Saturday, 17 December 2011
Friday, 16 December 2011
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Firing on All Four
It lives!!! Upon the successful installation of an engine in the rear of the beetle (with the addition of new fuel lines, etc), we were able to get the engine running. Not trusting the gas tank, we opted to feed gas into the carb via a non-alcoholic grape juice bottle. Despite having to replace a failed fuel pump mid-trial, we successfully got the motor to run on its own power. The next step is to clean the engine shrouds so we can safely run it hot.
Monday, 8 August 2011
New Starter Is in
We 
bought a new starter from Autozone for $39.99 (they had it in stock!). It is now in the car and spins when the key is turned. So the wiring must be OK. I have also jacked up the car so that the engine can be wheeled underneath it (30 inches). We are ready to install the engine. Then we will have to figure out where all the wires connect so we can try to start the engine and see what happens. We will still need a clutch before it can actually go anywhere (and brakes, and tyres, and a battery).
bought a new starter from Autozone for $39.99 (they had it in stock!). It is now in the car and spins when the key is turned. So the wiring must be OK. I have also jacked up the car so that the engine can be wheeled underneath it (30 inches). We are ready to install the engine. Then we will have to figure out where all the wires connect so we can try to start the engine and see what happens. We will still need a clutch before it can actually go anywhere (and brakes, and tyres, and a battery).
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Testing Starter Motor
Some progress is finally made with the 1970 VW Beetle.
We have no way of test
ing the engines we have without putting them in the car. So that means the starter has to work so we can see what the engine will do. Now we have to have a working battery to test the starter. We picked up four batteries from various places and some of them were chargeable. So we charged one and hooked it up (under the back seat...the back seat just pulls out.. no screws or clips). We turned the key and the lights came on. But nothing happened when the key was turned further for the starter.
Just in case the battery was not working right, we hooked up the battery from our (working) car. Still nothing. So I took the starter motor off and took it to Advance Auto parts. They tested it but it didn't work. Autozone has a starter/solenoid in stock for $
40 (same price as Advance Auto which would have to order it), or the solenoid by itself is $40. The next step is to test the current to the starter motor with a volt meter (so we don't buy a starter motor only to find the wiring is bad).
We also want to get ready to install the engine. The engine has two bolts mounted permanently. Another bolt goes through the starter motor and is especially designed for that location. This bolt was sitting in the opposite hole of the gear box (top left). So we have one missing bolt, and no nuts. Next step: get some nuts and a bolt. Then buy a starter, change the carburettor for one we have already cleaned, adjust the tappets, and try to install an engine (and start it up?).
We have no way of test
ing the engines we have without putting them in the car. So that means the starter has to work so we can see what the engine will do. Now we have to have a working battery to test the starter. We picked up four batteries from various places and some of them were chargeable. So we charged one and hooked it up (under the back seat...the back seat just pulls out.. no screws or clips). We turned the key and the lights came on. But nothing happened when the key was turned further for the starter.Just in case the battery was not working right, we hooked up the battery from our (working) car. Still nothing. So I took the starter motor off and took it to Advance Auto parts. They tested it but it didn't work. Autozone has a starter/solenoid in stock for $
40 (same price as Advance Auto which would have to order it), or the solenoid by itself is $40. The next step is to test the current to the starter motor with a volt meter (so we don't buy a starter motor only to find the wiring is bad).
We also want to get ready to install the engine. The engine has two bolts mounted permanently. Another bolt goes through the starter motor and is especially designed for that location. This bolt was sitting in the opposite hole of the gear box (top left). So we have one missing bolt, and no nuts. Next step: get some nuts and a bolt. Then buy a starter, change the carburettor for one we have already cleaned, adjust the tappets, and try to install an engine (and start it up?).
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Painting the body with primer
I have finally started work on the body of my Bug. I primed part of the hood. In order to do this, I had to grind down the rust. the fellow who had it before me had ground it down and then not painted it over, so it was pitted. After grinding, I rubbed it down with lacquer thinner to degrease it I then proceeded to paint it with the new high pressure spray gun (see previous blog). I had to be careful not to paint over the rust spots I hadn't ground down, so I covered them with newspaper (see bottom photo) . It turned out very nice.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Finding Top Dead Centre
When I disassembled the engine on the Bug, I forgot to label the wires connecting to the distributor cap and spark plugs. It's important that you get the wires on the right spark plugs so
the spark fires at the right time. Because of this, we had to discover where the thing under the distributor cap (rotor) was when the #1 cylinder was at top dead centre, and mark that spot as such. Our first course of action was to use the compression from the spark plug hole to find out when the #1 cylinder was at TDC. This did not work, as the intake valve for that cylinder was stuck open. I 
will have to find out what is wrong with that and fix it. Anyway, we found where TDC was by putting a stick in the spark plug hole and watching the exhaust valve. We then marked it on the distributor cap.
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