Type 4 engine compatibility

[brinleydavis]

Hey all. I have a 1979 bay window westfalia and I am doing a rebuild on a type 4 vanagon engine (not entirely sure on the year). I have most of my parts cleaned off and I am starting to get going now. I have all of my engine tin off & I’m now trying to figure out what the compatibility is with my bus.
I’m ALSO wondering if anyone has any recommendations on parts to get powder coated:) I already have a new fuel injection & it’s powder coated sage green to match the bus, now I’m looking for more “accent” pieces that will also be done in sage green. Lol doesn’t need to be too pretty, just want it to match & look good from both engine view panels in the bus.
any advice/ recommendations are appreciated, sorry for the confusing post I can’t think of how to word this.
Edit: to put in simpler terms since I’m reading this back and it makes no sense: how do I make the engine fit in my bus. What tin can I put back on and what needs to be swapped out?

[Wildthings]

The long blocks are very close to being the same for the '79 Bay and the 80-83 Vanagons. The major difference is in the crankcase ventilation valve. As far as I know you just need to adapt the ventilation hose as needed to make it fit. I seem to remember that the Vanagon uses larger bolts for the rear engine mounts as well.

[orwell84]

Did the engine come out of your bus? If not, I’m not sure if the tin you have will fit or not. I wouldn’t paint or powder coat the engine case. The rest of the tin will just blend into your engine bay if you paint it the same color. I would choose a choose a contrasting color but in the same color palette. Some people paint or powder coat the fan shroud. I would wait until you know what fits and what doesn’t. You have a lot of work to do before you have to worry about it. It’s the fun part. How do the parts that make you go down the road look?

[brinleydavis]

[brinleydavis]

[SGKent]

what is a small gouge?

Here is my 1977 rebuild thread. 1979 is just a little different if it is Federal. If California then the FI system is much different. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=724313&highlight=1977+process
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[brinleydavis]

[raygreenwood]

I saw your other thread asking about the "gouge" in your piston. Actually its a dent.

You should be ok re-using the piston. However.....thats a valve dent. I would say its probably 90% sure that either the valve that hit it is now bent ...and/or.....the valve guide is possibly cracked or damaged or now loose in the head.

Have new guides put in. Also inspect the puhrods on all cylinders. If this happened due to a pushrod or lifter issue holding the valve open....anything in the valve train for that cylinder can,be damaged. Ray

[SGKent]

check that rod to be sure it isn't bent
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[airschooled]

Pictures are really going to help us give good advice on which parts fit, which parts don't, and what you'll need to buy, (likely used.)

Same thing for the exhaust; exchange is a mixed bag depending on what you have and its condition.

Robbie
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[Wildthings]

I am going to assume that your engine saw a lot of miles after the valve and piston had their meeting. I would doubt that you damaged a rod, but since you have the heads off you should take them in to an automotive machine shop and let them check the heads out for you. You could have a bent valve or you might have a cracked guide, but it could well be that any damage was corrected long ago.

[Abscate]

I don’t think that’s a valve hit, it’s a drop or a tool drop.

Valve check is required anyhow, but I bet they are fine.

I’d run that in a round Towner but if it headed for the highway at speed, no.
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[raygreenwood]

[Wildthings]

The dent shows that it was hit repeatedly by something that was maintaining its position in the cylinder head, not be some random junk bouncing around in the cylinder or a tool being dropped on it. My guess is that maybe the head dropped a valve seat on a cold start and the piston and valve collided several times before the then owner shut it down. I wouldn't expect the dent hurting anything if the OP keeps his speed below 90 mph most of the time.

[SGKent]

I'd be deeply concerned if a cam gear snuck its way into a combustion chamber.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[timvw7476]

seen far worse gouges run just fine. maybe just knock the raised perimeter
off with a tiny file or that cool tiny grinder kit harbor freight sells with tips&bits
for the cost of a cheeseburger.... good to go.

[Abscate]

[raygreenwood]

[old DKP driver]

I have seen this same dent before and that dent is from the exhaust valve
When it got stuck in the valve guide. A piece of a camshaft gear would have made several sharp indentations.
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V.W.owner since 1967

[raygreenwood]