*TWO* Bent Push Rods on Recent Rebuild

[Tom K.]

Jimbo, I feel confident about finding TDC. Neither valve moves when rotating the engine, rotor is pointing at 4 o'clock, the spark plug wire at 4 oclock goes to #1, and the pulley is original to the engine (I'm the second owner). I removed all the plugs and cleaned out the galleys - documented with pictures on my 71 build thread. I do want to examine those lifters.

But first, raydog, here is what the sump looks like after draining the oil. Note, this is the first oil change after the rebuild. So far I've run it for 20 minutes at 2000 rpm to distribute the oil but I haven't had it on the road yet to set the rings. Definitely sone metal in that oil. Normal during break in?

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'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=

[VW_Jimbo]

What does the oil look like?

That is a lot of material! Looks like a bearing or…? 20 minutes?
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[madmike]

That looks like Cam & lifter damage What oil u running?
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'Black Ice'Drag Buggy 'Turbo'
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"If I'm ever on Life Support,UNPLUG Me, Then Plug me back In see if that Works"

[raydog]

See if the slurry sticks to a magnet.
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Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[Tom K.]

Oil is no-brand 30 weight useful for break in. The sump plate oil doesn't feel gritty or anything. Not sure if this video might help those if you with experience diagnosing these things.


Link

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'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=

[Tom K.]

[67rustavenger]

Tom,
That is wayyy too much sludge for a freshly broke in engine.

The breakin waste oil usually has some shimmer in the pan. But the sump plate would be fairly clean.

To me it looks like bearing material. But then, it could be the lighting in the pic above.

As stated earlier. Get a strong magnet and see if the sludge sticks to it.
If it does stick, your cam or followers are wearing.
It the material does not stick, it's bearing material.

Either way. be prepared for a tear down to see what's going on in the case.
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There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[Pruneman99]

Oh that's doesn't look good at all.

[Buggeee]

[69aircooled]

Reading through this thread it seems that the best route would be to pull your engine and open it back up to determine a root cause. I would guess, like others here, is that your cam is not happy with the lifters therefore contaminating the oil. I could be wrong, but the bent push rods and excessive backlash in the valve train seems to point to this scenario.
Upon rebuild I would suggest using a high zinc oil, Brad Penn, or run a zinc additive with your regular motor oil on break-in. Though not necessary another item to consider might be an oil pump with a spin-on filter.

[Starbucket]

Before you yank the motor check the side clearance of the rocker assembly since you added springs to replace dead ones and see how the rocker pad's are hitting the valve stims, slightly off center as the valves must spin.

[VW_Jimbo]

[Tom K.]

Engine tear down will happen Tuesday. I will post pictures of what I find. Thinking ahead. If the cam-to-lifter surface is not getting oil, is there a specific galley that could be clogged? How does oil get delivered to those surfaces?
_________________
'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=

[67rustavenger]

[MuzzcoVW]

Double check TDC for sure. But it also sounds like it could be a sticking valve...or lifter. Who did the rebuild? Tight lifters are a great way to cause a cam to crap the bed

[Tom K.]

[raydog]

Did you pull the strainer out and take a look too? Not see you mention that.
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Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[Rickf1985]

I saw mention of valve guide replacement but no mention of reaming or check of the valve to guide clearance. Once hot the valves could be bound up and jamming the pushrods and the entire valvetrain into the cam. So, once it is apart be SURE to look at the valve guides while you have it apart.

[MuzzcoVW]

[Tom K.]

Valves and guides were done by a local VW machinist whom I trust a great deal. I'll check them for sure. But every head he's machined for me in the past has been fine.
_________________
'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=