal.
his advert here in the classifieds for motors
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2666752

[Nitramrebrab72]

Burning 1 qrt/100miles could mean there is a hole in that piston or seized piston rings. If you want to go on. As mentioned earlier disconnect the concerned injector to avoid fuel in the engine oil, and most of all preventing petrol from washing the cylinder wall of oil. A non firing cylinder will wear out in under a thousand miles with unburnt fuel.

[MarkWard]

And removing the pushrods would leave the valves closed. No chance of something “falling” in the cylinder. This is a middle of nowhere get it home solution.

[danfromsyr]

I once was on a trip in my old Isuzu trooper and I would have to add oil about every hour or 65miles. took 2cases (24btls) and had 4 left when I got home..

not a great way to go about it, but kept me moving..
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[AndyBees]

[Xevin]

Some great things to think about for the OP up above.
Again, your situation may not be the same as quoted below. But might be handy for future readers.

[aatheoret]

These are all great advices, I will have to weigh my options. I think I might have a lead with a retired mechanic in the area, he seems to be willing to drop the motor and do the repairs (but thats about 2weeks for parts and labour). Also greatly appreciate the generosity for parts donation, i’ll see if it can come in handy!

Sorry to see these posts so late in the day, it has been hectic putting together new plans and running away from storm warnings. For anybody else who breaks down in the area, there is a fb group called Music City Air Coolers with a lot of great people in Nashville!

[aatheoret]

Also regarding the oil, I don’t think it is a leak but the motor is burning oil. I have this nasty blueish smoke coming out of the exhaust when it is revved - probably because of the faulty cylinder? I always had a similar issue, just not to this extent…

[AndyBees]

Do you know which cylinder that has lost power?

Also, if I remember correctly, my head has the rectangular exhaust ports. I'm thinking there are two different styles. Someone in the know can clear this up.

My head has all new guides and valves. It was fly cut .020 if I remember correctly. I had them both rebuilt which included seat repair on one of the heads. I never liked the looks of the seat repair job. But, I did run the heads about 1000 miles. Then, I replaced them with new AMC heads from some place in the PNW. That was about 25 years ago. These rebuilt heads have been in the boxes that the new heads came in all these years. I don't need them.

But, if these heads do not match your Heater Boxes, well, they're of no value to you.

Anyway, if you can use them, they are yours. However, I am not sure how would be the best way to get them to you. I live over 4 hours from Nashville.

Oh, and you should pop off the valve cover to take a look at the rockers as others have suggested... this could be a simple fix if the rockers are in fact the issue.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.

[Nitramrebrab72]

[Abscate]

At 100 miles per quart/liter of oil you need to stop running that motor so you have something rebuildable left. Price out used short blocks and it will be 10X cheaper to Uhaul/flatbed it to the repair spot.
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