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:

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

Only one cylinder was undamaged.

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

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

how big was his amp?

Love the carnage... thanks for sharing..

Type 4 Sale

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

He might have considered stopping.

Rich

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.

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

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

Thanks for the pics!
You need an engine stand.

It's currently holding a 3.2.

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

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

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

Look, Mike used cam in the correct context.

I did Cool Hi Joe

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