Bought a 1973 VW Thing, need some feedback! Please…

[cma68]

I spoke with Darby this morning. He feels that the Bowden tube might not have been seated all the way. He is going to look at it tomorrow morning. He also mentioned the amount of play.

Currently there is an excessive amount of play before the clutch engages.

So I have no doubt it will be taken care of.

I will post photos of the new engine and of the vehicle under introductions soon.

I will post further developments if warranted.

Thanks everybody!!!

[cma68]

I took my first drive today with the top down and windshield down. A lot going on with limited visibility behind me. That ride however helped to put all the issues behind me

I did notice that both valve cover gaskets leak at the same place. Front bottom corner on each side. I'd like to do something about that. Maybe there is a better valve cover gasket available?

Clutch is much better today??? But there is about 4 inches of peddle play before the clutch begins to disengage.

That will be remedied tomorrow morning. I need to pack a summer of fun in this long weekend.

[RLFD213]

The valve covers either have loose bales, are not seated right or they didn’t glue the cork gaskets to the valve covers. The clutch sounds like it’s an adjustment issue but what you are describing also sounds like bent fingers on the pressure plate. Keep us in the loop. Hopefully it’s a quick fix

[vws-microcars4jim]

4" of clutch freeplay is too much. I referred to my orange Bentley manual (the one mondshine recommended on page 1) and it says "it should be possible to depress the pedal 10-20mm (3/8-3/4") before feeling resistance". I checked my own car, it has a little more than that.

As far as the valve covers leaking, I would hope Darby would replace them gratis, as they should not be leaking. If not, get used to taking the covers off once in a while for valvetrain adjustment. I have tried the slicone, rubber and cork gaskets, and center-bolt on valve covers (don't). Cork seems to be the best, with a little gasket adhesive on them so they dont slip inward.

[cma68]

Thanks for the info.

As for the leaks, Darby doesn't know about them yet. Also, he only installed the engine. Willie Page built it. So I can't expect Darby to take responsibility for it.

[RLFD213]

So did you get the car back? What was the deal with it?

[cma68]

The leaks are corrected. Willie contacted Darby to take care of them. As for the clutch, it turns out that it was a clutch return spring that broke. While looking it over Darby discovered that a mix of parts were used. He ordered the correct parts.

[cma68]

Picked up car this evening. Clutch return spring replaced. Runs well and shifts well. However, with about 4 miles left of a 40 mile drive the generator warning light came on. I made it home and didn’t notice any change in the headlights.

The new engine came with a rebuilt generator and voltage regulator. Maybe a wire came loose?

???

Also on the way home, a guy in a green bug, maybe early 1960s, with camping equipment on roof rack buzzed me.

[vws-microcars4jim]

Check your belt. It could have stretched a little and is loose which causes the generator to not spin well enough.

If it seems correctly tensioned, get yourself a cheap 12v multimeter and measure voltage across the battery while running.

[cma68]

Thanks vws...

Belt tension is good.
Battery voltage
12.4 not running
12.3 running
A few wires connected to top of voltage regulator are connected but not as firmly connected as they could be. I will pinch connectors a bit to get a firmer connection. However, I believe they make good contact.

The shop is having a replacement voltage regulator shipped to my house for arrival tomorrow. If not the voltage regulator then it is the generator.

I may look into how to test generator output so I can check it tonight.

[cma68]

UPDATE…

The new replacement voltage regulator arrived today. I removed the ground and positive from battery to charge battery while changing regulator. I removed the old voltage regulator from the bracket on the wheel well leaving the wires attached to the terminals.

I located the corresponding terminals on the new voltage regulator and transferred wires to new voltage regulator. Then attaching the new voltage regulator with wires attached to terminals back onto the bracket on wheel well.

I reconnected the battery, positive first then negative. When turning key to on position both the oil light and gen light illuminated. After starting the car the gen light remained on but the brightness changed with the RPMs. At idle light was dim and with RPM increase the light would brighten. I didn’t rev car too much for fear of burning out gen light or worse. Also, I only ran car for a few seconds.

Though the results aren’t what I wanted, it does appear that the generator is putting out a charge.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

PS. I haven’t had a chance to asked Darby how to proceed.

[vws-microcars4jim]

You have more testing to do. I found this helpful link that member "heimlich" posted a while back:
http://www.vw-resource.com/generator.html

Follow the generator tests. Could be worn brushes? You said the generator was "new"?

Search the forum for "voltage regulator" and you'll find this is pretty common. My Thing had this issue, although all parts were original. I upgraded to an alternator kit, a pretty easy mod you may want to consider down the road. Eliminates the regulator that can be fickle, and puts out more amperage. I did this and have had no charging issues since (20+ yrs).

You have to get a wiring diagram, just to check everything is connected to the regulator correctly. There are 8 wires connected to the regulator according to the Bentley. I bought a Thing-specific wiring diagram from The Thing shop and it helped me early on, but the Alternator conversion solved my charging woes. I would post a wiring diagram pic but may be copywrited. If you can't find a color diagram PM me and I will get one to you.

[cma68]

After reading many posts and links and deducing based on the information read, my interpretations are as follows;

Back history; newly rebuilt engine with rebuilt generator with a working voltage regulator based on the fact that I drove the car about 100 miles before gen light illuminated...

Initially the problem started with the gen light illuminated while driving. It was a constant brightness similar to when you first switch key to "on" position.

Voltage test across battery terminals showed 12.4 without engine running and 12.3 with engine running. No charge condition. Possible fault with voltage regulator. Assumption: Not providing charge. Further assumption: Gen light remaining a constant brightness indicates to me that it is being powered by battery.

Installed a new voltage regulator. Standard brand voltage regulator. As expected, gen light turns on with key in "on" position and is bright, but it still stays on when engine running, only very dim at low RPMs. Brightness increases with engine RPMs. Assumption: Overcharge condition. Possible faulty voltage regulator. Not limiting charge. Further assumption: Gen light changing brightness based on RPMs indicates to me it is being powered by generator.

(I read somewhere that the generator light can illuminate for a no charge condition as well as for an overcharge condition).

I haven't checked battery voltage across terminals after replacing voltage regulator. I did, however, order a Bosch solid state Voltage Regulator 30019 from JBugs to replace the "just replaced" voltage regulator.

Conventional wisdom would be to take car back to the shop. Unfortunately Darby is out of town until the 22nd and I am off for the next week and would have loved to finally been able to enjoy my THING. Darby is aware that I replaced the voltage regulator once. He had it shipped to me for that purpose. He is also aware that I ordered another voltage regulator, solid state this time, to replace the new possibly faulty voltage regulator.

The fact that the charging system did work for the short time I drove it, and the issues that initially developed changed with the install of a new voltage regulator, gives me hope that I am on the right track and the solid state voltage regulator will get me back on the road.

Yes, I do have more testing to do but like everybody, time is limited. I will check voltage across battery again for comparison sake.:::::Update…I blew out my gen light bulb revving to check voltage across battery terminals.

Feel free to tear apart my assumptions and deductions...they are just a novice approach to try and understand the problem with hopes of finding a solution. I appreciate all the feedback I have received so far.

[cma68]

Ok, I received the new solid state voltage regulator. I removed the negative cable from the battery, replaced the gen light bulb that blew out with the previous voltage regulator and installed the new solid state voltage regulator. I reconnected battery, set polarity on the new voltage regulator and checked that the gen light would illuminate with key, it did.

Key on, both oil and gen light illuminated. Engine on, both oil and gen light turned off. Battery voltage across terminals was 12.81 at idle but as much as 18 with high RPMs.

Too much? I was using the cheapest multimeter on Amazon so not sure how accurate. I drove car about 4 miles when the gen light illuminated. It was a constant brightness similar to key on position.

I assume that the generator is putting out too much voltage for the voltage regulator to handle. I will be bringing car back to let Darby resolve the problem.

[vws-microcars4jim]

18v is too much. 13-14v is acceptable. I have not heard of a generator producing that much voltage but I would think your meter is correct. The little dash bulbs won't like 18v. Good call returning to the shop to have it fixed...hopefully under warranty, as you didn't get very far. I assume the engine you had installed came complete, and was not a "long block" where they transferred your old tin, generator, etc. If it is all new, they should cover it.

The regulator, mounted on the left on the firewall? probably was the one you got with the car and couldn't handle the higher voltage. Terminal 61 supplies the generator light, not sure how the solid state regulator turns the light on or off but I have not heard of overcharging turning the light on. I have also not heard of polarizing the regulator, I have never done that.

Good luck, hopefully they can fix it fast and get you going again. There are a lot more good weather days left this year!

[Heiferman]

You have been through the ringer on this. Sounds like you are getting there though. Glad you are sticking with it.
_________________
- 1973 Thing, 1970 Ghia, some LandCruisers and an old Ambulance

[cma68]

[cma68]

Picked up the car about 11pm late this past Friday night. The good news was the new generator worked properly on the 1.5 hour drive home. But not all went well. The car would stall at low RPMs. A completely new development.

I read some posts on this forum. Some ideas from the posts I read included, timing, idle too low, vacuum leak, etc.

I contacted Darby and he suggested to check that the wires for the idle solenoid and choke were attached and connected to the proper side of the coil. While doing that on Saturday morning I did notice that a few of the vacuum caps were brittle. One on the intake manifold on the driver side had a hole in the end. Another on the carb had a few cracks.

I went and got a Dorman Vacuum Cap Assortment pack and replaced every vacuum cap I could locate. 4 on the carb and the one on the driver side intake manifold. That did it, took it for a 4 mile ride and it drove very well. I even notice that I could use third and fourth gears at lower speeds without sputtering.

When I first drove the car after the initial install before the clutch return spring broke, the car drove like that. Very smooth and responsive.

I think a few brittle vacuum caps failed once the engine got hot cause that smooth ride changed after the clutch spring incident but too much was going on so I can’t be sure.

So all is great, right? I thought so. It was hot and sunny (far western suburbs of Chicago) on Saturday. I wanted to take the car for my first real pleasure ride since getting it so many months ago (April ‘25).

I spent about an hour taking the windows out, top down, placing a boot over the top, stowing windows. etc. Suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere I got violently ill. Nearly throwing up.

Two days before this incident I began taking two medications for septic bursitis in my right elbow. One of them requires that you stay out of the sun. Needless to say, I’m not going to be enjoying a convertible Thing for at least a couple weeks. Not during the day anyway. I ended up leaving the top down. Going back out in the sun on Saturday just made me nauseous. I did put a cabin cover on so all is good.

I will try to take advantage of some early evenings if possible to ensure the car is running as it should be. I just can’t seem to catch a break with this Thing. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, even if I’m not supposed to expose myself to it. Ha ha.

[vws-microcars4jim]

I hope you're feeling better.

Good job fixing the vacuum leaks. Kinda surprises me that wasn't addressed while the engine was replaced. Any pics of your engine? I assume you have a centrifugal-advance distributor (009) if you capped every vacuum port. I ran one for years but finally had the original dvda distributor worked on and once installed it ran smoother, less hesitation.

Still warm around here, take an evening drive if you feel better.

[cma68]