failure after running without fan belt

[austinzuffi]

Hey all, i learned hard today

Generator on my 1600dp did not like the desert (dust). It was sparking and smelled like electrical fire. I took out the brushes. Still wouldn't turn well. The coiling in there was all clumped up.

So i ran a jump from my solar accessory battery over to the motor battery, and i took off the generator belt. Apparently that's called the fan belt. I ran my 1968 bus for a few miles and the motor died, maybe i lost compression. I of course overheated. The jumper cable was on fire from touching the hot pipes near spark plug #3. The #2 spark plug wire was burned out and melted.

I'm waiting a tow into Reno. I'll replace the generator and spark plugs and wires. How do I proceed from there to test any hope for my motor?

I've heard to check if i can turn the motor, to check the valve gaps and to ditch the old oil[/code]
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'68 Bus with 1600 dual port

[skills@eurocarsplus]

sounds like you done cooked it.

probably no coming back from this without a rebuild. at minimum you pulled case studs
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[richparker]

The fan belt spins the generator which has a fan attached to the back of it inside the fan shroud that cools the oil and heads. By driving the bus without the belt attached you overheated the engine and possibly destroyed it.

I’m sure more people will chime in. But I’d think you’d have to hope it still spins and isn’t seized. If so, then changed the oil, check the valves, replace the burned up parts and pray to the VW gods it will still run. Back in ‘95 I shredded a belt on a T1 engine in a not so nice neighborhood. I kept on going to my destination because i didn’t have a extra belt and I was scared. Then next day I installed a new belt and the bus fired right up. 2 days later it burned to the ground. Now I always carry a spare belt.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[SGKent]

engine is probably destroyed. Maybe just the cylinders and heads bad but the case can be warped or the bearings seized. Have it flat-bedded home until you can afford to buy a whole new engine. If you are going to try to continue to drive it and fix it there, you might call Bugformance in Sacramento to see what they sell a whole engine for. It is a 2 hour drive down from Reno if you can rent a car. There is also Kombi Haus in Sacramento. There is a place in Reno called Reno Buggie Barn but I know nothing about them other than they are air cooled type stuff. Maybe they could steer you in a direction and help you troubleshoot. (775) 329-0940

Think of what would happen running a water cooled engine without water in it. Same thing.
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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

[austinzuffi]

[aeromech]

I don’t think you are reading what my friends here have said. You cooked the engine. The cylinders will have low compression. The bearings are damaged as well as the crank. There is no magical bandaid to fix it. You’ll need a longblock and a generator. Then you’ll need someone who has the knowledge and tools to fix this.
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Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Abscate]

Put some oil in the cylinders after you get the plugs out and find a friend to do a compression test, that will dictate the next steps
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.ssS!

[austinzuffi]

I put new plugs and wires in. Now I'm checking the valves. I opened the right cover and it stinks! Barbequed oil. It's dry in there, grey.

Set to cylinder #1, the inner of the two valves is all the way tight, the outer of the two is beyond loose, because the spring top part is way sunk in (stuck in)

I'll put new oil in it and check for compression. Might as well try everything, i got quoted three weeks for a rebuild here in Reno
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'68 Bus with 1600 dual port

[cmonSTART]

Oof. Ya that looks like it got pretty hot - a valve seat or guide might have moved. Those heads don't look good from here.
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[austinzuffi]

[cmonSTART]

With that much play yes your pushrod might come right out.

That's a generic Autozone image. Items 2 and 3 (your valve guide and seat) are both pressed in place, usually with the head heated up quite hot in order to make that possible. Your head might have gotten hot enough to allow them to move on their own, which changes where the valve sits at rest. This is a really serious problem and continuing to use the head can result in very serious damage when things finally let loose.
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[austinzuffi]

Okay and now on cylinder #3 the outer valve completely destroyed 8 (valve spring cap)

I might be getting to the end of my testing
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'68 Bus with 1600 dual port

[Starbucket]

It looks frozen to the guide. Try prying the valve open with a screw driver to see if it even moves. The push rod is bent for sure.
Check Crags list or the local junk yards for a used motor. There used to be a VW shop right by the place the road (395) splits to go to Reno and Sparks.

[cmonSTART]

That's your pushrod, and yes the pushrod tube looks destroyed. Your valve is on the opposite side of the "lever" (which is the rocker).
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[KentABQ]

Ouch.
I feel your pain,
Been there... twice.

My recommendation is to save up and get the engine rebuilt correctly.
After getting my engine rebuilt correctly, I've been having such a great time with Chloe...

Summer 2019:
We drove from San Diego CA to Orlando FL over a 3 week period.
Numerous stops along the way... Grand Canyon and New Orleans being two of the highlights... and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

So learn from your mistake, learn more about your van/bus, and have a helluva good time! I did, and am loving it.
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-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[Abscate]

Skip the compression test. That engine is coming out, for certain. That’s the next step.
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.ssS!

[austinzuffi]

[austinzuffi]

[Starbucket]

[ImAddicted]

That 35k is out the window. It’s cooked. Like a roast you put in the oven @500F and then left for the week. I know you don’t want to face this - and I’m one that will try to salvage anything if I can - but your motor is toast. Burnt toast. Black and crusted. All the wishing in the world isn’t going to change reality. Trying to”fix” it isn’t worth the effort and definitely is an underwater situation.
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1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR