Zed speaks the truth. Without the plate, you'll always badly overheat. Trying other stuff won't solve the problem. Check the end float - more than 2mm and it's unlikely the case can be saved, so a replacement engine might be the cure...
Any chance you could show us the engine bay, see if anything obvious is missing? Whenever I have problems like this, I work through a list. It also covers a basic engine service, if you throw in an oil change. When the engine is cold, check the valve gaps. Set them all to 0.006" as per your manual. That's done. Now take the spark plugs out, whip a bit of sandpaper between the anode/cathode and set the gap. should be 0.6mm. Next stop is your points dwell. No good setting it with a feeler gauge, I start off like that then check it with the proper gear and it's always miles out. You need a dwell meter, I got a lovely seventies chap off ebay for a tenner. Connect it like so: Positive wire to coil negative. Negative wire to earth (I clip it on the vacuum pot on the distributor). Crank engine while taking a look, it should be 50 degrees (+/-2 degrees). Now, check your timing. with the engine off and the king lead on the distributor disconnected (just in case it kicks back). Get yourself a 12v lightbulb, connect it in the same way you did the dwell meter. turn the ignition "on" so the lights on the dash are on. With your hands rotate the bottom pulley (can use the top pulley for "leverage) until the appropriate mark is lined up with the join in the crankcase. Now, there's some confusion here. You've got three marks,I think- two close together, "V shaped". One broader flat one. Broader flat one is TDC. it's what you use for setting the valves. Furthest right is 10 degrees BTDC, ignore that one. "middle" is 7.5 degrees BTDC. Assuming your engine is stock, this is the one you want. You need to loosen the distributor clamp and rotate the distributor whilst rotating the crankshaft pulley. When turned clockwise, the light needs to come on when that 7.5 degrees mark is in line with the crankcase split. Now you need a strobe light, and you need to check the advance on your distributor. connect as per instructions, and rev the engine. Make sure that with the vacuum can disonnected (and the hole from the carb that you just made plugged) the advance goes to about 30 degrees at 3000rpm. Turn the engine off. Now pop your mouth over the vacuum line from the distributor and suck really hard. the distributor base plate should move. Pop your tongue over the end and stop sucking, it should stay still. Remove tongue and it should return. Got that sorted? Good. Your valves and timing are AOK. Then, and only then, can you start playing with carbs. This is because- People adjust carbs when other stuff is wrong and twiddle knobs until everything seems to work OK. This is not helpful, it covers up problems that probably still exist, and even if not they'll come back. When they do, you won't know what the hell is wrong with it. Run the engine and spray WD40 around the joints from the carbs, check for the engine revving indicating a leak. Also check visually for any unblocked vacuum lines etc coming out of the carb. Tuning the carb- I normally tune my engines with a CO meter from Gunsons- but it's expensive, mine was second hand and about £50. but it takes ALL of the guesswork out of it. You just dial in the number and you're done. BUT your engine has an issue, and if you haven't done it before you want to make sure it's right. So i'd set your carbs to the standard manufacturer setting and ask your local VW guy to do it ON A METER. not by ear- ask for a CO reading ;-) If your tinware is all there and in place, your van will run properly for donkey's years once that's done. Of course, that plate's missing. Do all the above once you've got it refitted ;-)
Really wasted my time a bit there, didn't I ;-) I often think people overlook how much difference a well set up engine makes, didn't want the fella sorting it out and cooking it again
Thanks again for all your input guys - there is no endfloat whatsoever. Engine runs sweet as from cold, and pulls really well, just getting too hot. Next on the list is to check the valve gaps and the timing, and get the missing piece of lower tinware on - in terms of the flat piece missing between the heads & the pushrods, if none of the above cures the problem, and its engine out/heads off time, that will have to wait as if i'm doing all that I may as well upgrade the engine at the same time, so that'll probably happen over the winter, unless I can find a turnkey one.
And if he tries the other stuff and keeps taking it on 10 mile trial trips it's going to get toasted.
@grub pull that thing out, change any seals, clean it up, fit the missing tinwear, set the valves, service it and put it back in before things get worse.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it heads off to for the tin wear under the pushrods !! Allso I would check any engine before I even drive it valve gaps 1st as I trashed 1 engine driving it when cam follower was seized but I didn't listen to these guys and drove it !!
Have you had the altenator checked? You say a wire melted because of the heat from the engine, I would say that heat from a fault in the altenator would melt the connection not heat from the engine. Altenators can go wrong in a way that that can cause resistance and make the engine work harder and run hotter. The bubbling oil could have been fuel in the float chamber. Looking at the pictures of you engine it does not look as if it has got that hot. Does it stink? If the oil were to "boil" your engine would not turn over, it would have seized. Deflector plates, 10-2o% of the engines I strip have 1 or more missing, the engine does not fail without them but its life will be shortened, you can fit them with the engine fitted, you will just need some telescopic pushrod tubes in order to do this. Robert
@happystamps just wondering. You came round to look at my bus when I first got it and before that to look at my Beetle before the nut and bolt resto started but I remembered you went to uni South Wales. You seem to know the best way to set up the type 4 before playing with carbs and I wouldn't mind your eyes over my motor before I pull it out when I restore my bus this winter to ensure I don't miss anything.
The alternator lamp on the speedo is currently on, as I assume the wire has come off the alternator again. Last time I ran it up on the drive, the alternator was not getting hot, the first part of the engine to start getting hot was the tinware over the top of the barrels barrels on the side with the flat plate ON but the lower tinware (under the barrles) MISSING ??
Sorry to say this, but you seem to just be going round in circles with this. The only option in my opinion is to pull the engine and look at it properly.
Hard not to agree with this. You sure the fan is spinning? I'd come and have a look if you were around the corner.
...your engine will get hot, whether the tin is missing or not....too hot and you'll fry it....hence the need for the tinware/thermostat etc.....all the info you need to rectify your problem has been provided above. How to test your alternator here.....if the light is on I suspect the brushes are knackered...this in itself would not cause your engine to drastically overheat....missing tinware, slipping fanbelt, broken/blocked fan, overly advanced timing, tight exhaust valves, stuck relief valve, plugged cooler etc. would, however....you need to investigate each in turn.....Buy a manual, a few hand tools, remove the engine and fix your problems....otherwise, pay someone else to do it....
