Itinerant Air-Cooled

Did you find out how the gas was getting into the oil?

hercdriver wrote:Did you find out how the gas was getting into the oil?

I believe it was a stuck choke that drowned the right side of the engine.
The "fuel pump leak" was actually a hose that needed to be trimmed way up at the tee between the carbs. Reminder: All leaks must be interpreted through gravity and air currents . . .

Amskeptic wrote:

hercdriver wrote:Did you find out how the gas was getting into the oil?

I believe it was a stuck choke that drowned the right side of the engine.
The "fuel pump leak" was actually a hose that needed to be trimmed way up at the tee between the carbs. Reminder: All leaks must be interpreted through gravity and air currents . . .

I am puzzled.
Can the tank drain into the crankcase though the carb by means of gravity ?

_Is the tank higher ( when full or near empty ) than the carb bowls ?
There is the pump under way with stop valves ( closed when engine is stopped ).

_ Can the carb bowl siphon when there is no low air pressure to suck gas from th bowl ?

Sure I understand a bad float valve is a way for gas to go to oil. However I do not see clearly how this is enough for a lot of gas into the oil.

When I had a lot of gas in oil with my 1974 Westy, this was sure proved to be from a punctured original ( mechanical )l pump diaphgram.

twinfalls wrote:

Amskeptic wrote:

hercdriver wrote:Did you find out how the gas was getting into the oil?

I believe it was a stuck choke that drowned the right side of the engine.
The "fuel pump leak" was actually a hose that needed to be trimmed way up at the tee between the carbs. Reminder: All leaks must be interpreted through gravity and air currents . . .

I am puzzled.
Can the tank drain into the crankcase though the carb by means of gravity ?

_Is the tank higher ( when full or near empty ) than the carb bowls ?
There is the pump under way with stop valves ( closed when engine is stopped ).

_ Can the carb bowl siphon when there is no low air pressure to suck gas from th bowl ?

Sure I understand a bad float valve is a way for gas to go to oil. However I do not see clearly how this is enough for a lot of gas into the oil.

When I had a lot of gas in oil with my 1974 Westy, this was sure proved to be from a punctured original ( mechanical )l pump diaphgram.

Yes, fuel can drain into the crankcase from a full gas tank. Yes there are syphon effects that actually generate a capillary action in the hoses from the tank all the way to the inlet needle valves, through the pump's reed valves, which are *not* failsafe when there is no operating pressure.

That's the the thing, the needle valves and the pumps reed valves work more effectively under operating pressure.
Colin

Wow, the Westfalia has been sitting unused for about 6 years now. I'm having it towed to a mechanic tomorrow. It's a 1974 dual carb engine. Colin rebuilt the carbs on his last visit here. I stopped driving the bus not long after that.

I don't know if I wrote about the last problem, I can't find a write-up. I tried to start it one day. It did not start up. When I turned the key to the off position, the starter continued to crank the engine, over and over. Removing the key did not help. I went to the engine compartment hoping to remove the battery cable, which is stuck onto the post. I was afraid to lean in too far with my long hair, the engine cranking. After 10 minutes or so the battery finally went dead and the cranking ceased.

Tim stopped by and helped me remove the battery which needed replacement anyway. Then life got in the way and I stopped working on the Westfalia.

I'm going to get it running again and put it up for sale. I was detailing it, but more work needs to be done or redone. My photos are gone from this thread. I need some pics of the bus... they are in the old computer.

Birdibus wrote:Wow, the Westfalia has been sitting unused for about 6 years now. I'm having it towed to a mechanic tomorrow. It's a 1974 dual carb engine. Colin rebuilt the carbs on his last visit here. I stopped driving the bus not long after that.

I don't know if I wrote about the last problem, I can't find a write-up. I tried to start it one day. It did not start up. When I turned the key to the off position, the starter continued to crank the engine, over and over. Removing the key did not help. I went to the engine compartment hoping to remove the battery cable, which is stuck onto the post. I was afraid to lean in too far with my long hair, the engine cranking. After 10 minutes or so the battery finally went dead and the cranking ceased.

Tim stopped by and helped me remove the battery which needed replacement anyway. Then life got in the way and I stopped working on the Westfalia.

I'm going to get it running again and put it up for sale. I was detailing it, but more work needs to be done or redone. My photos are gone from this thread. I need some pics of the bus... they are in the old computer.

Birdibus! Hello!

Either the solenoid stuck in the on position, or the ignition switch contacts did.

First, get your battery terminals off the battery and cleaned.
Charge battery and leave the NEGATIVE terminal OFF.
Now pull off the starter solenoid push-on wire (red and black). Let it dangle.
MAKE SURE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL
Touch the negative terminal to the negative battery post. It will spark and frighten you if the starter engages. If it does that, it means the starter itself is stuck "on". Replace starter.

If the negative terminal goes onto the battery with no drama and no starter action, you need to make sure key is "off" and go underneath the car and just touch the red/black wire terminal to the starter spade. If the starter engages, the ignition switch is likely at fault.
Colin

Thank you Colin. I'm sorry to tell you I've lost my confidence about working on it myself. But the advice is useful anyway, thank you.

I'm going to sell this bus soon.

I was glad to read you had good summer results.

Hey there Birdibus, how much are you going to ask for the Bus?

Sylvester.... a lot! Gonna try at least. It's been in the carport and still looks pretty good.

Colin, somehow I forgot that when Tim was here I/we removed the starter. I have no memory of doing so, except I found the starter inside the bus the other day. Today the mechanic calls to say it's missing. Oops! I drove it over to him. So I'm deducing Tim diagnosed the starter as the problem. I remember now he brought over a spare battery for the tests. I never bought a new battery and completely forgot about the starter. Oh dear.

Birdibus wrote:Sylvester.... a lot! Gonna try at least. It's been in the carport and still looks pretty good.

Colin, somehow I forgot that when Tim was here I/we removed the starter. I have no memory of doing so, except I found the starter inside the bus the other day. Today the mechanic calls to say it's missing. Oops! I drove it over to him. So I'm deducing Tim diagnosed the starter as the problem. I remember now he brought over a spare battery for the tests. I never bought a new battery and completely forgot about the starter. Oh dear.

Join me in the ever more frequent "oh dear" moments . . .
Colin

The mechanic reinstalled the battery and starter today. Fuel hoses were also replaced. He says it runs ok but needs some adjustments, that the carbs are out of adjustment (bus hasn't been run since your rebuilt them long ago. Should I be outraged?) He seems to think the problem of it refusing to shut down was related to having a battery with a low charge. The starter is working fine right now he says. So again, another mysterious symptom with alternate opinions regarding cause.

After all these years and all those vehicles, it must be something of a blur with occasional highlights of memory.

Birdibus wrote:The mechanic reinstalled the battery and starter today. Fuel hoses were also replaced.
A) He says it runs ok but needs some adjustments, that the carbs are out of adjustment (bus hasn't been run since your rebuilt them long ago. Should I be outraged?)

B) He seems to think the problem of it refusing to shut down was related to having a battery with a low charge.

C) After all these years and all those vehicles, it must be something of a blur with occasional highlights of memory.

A) see B (I should be outraged that this poor car has not been exercised sufficiently)

B) Utter horsepucky . . .
All across the land, VWs have batteries in varying stages of charge, and they do not suffer from runaway starter operation. In fact, this brings into question your mechanic's grasp of things mechanical, see A)

If the car is not running splendidly after six years, we can start with the effects of stale gasoline sitting in the carburetors . . .

Colin

I haven't seen or driven the bus yet, but it's ready for me to pick up. I already have an offer of $7k from someone who ships them to Europe.