The beautiful autumn leaves

[Zundfolge1432]

Around this time of year we are enjoying the colors and change of seasons but it can cause a problem for your air cooled car. It started with me checking the oil and the fan belt. Then remembering a different kind of fan noise last couple of times I drove the car. Hard to explain but the tone was different and it became more pronounced at higher rpms. So engine off removed my old man type wristwatch and using my bare hand checked the cooling fan.

I found several leaves and pieces stuck to the vanes. I got what I could and hoped for the best, makes me wonder what got past and is further down line. Then I started looking at the fan belt and noticed the cracks. It’s 10 years old at least so I changed that too. If you look close you can see it’s been slipping and left glazed appearance. So it pays to check stuff every once in awhile right?

Tools needed a flat blade screwdriver, a 13/16 deep well ( same as spark plug) socket and a ratchet.

Pics say this

I’m using a good quality German pulley and all original shims, I cleaned them while I was there.

Here’s some old belts I probably should have thrown away years ago, they are just something to look at now

I’m looking at this cap again to see if I’m getting engine up to temp, don’t want to see any white gooey emulsified oil. This ones good so top it off and hit the road

I did put a Gates 7355 belt on instead of Continental we’ll see how this works. My test drive went well.😀

[goober]

I too love looking at the colors. You're right about checking things once in a while.

About a month ago I went to snug up my belt. (I like it Goldilocks style, not too tight not too loose)

While I was playing with the belt, to my surprise, I noticed my gen brushes were down to the holder. That's not keeping up with things very well, I forget. (I'm trying to remember what else I forget)

So my 5 minute job turned into an hour and a half. I hate changing generator brushes with the gen on the car.

[sb001]

[goober]

Sb001, it can be done but it's not much fun.

You've got to get the belt out of the way and pack rags or paper towels around everything. You will drop that tiny little screw and lock washer at least 4-5 times. You'll want to be able to find it quickly and easily.

If you're good at working with a reverse image in a mirror and you have a wad of sticky stuff to hold that little screw onto a stubby screwdriver, that will work.

Or if you have small thin fingers and you can still bend over to look underneath at what your doing, that's another way.

You may have to bend a small piece of wire to hold back the spring, maybe not. It depends on you fingers and the spring.

Should I remove the engine or fan housing for any reason I'll replace the brushes. Use only genuine Bosch brushes and you should get 40,000 mile or more on a set depending on how much load you carry.

With a 6-8 amp battery charger I'll usually run the gen like a motor to lap in the brushes, but not always. Sometimes I'm lazy....like a month ago.

[airschooled]

Five minute adventure, with the right tools (But why do mine seem to go out in the rain at night??)

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Proto-J9866-Slotted...&psc=1
_________________
One-on-one tech help for your vintage Volkswagen:

www.airschooled.com

https://www.patreon.com/airschooled