How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

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BellePlaine
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How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

Post by BellePlaine » Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:32 pm

Didn't realize we Baywindow T4 owners had it so good. Helping themiz with his '82 air-cooled Vanagon and I have no idea how to properly hand-turn the engine. On my 1975, I simply put a wrench on the alternator nut but the Vanagon has a squirrel cage fan (like the Baywindow Aux Heater Fan) directly in front of the alt pulley.

Is there a better way then yanking on the belt to turn the engine by hand? There must be.
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"

cegammel
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by cegammel » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:27 pm

The only other way I know of is a 13 mm socket on an extension to the fan nut, after removing the debris shield and timing scale. It is not an easy task either way...

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airkooledchris
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by airkooledchris » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:41 pm

Is it on a Westfalia?

If the alternator has the fan blades, you can spin the belt by turning the alternator via it's blades.
I had an 82 Westy for a long time and that's how I always did mine. Im sure it's not ideal, but it works just fine. I usually used the handle/butt end of a deadblow hammer so it wouldn't dent anything.
1979 California Transporter

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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by SlowLane » Fri Jul 03, 2015 1:29 pm

I simply remove the plastic brush/leaf/small-rodent guard from over the engine fan and grab the fan/pulley by hand. Somewhat clumsy, but it works fine. Just don't pinch your fingers between the fan belt and the pulley.

Addendumdum: make sure the van is not in gear before doing this. :blackeye:
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

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Amskeptic
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:01 am

SlowLane wrote:I simply remove the plastic brush/leaf/small-rodent guard from over the engine fan and grab the fan/pulley by hand. Somewhat clumsy, but it works fine. Just don't pinch your fingers between the fan belt and the pulley
Manual transmission? Stick it 4th gear and push vehicle to position engine where you want.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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the miz
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by the miz » Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:10 am

SlowLane wrote:I simply remove the plastic brush/leaf/small-rodent guard from over the engine fan and grab the fan/pulley by hand. Somewhat clumsy, but it works fine. Just don't pinch your fingers between the fan belt and the pulley
...this is what I have been doing, as it was the answer Slowlane gave a few years ago when I asked...recently rediscovered the thread.

...it should be easier now that I have removed the fan guard that came on the engine after it partially fell off and got chewed up by the fan on the CO road trip. :scratch:
1982 Westy- Vana White

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SlowLane
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by SlowLane » Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:44 am

the miz wrote: ...it should be easier now that I have removed the fan guard that came on the engine after it partially fell off and got chewed up by the fan on the CO road trip. :scratch:
Ouch. If you can't find a replacement, I've got a slightly beat up, yet still functional fan guard in my spares box. Shoot me a PM and I'll mail it to you.
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
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twinfalls
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by twinfalls » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:21 pm

To turn the engine:
Prying with some tool stuck in between fan fins is a bad idea. I have two of these broken, I suspect this is how someone made it to happen. Fan fins, made of cast light alloy are fragile.....
1974 stock US Westy 1800cc PDSIT 34 2-3.

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Amskeptic
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:39 pm

twinfalls wrote:To turn the engine:
Prying with some tool stuck in between fan fins is a bad idea. I have two of these broken, I suspect this is how someone made it to happen. Fan fins, made of cast light alloy are fragile.....
I agree.
Alternator fan blades in a pinch, closest to the alternator. Duh make sure the engine is not in gear!

Do not rotate the backwards if using the 13mm bolt in the middle of the hub. You could inadvertently loosen it from the crankshaft. This is a very hard-working bolt/hub assembly.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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the miz
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

Post by the miz » Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:02 pm

...came up with a new method for this over the weekend, based upon a Colin suggestion:

-transmission in 4th gear: push the Vanagon forward, engage clutch, pull bus back, disengage clutch, push Vanagon forward, etc.

It worked really well.

Of course, this method either requires 2 people or a lot of running back and forth and shifting from neutral to 4th, but it seems beyond normal human capability to turn this particular engine by hand and I have a nagging fear that the 13mm bolt will snap one of these days, if I keep doing it that way...

-miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

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Amskeptic
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jan 26, 2016 11:56 am

the miz wrote:...came up with a new method for this over the weekend, based upon a Colin suggestion:

-transmission in 4th gear: push the Vanagon forward, engage clutch, pull bus back, disengage clutch, push Vanagon forward, etc.

It worked really well.

Of course, this method either requires 2 people or a lot of running back and forth and shifting from neutral to 4th, but it seems beyond normal human capability to turn this particular engine by hand and I have a nagging fear that the 13mm bolt will snap one of these days, if I keep doing it that way...

-miz
That is how I have been doing it all by myself.
Colin
(glad to see you are still alive . . . we're out of casket stickers)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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the miz
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

Post by the miz » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:22 pm

No worries, Colin!
For future reference, if I should die while working on my Vanagon: please apply the sticker to Vana's bumper, placed my corpse in the driver's seat, have her towed to Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah, and push us both over the edge... :cheers:
1982 Westy- Vana White

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Amskeptic
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Re: How do you hand turn the engine in an air-cooled vanagon?

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jan 29, 2016 8:38 pm

the miz wrote:No worries, Colin!
For future reference, if I should die while working on my Vanagon: please apply the sticker to Vana's bumper, placed my corpse in the driver's seat, have her towed to Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah, and push us both over the edge... :cheers:
I'll follow you both over the edge as my heart attack hits . . . a final bit of itinerant air-cooling as we plummet.
VannaGone Mizzing
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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