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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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BarryL wrote: |
Check your spring plate bolts for tightness on the "clunk" just to eliminate that possibility easily.
Regarding the "BANG"S, sometimes the starter bushing gets pushed all the way to the engine bell wall and the tip of the starter isn't inside the bushing very far. You have to pull the starter to see if it's that. |
Oh man, you were totally right. The swing plate bolts had loosened up over the course of 100 miles. That's crazy. Tightened them up again and bent the little plates to hopefully keep it from happening again.
Somehow, the starter "BANG" seems to have healed itself. So... who knows?
Thanks for the help so far everyone! _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:47 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Went camping the other weekend. With the Ghia, it was a struggle finding enough space to put a couple odds and ends for a show. With the bus, the bigger issue seems to be keeping the stuff from rolling all over the huge interior. Lots of fun!
_________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ryans65 Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2016 Posts: 1259 Location: Yulee FL
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Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Your panel makes me want a panel! |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:38 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Well, slowly finishing things off. Added a ton of interior panels:
Just saving the pennies for a seat cover kit and I'll be out of things to redo. There are a couple niggling little details that I'm dragging my feet on:
- I need to redo the rear axle seals because there's a slow leak on both sides
- The reverse lock-out doesn't work for whatever reason
- It runs great with the aux valve on instead of the main tank, must be some gunk clogging the valve
- Generator light stays on dimly at idle and always has the faintest of glows _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24733 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:11 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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VW dropped those locking tab plates later so those RGB mounting bolts can be rechecked for tightness. Which you need to do over the next 300 miles a few times.... _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69807 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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ernstben wrote: |
- The reverse lock-out doesn't work for whatever reason
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Lockout plate installed wrong?
Correct direction (this Bug but same thing - front of car is to the right)
ernstben wrote: |
- Generator light stays on dimly at idle and always has the faintest of glows |
Still 6v? You can sometimes cure this by cleaning up connections.
Make sure the regulator is putting out 6v at idle and around 7.4v at speed. _________________ How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24733 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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ernstben wrote: |
- Generator light stays on dimly at idle and always has the faintest of glows |
Have you soldered up the connections inside the fuse box and headlight switch? Those loose corroded riveted connections and any other wiring connections that need to be cleaned up will cause voltage drops and faint gen light. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:56 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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EverettB wrote: |
Lockout plate installed wrong?
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I don't think it's install incorrectly. I have the Bentley for my year's bus and spent a good hour or two fiddling with it. Eventually I gave up and resigned myself to shifting very slowly and carefully into second. I'll give it some time this winter...
Eric&Barb wrote: |
ernstben wrote: |
- Generator light stays on dimly at idle and always has the faintest of glows |
Have you soldered up the connections inside the fuse box and headlight switch? Those loose corroded riveted connections and any other wiring connections that need to be cleaned up will cause voltage drops and faint gen light. |
No, I didn't do any soldering and you're probably right that this is the culprit. I had ohm'ed out all the connections to 0 after vigorous cleaning, but that might be another good winter task. Thanks for bringing that up. _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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BulliBill Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004 Posts: 4572 Location: St Charles, MO
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Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:15 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Nice looking panel! I love mine too (a SWR June 1959 DD Panel).
Save up your pennies for the only really nice kit made by Matt Miller, incredible quality and a perfect repro of the original material. Not cheap, but well worth it! I have three of his kits installed on my fleet.
Bill _________________ I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69807 Location: Phoenix Metro
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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I replaced the original lock-plate with a new one based on your advice from earlier in the thread. The old one was totally worn out:
It not working probably has more to do with the doofus installing it and less to do with the part itself. I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later... _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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I'm still here!
I fixed some of my issues over the course of the last couple months, but some still remain. I had to drill out the mounting plate for the shifter to position the whole shebang further left. That got the reverse lock out working again. I also flushed my tank out for an entire afternoon, so I think that's settled as well.
The starter has gotten worse though. Over the course of the last week or so, the starter has slowly ground to a halt so I decided to drop the engine and take a look. The flywheel has some moderate chewing, but the starter bushing was literally disintegrating. Like, into dirt:
Now... I'm thinking that the main culprit here probably has to be an over-exuberant PO grinding out the bell housing and eating into the space for the starter bushing:
Still though, after buying a new bushing and sliding it in there, I figure I could give the open ends of the space for the bushing a little love tap to "trap" the bushing in place. The new bushing immediately cracked and I was able to crack the entire broken side apart with my fingers. Aren't these supposed to be brass?
Is this transmission hosed because of the amount the PO ground off? _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24733 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Eric&Barb wrote: |
Probably timer to invest in an auto-stick self supporting starter... |
I'd do that in a heartbeat if they had 6v self-supporting starters. Aren't they rare as hen's teeth? _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24733 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 11:15 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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ernstben wrote: |
Eric&Barb wrote: |
Probably timer to invest in an auto-stick self supporting starter... |
I'd do that in a heartbeat if they had 6v self-supporting starters. Aren't they rare as hen's teeth? |
Unusual yes, rare no. Start looking thru the classifieds... _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 9:48 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Well, the plot thickens. I chatted with some folks who sell specialty starters here on thesamba and they didn't think that a 6v self-supporting starter was going to be easy to find.
One of them suggested I change the starter and use some JB weld putty to "lock" the bushing in place. Even with the overly ground area, the bushing only had a tiny amount of play in the hole. So, I dropped the engine, installed the bushing, cleaned the whole thing well, built up the area with the putty and let it all harden.
I also bought a new rebuilt 6v starter at autozone. I installed it and everything went together beautifully. Then, I spent a couple hours cleaning each tooth on the flywheel from where it had some chewing.
Ok, if you're still with me: once everything was back together, I hit the switch and nothing. No click, no nothing. A screwdriver across the posts yielded a couple spins of the starter, but subsequent attempts created only light sparks.
Reinstalled old starter and the exact same symptoms arose again; it'll spin but will only engage with a "BANG." And that's only sometimes...
Anyone want a solid '59 Panel with starter issues? I'm about to lose my mind. _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ryans65 Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2016 Posts: 1259 Location: Yulee FL
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Dude you weren't kidding!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2180140
I dont have a clue what is going on with your starter but it sounds like one of those nagging problems that just takes all the fun out of it. Good luck. I'd love to buy your panel but I can't swing it right now. |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 7:36 pm Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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The fun for me is the "fixing them" part, not the "owning them" part, and this bus is 98% of the way to where I wanted to take it. I was hoping to get the starter sorted before I put it up for sale, but alas, my energy is already being siphoned away to the next project. _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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ernstben Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005 Posts: 621 Location: Manchester, Mi
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 8:06 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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So, I spent the day swapping starters and solenoids around, and I think I've deduced that there is some sort of interference issue with the starter gear (bendix?) shooting out to engage the flywheel. I say this because the old starter has the same symptoms regardless of solenoid. Also, if I plug in the new starter, the solenoid can't push the starter gear out at all.
I think this would explain the issue where the starter will whir for a couple seconds and then, once it's vibrated itself past whatever slight interference issue there is, it shoots out and slams into the flywheel.
Anyone had any issue like this? _________________ Ben
'63 Ghia Coupe Project
'59 Panel Project
'56 Ragtop Project |
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BarryL Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2004 Posts: 14258 Location: Casa de Oro, California
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Ben's '59 Panel Project |
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Your bus will probably be sold by the time you read this but...
ernstben wrote: |
Anyone had any issue like this? |
Are you certain that your ground strap to the transmission is good? Is the wiring correct to your starter? Have you tried prying the starter away from the bellhousing before tightening it? Do you have the same voltage flywheel as starter gear voltage?
You probably don't want to pull the engine again but if you do then you need to get or make this tool. It will allow you to see what's wrong.
Bolt it and the starter to the engine then use jumpers to operate your starter. You can use it as a stand alone starter tester too. |
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