Recondition or new engine or transplant

[lisavx]

Fanny's in Muddy Fields for some work following the whole fuel pump debacle in Ludlow (new fuel pump didn't solve the issue and we're still trying to figure it out).

She's had a compression test and the readings aren't great... 100 100 100 and 95. Recommendation is a to get the engine reconditioned for around £1600 but is it worth it? Should we be looking at a whole new engine? Another option we have is to swap engines with George the Beetle. He has a 1600 engine but we're having some carb issues with him. Would we be robbing Peter to pay Paul (or robbing George to pay Fanny) by doing a transplant and possibly setting ourselves up for new and different problems? Would it be cost effective anyway? Is reconditioning as good as a new engine?

As always... any advice gratefully received.

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[StuF]

Is it an option to do the work yourself and save a massive packet at the same time?
If you did the aircooled engine course run by Graham at Midland Earlybay it would give you the confidence to tackle loads of jobs.
Its not that difficult to replace pistons and barrels without splitting the engine block which should sort your compression issues if it is piston ring related?
What are your current specs?
£1600 is a pile of cash and you could save maybe a grand of that doing it yourself

 

[ozziedog]

:mrgreen: As Stu says above, a little course may be the answer possibly even if doing a course is only going to give you some confidence to know what you are talking about, so when a mechanic says it may be this or it may be that, you have a decent understanding of what they're talking about. If it is just compression issues, then a top end rebuild of the heads maybe all that is required, then while you are in the middle of that, you could have a real good look at the bores and gauge the condition of the rings and if it looks likely that a total strip down is required. If the endfloat is groovy then this may be all that's required. The fact that you have compression readings seems to indicate wear rather than problems / issues in the motor department, but that's not to say a worn motor is causing problems because they don't normally unless they've been badly overheated or run with too low an oil level.
If you have compression that's a little low, then this may exacerbate or multiply your fault or problem, but I also think that if you rebuild and pop your ancillaries back on, you are highly likely to still have the problem. Rebuilding the actual motor won't change the fact that something in your ancillaries is not working properly. Unless it's a heated up issue with the heads as in a cracked head or something that's happening just once the motors heated up then you are losing a load of compression when things start to expand.
As for a new engine, I'd stick with as much original parts and pieces as possible and only replace what you really need to. I got a new one in mine and I'll just say I thought it was a great idea and now I don't, these new ones are not quite the same as the original German motors and are made elsewhere and made slightly differently which does affect the engineering quality a lot , a whole lot.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, find and fix your fault first is my best shot. :mrgreen:

 

[vinvan]

Have a word with "Alfonzo on this forum" very knowledgeable chap, he is checking our engine out at the moment, his workshop is in Wrexham so not that far from you, nice guy too
if you want his number PM me and i will ask him if i can pass it on
PS the guys at Muddy Fields use him

 

[lisavx]

Thanks both.

Stu, thanks for the info on the course, I wasn't aware of that, it's something that we both would be interested in doing to build confidence but I think doing a recon is a bit beyond us due to time mainly but also lack of an area to work in.

a bit more info.... it's a 67 bay, lhd import which was mostly untouched when we got it, however, at some point it's had a replacement engine. Most of the parts are Brazilian and we can't locate an engine number so it's hard to know the age of it. it's a single port, dynamo, with a H30/31 Pict carb, 009 distributor. The latest issue started when we set off the drive, the new blingy glass fuel filter had somehow worked loose and it was peeing fuel everywhere (the fuel filter was in the engine bay but muddy fields has relocated it to near the gearbox and replaced it with a plastic one again). We rectified this by tightening it up again and cable tying the line vertically as a preventative solution even though the filter was fully tightened again. We managed 20 odd trouble free miles but then as we were going up an incline the engine cut out. We pushed it on and then it started again but this kept happening for the next mile or so till we managed to get ourselves off the A49. It looked like the fuel pump had broken up as there were metal pieces in the filter so we fitted a new fuel pump at the campsite. The van drove ok, if a little sluggishly around ludlow but then the same issues on the way home. Muddy fields suggested a possible vapour lock and also identified that the idle valve was loose in the carb. BUT we still don't know if this has solved the issue and now this whole compression test business has muddied the waters so to speak.

Muddy fields has also recoditioned the brakes for us but had a major issue with removing one of the hub nuts and so far has chargeding us for 18 hours labour for brake recon, compression test and relocating fuel filter. I don't want to imply that there's anything untoward going on from them because as far as our research went, they seem to be a reputable place but we were a bit shocked to get the running costs to say the least.

So we're left with a quandry. Do we wrap up the work with them and see how it runs without any recon work doing (ie see if the issue that we went with is fixed) or do we get the whole kit and caboodle done through them seeing as it's been trailered there and he has it booked in? Ozziedog I'm of a similar opinion to you, if it ain't broke then don't fix it but I don't know enough about compression to know if it's just going to cause a lack of power or have a knock on effect and cause other issues. It's the find your fault bit that's causing the most head scratching though! *Tearing my hair out*

 

[ozziedog]

If only you was down this neck of the woods, I`d get you over to Nick at CJ Motors in Bristol then I would be one hundred percent confident in saying to you if Nick says it needs a grand spent on this this and this then that is exactly what it needs. Alfonso knows his onions and he ain`t a million miles away from you and again I`m pretty certain he ain`t gonna stick it to you. Get his number by a little search on here and try and give him a ring . I`m here bigging him up and he might be snowed under for all I know. I don`t want to slate anyone, but I`d get it out of there if It was me. Hopefully it`s running great and all this may be totally unnessessscary :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Or bring it down to Bristol and I`ll get the gang on it :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[72baywesty]

Having gone through a very similar scenario I can highly recommend Garrick from bamber bridge beetles. He sorted our all of our poor running issues on a Sunday!!
He's based in Preston but he did come to runcorn to sort mine out. He's also an engine builder..
Don't think he's on eb but he's well known on the late bay. If you want his number let me know

 

[kempy]

I use Dave Roundell Services who are also based in Warrington.

Dave himself is old school VW trained and Roger (he does air-cooled and owns a beetle) are fantastic. They have a very loyal air cooled client based in the surrounding area.

Give them a call and explain your dilemma and don't be put off with Dave's grumpy nature.

http://www.davidroundellservices.co.uk

 

[K@rlos]

18 hours to rebuild the brakes :shock: Even with a difficult hub nut that's a lot :| Regarding engine, I'd suggest getting a reputable engine builder to check the engine over, could be worn rings or it could be as simple as the heads were loose/ not sealed

 

[ozziedog]

18 hours to rebuild the brakes :shock: Even with a difficult hub nut that's a lot :| Regarding engine, I'd suggest getting a reputable engine builder to check the engine over, could be worn rings or it could be as simple as the heads were loose/ not sealed

That's exactly what my mates in the trade Paul and Nick were saying. At the end of the day, you get to a hub nut and you get your large spanner on or your large socket and big bar and you give it what for then you can spend five minutes wrestling with it taking it in turns and getting all '''MACHO''' with it. Maybe you then get your biggest toys out to play, I got a one inch socket set and that's my big stuff, so you whack that on there then the six foot scaffold tube and that's another ten minutes or if you have a torque multiplyer. So regular stuff is five minutes then big toys another ten, if it ain't come off with that and maybe a little warmth you gotta cut it off, you can't stand there all day looking at it, because it's a fact of life in the messing with motors gang, some won't come off, and some are rusted there forever, so cutting it off is two minutes. You cannot make it last more than half an hour unless you are just looking at it or taking the Mickle or don't have a clue. A new nut can be with you by phone in less than an hour usually, even if they use GSF. :roll:
Enough already, maybe just get it out of there and somewhere else where it will actually happen, not if and not but and definitely not maybe. Techenders is on this weekend if you fancy learning a bit , it's down from you a bit and east of Brummie Land a tad. If you got nowt to do or want to come for a day. I've not been before but what's the worst that can happen, it's free, and it might whet your appetite for a bit of a course with Graham and Co. Free apart from you gotta pay for your camping that is
P.S. it does look like a fun time is had by all. :lol:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, I'm going in a bit and I'll report back :mrgreen:

 

[K@rlos]

Rebuilding brakes, new cylinders, shoes, springs and even new handbrake cables is a days work and that's being leisurely including a arsehole hub nut.

 

[lisavx]

[/quote]

Techenders is on this weekend if you fancy learning a bit , it's down from you a bit and east of Brummie Land a tad. If you got nowt to do or want to come for a day. I've not been before but what's the worst that can happen, it's free, and it might whet your appetite for a bit of a course with Graham and Co. Free apart from you gotta pay for your camping that is
P.S. it does look like a fun time is had by all. [emoji38]

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, I'm going in a bit and I'll report back :mrgreen:[/quote]

We were booked up again this weekend so couldn't have made techenders but interested to know how it went? Am definitely keep on learning some more skills and am going to have a go at that course. Got two aircooleds and none running currently [emoji36]

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[lisavx]

Haha I obviously failed at html there so maybe need to brush up on other skills too! @ozziedog

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