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Posted by: Str1974 Sep 2 2021, 12:17 PM

Hello All, I've currently dropped my engine (Yes, my first time on my own..) in order to replace my oil cooler and clean up my engine tins and repaint, etc. I removed my engine fan to clean up as well, and was wondering why the 914 engine does not use the intake screen that other type 4 bus engine uses? I realize the bus engine has it that it is accessible from rear engine lid and therefore you don't want to loose your fingers by sticking your hand into the fan.... but other than making it harder to replace the fan belt from the back of the 914 compartment, has anyone decided that in order to prevent a wrench or other tool fall down the back of the 914 engine compartment and get feed into the fan the screen could protect accidents from happening. Any thoughts? Any reason for the screen to make any negative cooling effects on 914 fan intake? Just curious and thinking about putting on screen....

Posted by: GregAmy Sep 2 2021, 12:30 PM

It's protected from road debris by the engine tin.

I put one on both my cars anyway. Mostly to keep ME from dropping something in there.

Posted by: 914Sixer Sep 2 2021, 01:08 PM

Yeah, good idea for self preservation. Over the years interesting stuff has made it into fan housing.

Posted by: Dustin Sep 2 2021, 01:59 PM

The fan is at the front of the 914 engine compartment. Not the back. That could be why the screen doesn't get installed. Someone would actually try to put their hand in the fan on a 914. On a bus the fan is facing the person working on the engine.

Posted by: wonkipop Sep 2 2021, 07:30 PM

kombis were double dangerous.

hippies could get their kaftans sucked into the fan while mesmerized by the prayer wheel they had painted on the blades?

vw service personal weren't paid danger money and instructed on the proper use of tie clips like 911 technicians?

pure safety thing on kombi version. bit like leaning over the radiator of a 1960s australian ford falcon?

ducting and shrouds on type 1 and type 3 as well as regular 411/12s make death by strangulation from loose clothing impossible. only the kombi is lethal at tune up time - esp twin carb variety where you have a screw driver in each carb and anything is dangling.

Posted by: emerygt350 Sep 2 2021, 10:16 PM

Just the other day I was working on mine and a screw dropped down there. At first, I was like 'whatever', then I realized the true danger and scared the crap out of my 8 year old son when I started appreciating the full implications of my problem. I got the screw back, my son is still recovering.

Posted by: jcd914 Sep 3 2021, 01:06 AM

The big side air ducts on the bus could pull in much bigger things than the 914 engine lid would let in.

As both a dealer VW tech and dealer Porsche tech, I got more safety training from VW than Porsche, although all the training was in the same 2 training centers.

Jim

Posted by: Mark Henry Sep 3 2021, 12:01 PM

Try changing a fan belt in a 914 with a screen...then you'll wish you hadn't.

Posted by: johnhora Sep 3 2021, 03:53 PM

with Mark

Think food disposal in your sink...a 914 T-4 fan will eat just about anything that goes in there

Posted by: jim_hoyland Sep 3 2021, 04:07 PM

I got mine from Bus Depot:
https://www.busdepot.com/j10983

Posted by: pt_700 Sep 3 2021, 05:02 PM

one of my heater hoses came loose and got sucked into there...

Posted by: wonkipop Sep 3 2021, 05:06 PM

ahh that would explain it - absolutely.

all the vws down here ran twin carbs on type3s and kombis (very few fuel injected).
can still remember being arse up head down in the back of the square back with a stub screwdriver in each carb balancing the idle and trying to get the linkages tuned!. good thing it didn't have a type 4 fan spinning away right were my t- shirt would be hanging down.


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if you look at later cars with smog pumps, or even a 912e running ac and smog pump off fan as a pulley, a screen is impossible.

Posted by: wonkipop Sep 3 2021, 05:35 PM

i have a dirty big bath towel i have always put down there when doing anything that could involve losing a bolt or anything else. i have several telescoping magnets that are very strong. fished out many a bolt on many a car with those. working on a citroen with a prv or later V6 is worse than anything a vw or porsche can dish up in terms of disappearing screws. they have numerous ledges, hydraulic lines and undertrays.

you aint going to forget to take a dirty big bath towel out after you finish working either.
even prevents the random rag incidents?