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My 71 Rides Again!
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:40 pm    Post subject: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Well, after a 4 year hiatus, my bus is back!
here's the long & short of it:

4 years ago i was on my way to a bus campout in flagstaff when my oil light came on.
what i found upon dismantling the engine was a spun rod bearing.
no other damage, just a spun bearing.
still a bummer after only completing about 7000 miles on my first engine build.
had to assume i did something wrong in measuring the crank & rod bearings.
somehow around the same time i came up on an 86 vanagon.
so into mothballs went the bus while i enjoyed the luxurious ride of a vanagon.

as the years passed and the bus got towed to several new houses--in between fixing and building other people's VWs--i slowly did the prep work and acquired the pieces to reassemble my engine.
fast forward to early this summer and i was in phoenix in 100deg + heat and my water jacket sprung a leak on the 86.
i was able to limp it home, but when i pressure tested the cooling system, the results were not good.
so i decided that instead of a quick top-end on the 86 i would totally rebuild it.
but first, i was going to get my bus back to drive while the van was down.

so, commence engine build:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


the case cleaned up nicely at .020" over which it was already bored to.
the C/W crank was turned .010" under by DPR.
a slight thrust cut was also needed, but just enough to clean it up and then custom fit the +1 bearing to that.
new bearings all around, reused the stock cam, rebuilt rods.
in went a new set of EMPI lube-a-lobe lifters Shocked
unfortunately, we didn't have any ketchup at the shop so i had to use form-a-gasket to seal her up.

i cleaned up the mahle 85.5 mm pistons and the grant rings, ran a ball hone through the cylinders and slapped it all together.
verifying that my C/R was the same as before, of couse Wink
here is the longblock and my faithful helper:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

some of you that are sharp-eyed may notice that the oil pump is not installed.
well, that's because when i installed it i got no engagement with the cam gear.
i was pretty sure that i had the same oil pump that came out of it, but 4 years is a long time and parts come and go...
so i assumed that i had a flat cam oil pump that i was was trying to use with a dished cam.
got my hands on a dished cam pump and low and behold it was the same as what i had.
upon close inspection it seems that the tang on my oil pump was just barely engaging the slot in the cam gear and finally let loose after about 7000 miles.
be warned prospective engine builders: check your depth on the cam gear and make sure it has plenty of engagement with the oil pump tang!
i had to press the drive tang out quite a bit on my brand new schadek 26mm pump.
hey, at least it was a relief to find out that the engine didn't fail because of something i did "wrong".

i have spared every expense in compiling only the finest in vintage performance parts for this 1600 over the years:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


full specs can be seen in my gallery:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=714964

here is my strainer plate after the 20min break-run:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

not bad, eh Cool

and here it is as installed:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


last, but not least here is the beast it resides in.
unwashed and fresh out of the forest...er, my back yard.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



i bought this "station wagon" in 2003 for $500 and put a westy bed in the back.
it ran about 70,000mi through three engines, one of which was a GEX it came with and a 1776 that i had built (by someone else) before i knew shit from shinola about building a lasting engine.
i'm probably going to bed-liner the bottom half of it and make some interior improvements, but other than that:
i have no plans for an epic crowd funded video blog of my travels throughout north and south america.
nor have i saved for a 100pt concourse restoration.
not even any pending cross-country road trips in the works.
i just want to maintain it, drive it daily, beat it through the backroads of the desert southwest and take my daughter camping from time to time.
it's good to be home Very Happy
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skills@eurocarsplus
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 4:31 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

borninabus wrote:

i have no plans for an epic crowd funded video blog of my travels throughout north and south america.


really? I was going to make the first donation Very Happy

glad you have it sorted. I haven't crossed over into vanagon land....yet but see why it would be hard to peel your ass off of that seat and jump into the 71

congrats, and at least you found the issue with the oil pump
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richparker
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:59 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Congrats! Applause

Maybe I'll get to see it in Jerome this year.
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 6:47 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

borninabus wrote:
i just want to maintain it, drive it daily, beat it through the backroads of the desert southwest and take my daughter camping from time to time.
it's good to be home Very Happy

I like it, shiny buses are nice but also a pain in the nutsack because of the constant worry over a new scratch or dent, that's an action bus, nothing wrong with that, in fact I'm a little jealous, a fresh scar says "I had fun today!, what did you do?" Razz
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old DKP driver
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:46 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Congrats: Very Happy

It is a fact that a mechanics vehicle is the last to get repaired.

I see one of my favorite carbs sittin on the perfect manifold for it Exclamation
along with a matched dist.

I hope the Vanagon only needs a gaskets and pit removal from the heads. Mad
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zoobum
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 9:30 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Congrats! Thats a really nice looking bus. Hope you get to make many travels with it!!!
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:42 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

thanks, friends Smile
got the rear bumper on it yesterday.
also, the rims and BFGs off the van and onto the bus.
still cant find the catch for the decklid Sad
duct tape will have to do for now.

as far as the van goes, i decided to do a full rebuild on it just so i can know what i have.
loves me my zenith Twisted Evil
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airschooled
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:50 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Hey Pete, glad your bus is going again! Bummer about the Vanagon, but buses are fun too, remember? Laughing

Safe and happy travels,
Robbie
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 11:10 am    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

thanks to you Robbie, for letting people know that a bus is still a viable means of transportation.

richparker wrote:
Maybe I'll get to see it in Jerome this year.

i really love the company in jerome, but the camping situation couldn't be worse and I don't care about winning a piece-mealed splitty.
it'll depend on how bad my daughter wants to go...
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:39 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Looks good!
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:20 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

borninabus wrote:

1600DP
counter-weighted 69mm VW crank
040 german heads worked over by ME
Mahle 85.5 P&Cs
full weight OG flywheel; 8 doweled

stock long block/cam; 7.4:1 C/R
Bosch VJR4 BR8 (o19) dist - with BREMI points
Zenith 32 NDIX on a vintage EMPI manifold
vintage Treuhaft header & muffler - with proper heat riser
genuine Porsche swivel feet valve adjusters
T4 oil cooler w/ hoover bit & working thermostat
Berg Equalizer crank pulley (not pictured) Pictured Above
modified stock air cleaner also with proper preheat
engine built, ancillaries assembled, installed & tuned by ME

NO SUMP - NO FULL-FLOW - VR1 10w30 - runs Cool as a Cucumber


What is different now?

I like the Equalizer! So you have the 1585cc in the Bus already? 20mpg etc...? I was hoping it would get 24mpg.
P.S.
Ok got your message about where Zenith Orings go. On the Accel jets? are you talking about the Pump Jets as they are called in the diagram?
And Where are you getting the Vacuum Boost for the Disc Brakes on that separate piped manifold? Where should I tap my plenum manifold ?
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richparker
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:49 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

borninabus wrote:


richparker wrote:
Maybe I'll get to see it in Jerome this year.

i really love the company in jerome, but the camping situation couldn't be worse and I don't care about winning a piece-mealed splitty.
it'll depend on how bad my daughter wants to go...


Yea, camping is tight. You really have to get there Thursday evening or early Friday morning to claim a spot.
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:12 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

the only thing "different" about the engine in its new incarnation is the lack of a 356 generator pulley, as i had to give it back to the 356 it belonged to so it can sit in a garage somwhere Sad

i did refer to the accel pump jets via PM.

not seeing as good of gas mileage as I expected, but it's acceptable and tuning takes time.

the vacuum for the booster comes off of the 3/4 (beetle) intake end casting by means of a 1/2" pipe barb that i drilled and tapped in there.
i would recommend you do the same and not compromise your race-trim manifold.

the entire engine was built as a system to deliver to my expectations--which are many.
it's not just something i thought up, like it would be cool.
i have been riding in & driving buses my whole life, the equalizer is just one part of the system that suits me.
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:22 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

richparker wrote:
Yea, camping is tight. You really have to get there Thursday evening or early Friday morning to claim a spot.

tight I don't care about.
like i said, i enjoy the company.
but i guess i live in the desert, so i don't really go out of my way to camp in the hot sun & dusty dirt for four days with no water in sight Smile

I'm sure I'll see you there.
or you may see me.
I'll be the bus coming down the hill on the dirt road on Saturday morning.
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Danwvw
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 11:20 am    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Danwvw wrote:
borninabus wrote:

1600DP
counter-weighted 69mm VW crank
040 german heads worked over by ME
Mahle 85.5 P&Cs
full weight OG flywheel; 8 doweled

stock long block/cam; 7.4:1 C/R
Bosch VJR4 BR8 (o19) dist - with BREMI points
Zenith 32 NDIX on a vintage EMPI manifold
vintage Treuhaft header & muffler - with proper heat riser
genuine Porsche swivel feet valve adjusters
T4 oil cooler w/ hoover bit & working thermostat
Berg Equalizer crank pulley (not pictured) Pictured Above
modified stock air cleaner also with proper preheat
engine built, ancillaries assembled, installed & tuned by ME
NO SUMP - NO FULL-FLOW - VR1 10w30 - runs Cool as a Cucumber
What is different now?
I like the Equalizer! So you have the 1585cc in the Bus already? 20mpg etc...? I was hoping it would get 24mpg.
P.S.
Ok got your message about where Zenith Orings go. On the Accel jets? are you talking about the Pump Jets as they are called in the diagram?
And Where are you getting the Vacuum Boost for the Disc Brakes on that separate piped manifold? Where should I tap my plenum manifold ?

..............Now I am really confused about where the 2 Orings should go: Found this: Zenith 32 NDIX...............
rocky4by wrote:
I like to break the carb down on a large table, about 3'x6'. I will even put down a white sheet so I can see all the parts well. If you have a digital camera take photo's as you disassemble. After disassembly I'll soak all parts in a one gallon can of parts cleaner for one or two days, next, spray all parts off with about 1-2 cans of carb cleaner especially all the passages, then blow everything out with the air compressor. Some people like to resurface or finish hone the throttle body and the carb base, but I do not recommend doing this. If your carb is in good shape and someone else has not done the above already, you will see that there is a machine finish on it that is meant to grip and seal the gaskets. I have had nothing but trouble from ones that have had resurfacing done to them. If you do some internet searching there are some Zenith rebuild videos and final setup information there, if you think you will need it.
It's a very easy carb to go through, you shouldn't have any trouble. Also, there are supposed to be 2 o-rings on the pilot idle jets. Some kits come with them, some don't. Some people are not aware that they ARE supposed to be installed there.
Steve

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mark d
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 5:30 am    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

i enjoyed the post. thks
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:16 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

thanks, mark.
that means a lot to me coming all the way from costa rica Smile

dan, interestingly the idle jets do have a kind of spot for an o-ring.
i will reply in the zenith thread to keep this thread more about my bus than my carb.
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borninabus
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 9:35 am    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

well, it's time for the first service on my engine build @ about 700 miles.
i guess, like robbie's road trip, not a lot of drama here.
the sump plate looked nice, no big chunks:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


as did the strainer:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


so in went 3qts of VR1 10w30.
my T4 oil cooler holds just a little extra Wink

put new plugs in (NGK BP6HS) as i was still running with the ones that were in the heads when i reduilt it.
adjusted the valves and checked the dwell.

current calculations have my MPG @ 16-18 depending on how much highway i see--which hasnt been much.
i am going to mount up the LM1 AFR meter and play with the carb a bit as I literally set the mixture screws on the bench and haven't touched them since Laughing
it smells a little rich and i have lots of zenith jets so I'll see if i can squeeze a few more miles out of a gallon of gas.

improvements so far are:
i mounted my OG generator pulley in lieu of the chromie one i found around the shop.
and i replaced the leather accel pump for a rubber skirted one.

it did consume some oil throughout the first 700 miles although it slowed considerably after the first 400 or so miles.
about 1.25 quarts were used during the time.
keeping a close eye on it and am cosidering switching to synthetic in another thousand miles.

i need some new wiper blades Brick wall
and my brake fluid is mysteriously disappearing, yet i see no leaks.
so it looks like a booster and master are in my near future Sad

welp, back to enjoying the ride.
see ya Smile
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richparker
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 4:33 pm    Post subject: Re: My 71 Rides Again! Reply with quote

Can't beat that first service! I hope you get many miles out of this build.
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