Engine woes for new owner - haven't even received my V5 yet :(

Hi all,

So I bought the van 2 weeks ago, traveled for 100 miles on B roads no worries. Topped off for a bit at Marvell zoo, and then started traveling home.

Upon hitting the dual carriage way my speeds went up to 70/80mph, a bit green around the ears!

Well that didn't last long, the engine overheated, I lost power, and when going downhill to a roundabout the engine stalled, but I stil had movement so it jumped itself, the oil pressure light and battery light came on, but went off when the engine restarted. Managed to crawl up the hill in first at about 10mph max speed and got into a lay by where the AA finally recovered me.

Back at my mechanic mates at home we had a look, I had to move the van up the lane a bit and it started and drove fine then, so we changed fuel filter and fuel pipes, adjusted the fan belt and thought that was issues sorted if I adjusted my driving style.

I have been moving the van up and down the drive to get the doors open whilst carrying out remedial tasks such as fitting a radio etc, but today I went 10 miles out of town to warm the engine up for an engine flush, oil change, new strainer and gaskets, got 10 miles out, pulled into somewhere to turn around but as I did I had a lot of squeezing, and some random never heard before metal on metal sounds! I got into the car park coasting, the engine died and there I sat.
I tried restarting a few times and eventually it did, and I moved it but the fan belt sounded like it was badly slipping, bingo I thought, no fan belt no cooling, no charge, so I got the socket set out and new belt out I had in the back by chance and replaced it.

Started up first time but with a weird clunking sound, which I have now just found John meirs sound clip page and I think it sounds like the loose flywheel.

I drove it home, got most of the way, but had to two the last mile and it totally died, the engine cut out again it stalled but bumped a couple of time on the way back but got to a point where it would no longer restart!

It's now on my drive, not sure what to do with it, I also found out the front windscreen is leaking with a brand new seal on it, pouring in behind the dash, so it now also has 2 rubble sacks duct taped over the windscreen to hopefully keep the rain out

Really wanted a nice T2 that we could go off camping in with the family, but these breakdowns have really got me down, and I just don't know what to do

 

Thats a very familiar story
My Moonraker leaked from the same place ,where the original aerial was ,needed welding.
My original engine went within 6 months ,I use to drive between 70/80 - no longer do.

 

engine size?

Windscreen is a pretty common thing to leak, even with new seals... I use this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INDASA-Wi..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item43b77d474c
Stopped all leaking screens so far... you'll also need some panel wipe too, this will help remove the excess that squeezes out!!

 

v5 can take upto 6 weeks, sounds like you siezed the injun and when cool it runs until it's warm...... windscreen leaks...... don't even start me.....

 

I think you have been very unlucky! Either that or we have been very lucky!

We are into our 3 rd year of ownership and up to September last year have had 5000 miles of trouble free travelling and camping.

Stick with it I am sure the benefits will be worth it.

 

Drop out the oil and check it for any bits or too much metal particles. Fingers crossed. If its got a high metal content it'll be engine out and a strip I m afraid.

 

thanks for quick responses.

the engine is 1600 taken to 1641 by previous owner, but tbh the engine whilst idling sounds like the sound clip for pistons on the wrong way round aswell.

he reason for the oil change was the fact that the oil is black, but looks glitery on the dip stic kwhen you hold ot up to the sun, realy fine metal particles.
mate reackons its down to the last owner not cleaning off the parts before they went into the engine, obviously ive not dropped the oil yet, im so pi55ed off i could cry

 

I hate to say this dude, but the 70 to 80 would not have helped in the slightest!! The old 1600 type 1s are only meant to do a steady 55/60mph!!

You have to understand that the engine is only designed for a max rpm of 4500, and at 80, you would've been doing more than that!!

But that said, with a unknown home rebuild, the PO could've slapped anything together!!

And 1641s aren't a good investment in a bus... the extra weight of the van means an increased load on the engine, so the thinner barrels of the 1641 are likely to warp...

 

Hope it aint too bad bud. Strength!

 

Yep you've cooked it doing modern speeds!!
Take a look at the insides of mine, yours probably similar, I didn't even do 60mph it was just goosed.
http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/yet-another-engine-build.23003/

 

Mate, we definitely feel for you. Does your mechanic mate know how to fix aircooleds? Is that place up on Trevemper Road near Morrisons still there? They used to be big on air cooled VWs. If yours has been cooked they might know where you could get a decent replacement, you'd probably be better getting a 1600 recon.

 

We've all been here. There's no such thing as a cheap t2. There more expensive than your mrs!

 

There is a chap called Nigel Allen my mechanic mate has been taking advise from, my mate has gone on holiday for a week now but. May give Nigel a call as I have heard some good things about him, he rebuilds engines for business but not sure what the cost of a rebuild will be.
I may drop the engine out myself to save a bit of cash but ill see what he says.
I wonder whether I did the damage on the first break down when I was doing 70/80 mph and seized it, and its ok when cold but as soon as it heats up I get problems.
I think I should have got a t4/t5 boooohoooo

 

It might well of already been knackered mate ,its only on longer journeys you really find out ,you should ask for a 100 mile test drive

 

What sort of money do you thnk I'd be looking at for a rebuild?

Is it worth getting this engine rebuilt or buying a warrentied recon from vw heratige or similar?

 

rebuilding type 1s aren't really worth it... you can get a fully refurbished one for less than a grand and comes with a full 12 months warranty!!

 

That's the $64 m question... Depends on what the opinion of the current engine is. As its already been rebuilt and re bored not sure. I would go for a warrantied recon personally for piece of mind and the fact I'd have to pay someone to rebuild - I don't have the skill.

 

What pees me off is that I think they PO was probably told when he had the pistons and barrels done to 1641 to shift it!
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, I look around the van and see the rushed Finnish, and think why go to all of that effort and spend all of that money getting loads of welding done, do ruin it with poor paint, and general poor finishing.
The guy wanted to keep it, I know I can redo bits but its really fustrating, but. Guess that's why it wasn't £10k!

I really hope this engine can be saved but I have a sinking feeling I have shagged it by ragging it, now I'm going to be stung for a recon engine or simaler, I guess like you say you've all been there.

What can I expect from a well maintained regularly serviced recon engine?

Should I be looking at years of trouble free motoring, or am I still to expect trouble?