Just another 2056 build, Misc Questions Options

[Keith914]

What if any "gasket" solution did you use on the pushrod tube O rings? I am about to replace old pushrods with new Vicon O rings (recently carefully installed with engine oil lubrication only -- leaking!), with new pushrods and Vicon O rings. Much advice from engine builders who use Yamabond or similar vs. experts here who say just smeer with engine oil!!

I simply used the O-Rings that came with my gasket set (VR set). No Yamabond or RTV in my build(s). I smear a little grease on them for installation and make sure to use the wire pushrod tube "keepers" inside the rocker box. I am experiencing very small (and hugely disappointing) leaks from several of them.

Forrest recently used a sealant on one side and just oil on the other side. Oil only side is leaking! I will use sealant this time and report back.

[sdoolin]

An update (and a question of course). I have 1200(ish) miles on the engine now. It has been doing quite well. Changed oil from Brad Penn break in oil to Brad Penn 20w50 at 500 miles. Leaned out the idle and the main jets on the Dells recently as weather warmed up and it lost a little of its "edge". Running quite well. Now instead of wondering if I can pas cars ahead, I simply downshift and go. Very liberating.

Anywho, last night during a spirited drive wherein I may have (possibly, maybe) caught a little air (rear wheels maybe an inch off the ground), she started running on 3.

Cylinder number 1 acting poorly. Checked spark - good bright blue spark at the plug. Checked plug - looks good (perhaps even a little lean). Checked fuel, throttle plate is wet, accel pump is working. Placing hand over velocity stack yields no results (it should kill the engine), and turning the mixture adjuster all the way in on that cylinder does not change behavior. There is an occasional backfire (sometimes even with an exciting/scary flame) through the carb at open throttle positions, none at closed throttle.

Now, getting a little air and the subsequent running only on three are quite possibly, and hopefully not related, but I'm curious as to what you guys think may be the problem here. I will check compression next. Running chromoly pushrods so valve lash should be 0, will check that also. No strange/abnormal noises (like something broken) before, during, or after getting air.

This is what I get for saying to myself "I should post a follow-up to "the world" about how great my car is running"....

[RoadGlue]

Now that IS a strange one indeed. Maybe pull off the rocker cover and poke around and make sure there isn't a stuck valve. Perhaps something came loose in the bump and squished a push rod tube... That's a long shot of a guess though.

Even though the accelerator pump is working, maybe a jet got clogged with debris during the "landing."

Crossing my fingers for you that it's nothing too serious.

[sdoolin]

Did some more troubleshooting last night. Removed all main jet stacks and idle jets. Cleaned all of them. Changed idle jets back to 60s (from 55s). Re-installed all. Now the thing wont idle. Runs on all 4 now, and takes throttle well, just won't hold an idle. Note that for the first 800 miles it idled quite nicely with 60s. So, I will dig deeper.

Never (ever) proclaim to oneself that your antique aircooled German car is "running flawlessly". This is what happens....

[ottox914]

Check compression. Or first, pull valve cover off and check the rockers. Not to be the death fairy, but could be a bent or damaged valve or seat. Eliminate as many possible failure points as you can. If it's really running on 4 now, might not be valve related. But nice to cross that off the list of possible problems. Perhaps cheaper answers remain to be found.

[stugray]

sdoolin -

Are you running gas with ethanol?

[sdoolin]

Almost certainly running gas with ethanol, I don't shop anywhere specific for gasoline. I put 93 octane in it, but I'm not sure that means no ethanol? It sure ran well for like, 1100 miles...

Car was back to running on 3 at idle, so I took carbs off last night and thoroughly cleaned and inspected. Re-installed them and only running worse.

This is feeling more and more like a compression issue. So I checked compression on cyls 1 & 2. Both 0. Then I remembered my compression guage is a piece of crap/broken. So time to buy a new cool one. I am thinking more and more that my valve lash is set wrong and one or more valves not closing completely. But I need to (obviously) get into the rocker covers to sort that out.

Anyone have a fav. compression guage?

[Dave_Darling]

Does the starter crank unevenly? If you get a sound from it like "RR-RR-RR-..-RR-RR-RR-.." you have a cylinder with zero compression.

(Don't ask how I know.)

--DD

[stugray]

Almost certainly running gas with ethanol, I don't shop anywhere specific for gasoline. I put 93 octane in it, but I'm not sure that means no ethanol? It sure ran well for like, 1100 miles...

If you run ethanol in carb engines you are almost certain to get clogged jets.
This can happen in less than one tank.
The alcohol absorbs water, then the gas in the float bowls evaporates leaving behind the water.
Water corrodes aluminum in carb bowls leaving behind a white residue.
White residue clogs jets.
Fuel filters dont help.

[sdoolin]

Stugray - thanks for the 'splanation. This may come down to clogged jets, or something in the fuel system and to be sure, I hope it is that small of an issue.

To DDs point - the car cranks and starts evenly, and quickly, no strange noises there.

Having failed at determining compression in any cylinder due to lack of proper tools, I went ahead and inspected all rockers, swivel feet, pushrods, etc. I had somewhat hoped to find an overly tight valve clearance that would effectively hold a valve open and a loss of compression. No luck. All swivel feet spin nicely on the their valves, and all pushrods spin nicely in the rockers. Chromoly pushrods.

She still runs on only 3. All the time. Will not hold an idle.

Interestingly there is a very odd noise when she dies (won't idle). There's a "squishing" or "squeezing" noise from somewhere behind the engine tins, as if fluid is being forced through some small orifice. Goes away after a few seconds.

Sooooo, until I acquire a proper compression tester I am somewhat shooting in the dark and only guessing. I have cleaned the carbs thoroughly, but may attempt that again. A compression tester ordered from Amazon will take a few days to arrive, so the car is down for awhile.

I will re-iterate, never ever proclaim to oneself (or anyone else) that your antique german aircooled car runs flawlessly. There is a price to be paid... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

[sdoolin]

Compression numbers:

#1 = 71
#2 = 81
#3 = 86
#4 = 94

Engine cold, throttles closed. Not sure I want to warm the thing up as it runs pretty poorly, and I have seen other posts where these sort of "cold" numbers have been in the ballpark. Valves properly adjusted.

I think I am going to re-re-re-investigate fuel and spark systems...

[MarkV]

I have a 2056 w/ Dellortos.

I run 60 idle jets down from 65's, main jets are 132, air 180, vents 34

I had a problem once where a cylinder didn't respond to idle screw adjustment. It turned out to be a vacuum leak at the head. You might pull the left side manifold and take a look at it. I always smear a thin coat of grease on those gaskets when I install the manifold now. The gaskets that are attached to the plastic/phenolic spacer are paper thin..

[sdoolin]

Carbs cleaned (again). All jets and jet holders blown out and inspected for clogs. None found. Pressurized air through carb bodies at the idle jet and main jet orifices (not super high pressure). Manifolds and manifold gaskets inspected. No (obvious) leaks. Gasoline completely drained from car. New gas added.

All plug wires inspected, dizzy cap, rotor points inspected. All good.

Nothing. Cranks and will not fire. Arghhhhh, it just gets worse the more I try to fix it. I am going to start calling it bad names very soon.

For now I am going to search for the bottom of a bottle of Bourbon and let this thing sit for awhile. Frustrating as all crap. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[RoadGlue]

Actually, it might be a good thing that it's stopped all together. Perhaps there was something on the brink of failure before and all your fussing pushed it over the edge.

Time to get back to basics. Air? Check. Fuel? Sounds like it! Spark???

I'm sure you'll come at it with a fresh perspective and it'll be obvious.

Keep us posted and good luck!

[Valy]

Have you tried to replace or cross the spark plug?
I've seen spark plugs that worked good outside the engine but failed in the cylinder.

[sdoolin]

Well, its the raintray. I had been running without the raintray since I installed the engine, all good. I wasn't sure that the raintray would clear the carbs so left it off the car. I Installed the raintray shortly before I took the ill-fated drive (since the car was running so well, and since I had determined it would not interfere with the carbs) where I got a little air and thing s started going wrong. So, tonight I took the raintray back out of the car to make a little more room to work. On a hunch I tried starting her and she ran. Almost perfectly.

Sheesh. Now, I 'm very sure that there is still work to do, and also sure that the raintray is not the real problem here, but I may never re-install it. Just when I was going to have it finished in faux carbon fiber via water transfer coating...

[sdoolin]

OK, so I was joking (mostly) about the rain tray. I took a break from working on the car for a bit, was just pissed at it and I have several motorcycle projects going also. Yesterday I replaced the points, condenser, and rotor. Fired right up and ran. I put 60 miles on it right away.

Not running as smoothly as before this all happened. She idles a little rough (carb synch), and power seems slightly down (ignition timing), but I can deal with those items.

Nothing to see here...

[72hardtop]

I have a 2056 w/ Dellortos.

I run 60 idle jets down from 65's, main jets are 132, air 180, vents 34

I had a problem once where a cylinder didn't respond to idle screw adjustment. It turned out to be a vacuum leak at the head. You might pull the left side manifold and take a look at it. I always smear a thin coat of grease on those gaskets when I install the manifold now. The gaskets that are attached to the plastic/phenolic spacer are paper thin..

The phenolic spacer/gaskets are meant for an FI set up. The best gaskets to get for a carb set up are:

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/HP-Type-4-Int...fold-gasket.htm