2.1 wbx parts identification help needed

[crazyvwvanman]

I recently acquired a used 2.1 wbx engine. As I was moving the engine a piece fell onto the floor. When I looked on top of the engine there were more loose pieces. These were all laying on top of the case under the intake runners. There were some strange looking dark areas on the top of the case as well. What are these parts? How did they get on top of the engine? What sequence of events could have led to this happening?

Mark

[Vanagon Nut]

Good golly. Miss Moly?

Is that what I think it is? Piston and ring shrap?

Edit: and case shrap?

Wow. Just, wow.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[0to60in6min]

pieces of a exploded grenade?

[vanagonjr]

Hmmm A game of Clue!
Tired engine. Low oil pressure to #3 main bearing. Bearing seizes. Rod bolts break. Rod through case. Owner either A) Gives up B) Searches TheSamba and every engine conversion under the sun is recommended.

And Colonel Mustard in the living room with the candlestick is to blame.
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[Ahwahnee]

Meteorites.

Or just some bits that got homesick and were heading back to Hannover.

Hope it wasn't option 1 as I do use the orange filter from the blue store.

[chazz79]

I second noticable piston rings and lands. Start looking for the hole that escaped from. They like to leave through the top in the area you described.
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[crazyvwvanman]

I took some stuff off of the engine to get a picture of the strange dark areas on the top of the block. I think those other bits came out of them.

I am still curious what the chain of events was.

The guy I got the engine from said it already didn't run when he got it. He just pulled it complete to do a conversion and gave me the leftovers. It was all fully assembled when I got it. I may find time to take the heads off and see if they are usuable cores before I scrap it. The intake runners have small bits of metal inside them all the way to the plenum.

Mark

[shadetreetim]

Yikes. That block has been lightened.
_________________
Tim Potts

Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!


'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5

[Wellington]

This is one of those rare barn finds. Been sitting and the mice got at it.

[chazz79]

I've done that.

It just tossed a couple rods. It must've bee ran low on oil or at high speeds too long. The only savable parts on my engine were externals and heads.
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[dhaavers]

[crazyvwvanman]

Did you read the poll options I gave?

Of course I expected most people to just assume the failure is due to the much mentioned 2.1 rod bolt failures. But the 2 rods where the 2 extra case holes are look to be still bolted to the crank journals. More on that later.

Mark

[insyncro]

Does the crank still spin?

The shrapnel looks like layers of case and JB Weld.

[1vw4x4]

You are the proud owner of one of those rare self venting engines. Several people locally have tried to make these but I've stopped them in the nick of time. One person (locally) was putting new head gaskets on one just to
make a vent hole!

SO, you'll get a lot of good parts.....

[Zeitgeist 13]

I'm kinda surprised that pieces of the piston came out the top.

Incorrect amperage fuses will do this every time
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[vanagonjr]

[Howesight]

This is why everyone says to change your fuel lines!
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[crazyvwvanman]

The bits and pieces seem to be all from pistons. Looking in through the larger new hole at cyl #1 you can see the small end of rod and the entire wrist pin is there fully exposed. The various loose bits of piston are so hammered and rounded that I have to think the engine continued to turn long after the basic failure occurred. That countless small bits of metal made it up the intake runners also points to a longer term destruction and that is why I am curious about the sequence of events. Who could keep moving down the road with the horrendous noises that must have been occurring? I have heard stories about tow trucks driving off with the tranny in a low gear but that is mere speculation in this case. Or maybe when whoever was driving the van experienced the problem they decided to just keep driving until it wouldn't go any farther.

Mark

[dhaavers]

[Wellington]

The result of not using hand planked rods