Mojave road run

[sam_w]

It is now fixed. A used lightened 8 hole flywheel, balanced and installed with the good dowels and JB welded on bad dowels.

I looked at my videos and you ,can hear noises in the last one. I will edit my pics and videos, but gotta go and get the Thingster home.

So happy that I did not need an engine rebuild and a new crank!

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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing

[sam_w]

Well I made a 4 minute video, here you are.


Link

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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing

[Bashr52]

[euromog]

You are going to have to replace that crankshaft. I use a Gene Berg forged gland nut and washer with an 8 dowell crank and flywheel. Then torqued to 350ft lbs. After decades of drag racing turning up to 7000rpm no issues.

[sam_w]

Well John et alia,
I respect your opinions .
I had planned to take the Thingster down to the Classic & back, 1,000 miles.
I then planned to go to seer Clara, of split bus fame, in Olympia WA, the on to Vintage Meet in Seattle, and on to see relatives in Vancouver BC, about 2000 miles.
These trips both take me far from home.

The Thingster ran well for 12,000 miles with four dowels. The flywheel is now balanced and it should be as good if not better than the original installation.
Am I crazy to consider these trips. or should I take my 63 singlecab with a standard 1600 Miximotor?

It runs just fine and I can't see why it broke the gland nut, I know it would have made sense to put in a Chromemoly one, but it is installed and the Thingster runs great.
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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing

[euromog]

Way back in the 60's when VW air cooled engines were modified for drag racing they started using 8 dowell cranks and flywheels because 4 was not enough to hold the HP. Porsche 356 engines use 8 dowels but they are smaller.

You have a 2 liter engine that is making a lot more torque than stock that 4 dowel pins are trying to hold. The dowels moved in their holes because of more torque than they were engineered for. Once the flywheel twisted from it's original position from the loose dowels the gland nut became loose. That was the noise you heard. Eventually the shock loads broke the gland nut.

The work you had done is a good field patch. I personally would not drive far from home expecting a trouble free trip. I would be shopping for a new crankshaft with a match 8 doweled flywheel. IE the extra dowels are drilled with the flywheel mounted to the crankshaft so they are a precision matched set. Then use a forged gland nut. This does entail a complete rebuild of the engine but the only way to have it be reliable for off-road excursions in the desert.

Although slower the single cab would be a better choice for the trips. Enjoy the scenery.

[sam_w]

Well I have made a decision, right or wrong.
I will order a Heavy Duty Gland Nut, and the next time the engine comes out replace the standard one that is there.
I expect that I will have to replace the clutch sometime, because I have to slip it a bit to climb over rocks, so it will not last 50,000 miles.

I will also carry it with me in case I get into trouble away from home.
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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing

[Metal Twister]

So with the problems fixed when are we going to go again?
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Change is Opportunity!
Instagram=metaltwister

[sam_w]

Yes indeed,
I can't wait for Memorial Day weekend 2016.
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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing