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Posted by: Series9 Dec 13 2010, 07:17 PM

Nelson's bus motor expired two years ago, but it wasn't until today that I was able to have a look.

We're not using a type 4 for his car, but I was curious.

Dropped Valve Seat. In the last picture on this post, check out how the spark plug electrode survived the destruction:






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Posted by: Series9 Dec 13 2010, 07:22 PM

Pictures from neighboring cylinders. It's amazing how the little pieces travel around.

Only one cylinder was undamaged.


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Posted by: SLITS Dec 13 2010, 07:31 PM

He didn't drive it fast enough or you wouldn't have one good cylinder.

Posted by: Ferg Dec 13 2010, 08:29 PM

Wow! I don't know as much as Wills, but I'd say that's toast I still remember when it was running on 3, now I can't believe it ran as well as it did

You are right, That spark plug still looks good, how much

Posted by: sean_v8_914 Dec 13 2010, 10:30 PM

how big was his amp?

Posted by: RobW Dec 13 2010, 10:34 PM

Love the carnage... thanks for sharing..

Posted by: sixnotfour Dec 14 2010, 04:46 AM

Type 4 Sale

Posted by: Series9 Dec 14 2010, 08:39 AM

Yeah. It's fun to see when it's not yours.

Posted by: r_towle Dec 14 2010, 08:42 AM

He might have considered stopping.

Rich

Posted by: Series9 Dec 14 2010, 09:42 AM

This engine has been attempting to commit suicide since Nelson has owned the car.

It gave us several warnings, but we wanted to try to keep it going. When it actually got bad, we were in Moab for Red Rocks. Our options were: try to drive it home or get a 6-hour tow.

It made it back to NM before it finally expired in my driveway. It was a convenient location for the failure.

This bus engine was always thought of as expendable.

Posted by: r_towle Dec 14 2010, 09:55 AM

That is why I love these cars....and motors.
Even when dying, they will get you home on one cylinder...
What a dedicated piece of engineering.

Rich

Posted by: MoveQik Dec 14 2010, 10:22 AM

Besides being dirty, I can't really tell whats wrong with that motor.

Posted by: sww914 Dec 14 2010, 12:36 PM

Thanks for the pics!
You need an engine stand.

Posted by: Series9 Dec 14 2010, 12:47 PM

It's currently holding a 3.2.

Posted by: pete000 Dec 14 2010, 01:05 PM

Just wipe it down with a Scotch Brite pad and it will be fine...

Posted by: Madswede Dec 14 2010, 01:27 PM

Ahhh. So THAT's why it sounded like a couple spoons in a garbage disposal. Poor ol' bus motor. I guess there ain't much spare parts except metal. Nice spark plug, though. I've been lucky with those. Should seen the original factory ones we pulled out of my '97 Jetta with 220,000 miles on 'em! <-- Joe Me--> "Yeah, I sorta forgot, I should be changing those, right?"

It was the most polite motor suicide I'd ever heard of. Three times it broke a rocker arm, three times Joe fixed that issue on a different cylinder each time. Then it finally said, "OK, I've got you back to this house, and here is where I will die. I know you have another motor I can see it in the Vanagon."

In the end, I really must salute that ol' bus motor for getting me around as long as it did. For the record, it was purchased while running as a /3 - I have deeply regretted not taking Howard up on his offer to do a PBI since the guy I got it from lived very near him. When I informed the seller that I intended to pick it up and drive it back to NM, he was verrrrry hesitant and kept trying to revise the definition of "running condition". He would only meet me somewhere public to complete the sale, somewhere between where he was and where I was out in Granada Hills at the time ... I shoulda known

So I bought an abused motor stuck in a very well preserved chassis. I like to think it didn't so much commit suicide as push itself to the limit until finally - having done it's marathon - collapsed and died of exhaustion. Hats off ...

- Jon

Posted by: Ferg Dec 14 2010, 04:20 PM

Nice eulogy... Now let's have Joe stuff it full of M80s and put it on the Cam

Posted by: Joe Sharp Dec 15 2010, 02:36 AM

Look, Mike used cam in the correct context.

Posted by: Ferg Dec 15 2010, 10:37 AM

I did Cool Hi Joe

Posted by: Joe Sharp Dec 15 2010, 02:09 PM

Thanks Mikie, I knew I could say that if I used the right smiley.