|
Post by Volktales on Jan 15, 2017 8:56:43 GMT -8
The nice thing about type 4 engines is the pushrod tubes slide right out through the heads and are sealed with basic O-rings on either end. Much simpler then type 1 engines...
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Feb 15, 2017 23:21:49 GMT -8
While I am still cleaning the bottom of the engine so I have yet to get at the tubes, I have been trying to get the exhaust holes plugged. First things first was to get everything apart all the way and bead blast the components. Once cleaned up it was determined that there was enough material to weld to, as long as I made the patch big enough. But how to cope with the compound curve that the hole was smack in the middle of? At first I figured I could take a piece of pipe and pound it to take the proper shape. It was kinda sorta working.... But it wasn't nearly the result I had hoped for and I think the neighbours were getting tired of listening to me pounding.. So what to do? As fate would have it, I was discussing an unrelated project problem with Russ' dad a few days before. I was trying to replicate a corner on an old costco shelter that had gone missing over the years. After failing to bend some thin walled pipe with a bender made for heavy-walled pipe(it just mangled it) Joe's suggestion was to go to Speedy Muffler in downtown Nanaimo. Well, That was an awesome suggestion because they did a great job! At minimal cost too! So getting back to my dilemma at hand, I thought perhaps that Speedy could do some preliminary bending of a similarly sized piece of pipe for a patch. Well, they lived up to their name and speedily made this promising piece up for me: I actually asked for just one bend, but this gave me two chances if the first didn't work, i.e. if I failed to cut and fit properly. So I drew out what I figured would be approximately a good fit Pretty close, but still with flat spots on both ends So I used the hammer/anvil to pound the flat spots into a matching fair curve and thus a better fit. Looked good to me! I hadn't fired up the welder in quite a while so I was a bit hesitant but pressed on. I kept the repair patch well-clamped until I moved around tacking on opposite sides in hopes of minimizing distortion. Once tacked I just filled in the gaps, again working around the piece Once done I ground off the welds and made it look nice...even though it will never be seen Now to get those push rod tubes out and painted done while the exhaust is off...
|
|
|
Post by Volktales on Feb 16, 2017 8:18:09 GMT -8
Looking good! Now finish off them pushrod tube seals!
|
|
|
Post by CrazyBrit on Feb 16, 2017 8:21:59 GMT -8
Nice!
|
|
|
Post by Wongai on Feb 16, 2017 10:34:08 GMT -8
Awesome. Satisfying to solve those problems. The welds look pretty good. Nice job!
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Feb 17, 2017 17:26:22 GMT -8
Thanks for those words of encouragement. Yes Byron, it is satisfying getting to solving the problems. One problem I can't seem to solve is one of my OCD. I got into this thinking I would just fix leaks in the exhaust and the tubes, but things have quickly gotten outta hand. I have now taken off the whole rear of the heater system(excluding engine fan of course)up to the plastic bellows.The flappers and the tubes up to them are now in line to be bead blasted. This Bus is so rust free they have only needed a bit of heat to free the 6mm shroud screws on the LHS. With all that stuff out of the way I couldn't help but to start cleaning. That is when the OCD really kicked in and I have spent more than a few hours writhing around on the garage floor spraying everything with Purple Power, scrubbing and removing caked-on grunge with various tools and rinsing with a spray bottle of water...then repeating over and over......and over..... UGH! But on the bright side, I am getting results. Of course nobody will ever see any of this, but I(is that enough?) will know it is there. TBH I have wanted to do it ever since doing the first cleaning a few years ago, then especially after building up that engine for the Laurie/Claire Bus. I know it won't stay clean, but it is gonna take a while to become as dirty! Here is the RHS after removing the thermostat and initially scraping off the biggest globs After a while these are the results. What you can't see here are the cleaned CVs and axles which will also now need paint( in situ if I can!) Okay Russ, now that everything is clean I will soon get to the push rod tubes!
|
|
|
Post by tony on Feb 17, 2017 18:39:50 GMT -8
Rumour has it you have spent more on cleaning products than the bus is worth!
|
|
|
Post by Volktales on Feb 17, 2017 19:24:19 GMT -8
Now that it is finally just right, you can't sell it. I know I couldn't...
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Feb 17, 2017 20:24:06 GMT -8
Rumour has it you have spent more on cleaning products than the bus is worth! You mean there is a cost to "elbow grease"? And water is free. I do know that the cost to my health seems great at the moment what with all the rolling around on the concrete! Now that it is finally just right, you can't sell it. Last night I had that exact thought. I want to enjoy the "fruits" of my labour. Something else is gonna have to give Just as aside, here is that shelter piece I used for welding practice alongside the factory one Here are the flappers and air tubes ready for blasting. Those bellows were a bit of a b*tch to get off because the silicone was still holding after all these years... Now that all that is out of there, it is interesting to note a heat shield/sound dampener still tabbed in place above the transaxle. Something I have never seen before...maybe others have?
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Mar 6, 2017 19:19:18 GMT -8
I have been working on this a bit as of late. I sandblasted all the parts and have now used VHT ceramic paint to coat all the parts. It is a tedious and time consuming process because it involves this: Yes an oven. First at 250 degrees F for 30 minutes, then out for 30 minutes, then in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, out to cool for 30 minutes, then in at a 600 degree oven for the last 30 minutes. The really fun part is that when they come out the parts are sticky! Make sure your oven mitts are clean...and disposable! I tried to pick up the parts in spots that weren't visible, but sometimes that just wasn't possible. So they aren't perfect, but pretty good! Here are some other grey parts in a smaller oven at a reno I am embarking upon After many oven/cooling hours here are the resulting parts: Still have yet to do the push rod tubes, but it is looking cleaner underneath
|
|
|
Post by magikbus on Mar 6, 2017 19:54:35 GMT -8
After and "exhausting" search, and having "fired" many previous choices, you're hired! Stan
|
|
|
Post by Wongai on Mar 7, 2017 8:27:10 GMT -8
Man! That looks awesome. I'll have to consider that regime when it come time to deal with my system. Thanks for posting this! B
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Mar 14, 2017 22:38:03 GMT -8
I have been slowly chipping away at this. I thought it prudent to first get the copper gaskets out of the heads before getting to the push rod tubes. It was a bit more of a struggle than I thought it would be because they were stuck in there good! Russ kindly lent me the snap ring pliers that open up more than mine and he said they would work fine to wiggle the gaskets out. Well, for one it worked just fine. The others didn't budge after more that a few attempts. I was left to devise a way. Since they are copper and there was no plan to reuse them, wrecking them seemed to be the only option. Starting with a very thing screw driver and getting progressively bigger in three steps I was able to bend them inward enough(by finally twisting the last screwdriver)to form a lip. So then with a little hook(okay, an allen key in vise grips ) I was able to pop them right out. Then it was onto the push rod tubes. Egg cartons came in very handy here. First the rockers: Then after cleaning and new o-rings the tubes were slightly gooped up with a bit of aviation gasket material. The tubes pushed back in quite nicely with the end of the philips screwdriver handle. Once in and everything was back in place I replaced that pooched thermostat that I traded Rob a couple to toys for. Yay, now the flaps will work! What a pain hooking up that little wire though. My engine tin still has the rubber gasket around the wire so getting it thru there was cause for a few choice words... My cat Cleo was interested to watch as it all went together...either that or tubby was telling me it was her dinner time Notice the carpets...it kinda looks like Frank's garage the first time I adjusted his valves on his bug while he took notes. Only his carpets were oil soaked, ugh! I still have no idea why he had me do that for him being that he had driven his bug for quite a while by that point and already knew what he was doing Frank must've just been trying to figure out how much I didn't know. The carpets for me here is that I just didn't want to scratch the new paint on all these parts too much.
|
|
|
Post by Wongai on Mar 15, 2017 7:46:09 GMT -8
Just reminded me that i have a valve adjustment in my future. Pretty nice job on that ride man. Looking great!
ps - I think your cat ate Brent's dog.
|
|
|
Post by PICTUP on Mar 15, 2017 17:28:11 GMT -8
Just reminded me that i have a valve adjustment in my future. Pretty nice job on that ride man. Looking great! Luckily this is a hydraulic lifter engine It's coming together slowly. It is kinda fiddly in parts and I am glad I left some of the supports dangling so I know where the end of the heater boxes and pipes should be. I cleaned a the bellows that link up to the heater boxes and installed the flappers and "up" tubes first. Couldn't really get a decent pic because they are too black. It is nice putting all clean parts back together. I even cleaned and reused the proper VW clamps on the bellows These are the gaskets to use for the late air cooled Bus triangular flanges. The ones CIP1 sells are for Vanagons, but they annoyingly say they are the same---NOT! Here is most of the system installed ps - I think your cat ate Brent's dog. She loves our( her?) dog, but from others she runs. That isn't to say she wouldn't be capable
|
|