A friend bought a 75 1.8L last summer and has been driving it daily since then. A month ago his motor developed a very loud knock. I said valve seat, but i was wrong. Here's what we found at teardown.

top of piston

the culprit. looks to be an engine tin screw.

Is that a nail?

It was obviously there for a time, as the plugs had not been out in a quite a while. How in the world did this thing roll around inside the cylinder for six months, and how the hell did it get stuck at the top of the head and not the bottom?

Quick somebody call Robert Stack ! I would guess that the head actually deteriorated at the exact spot that the screw was in and over time fell through the head and into the combustion chamber. After all it is a 914!

Magic Mushroom?

I had a 74 Super Beetle that I inherited from my Mother in Law. stock 1.6L Complaint was it ran really poor and was really loud!
So I looked at it and thought it was a bent valve or something. WhenI pulled it aprt found a cheese head screw holding the intake valve open. it was beat up pretty close to that. Probably bounced around on top of the valve for awhile till it finally lined up right to get inbetween the seat. Obviously Type IV's have enough cam lift to let the whole damn thing through.

Well, it doesnt look like it was supposed to be in there. Remove the stray and put it back together and run it till it croaks and then do your rebuild. 75 1.8 liter is not the ideal engine so when you do rebuild, add some modifications. That is what I would do.

I figured it was dropped down the spark plug hole the last time the plug was out. You think its possible for a cheesehead to fit through an open valve? Hmm, there was also a 13mm nut laying under a pushrod. Looked like an adjuster nut, but none were missing.

DAmn don't know who has a cooler avatar me with the cone babe or Skylines stolen baby pic of me and mom.

QUOTE (Joe Ricard @ Feb 16 2005, 06:19 PM)

DAmn don't know who has a cooler avatar me with the cone babe or Skylines stolen baby pic of me and mom.

LOL!!! Now that's funny, I assure you, it's not a pic of you and mommy. Its me for sure, and if you come to the WCC, I can prove it!!

Scott, putting it back together was my first thought also, but the damaged area is only a few mm from the plug hole.

It will be fine if you get all the steel bits out. If you are really concerned you can get a local shop TIG fill the hole in the head grind it smooth. It will last a long time.

Iszat a chopstick?

What ever happened to chop stick boy anyway?
I missed the end result!!

a good motto is "Always count your nuts after working on the engine. One, two.."
You don't want to lose them in the engine.



Geoff

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story...

Now back to your regulary scheduled program.





Sorry... couldn't resist.

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 07:42 PM)

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story... Now back to your regulary scheduled program. Sorry... couldn't resist.

Way too much info ther, Karl.

QUOTE (Bleyseng @ Feb 16 2005, 08:40 PM)

a good motto is "Always count your nuts after working on the engine. One, two.." You don't want to lose them in the engine. Geoff

+ 2 to be sure

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 10:42 PM)

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story... Now back to your regulary scheduled program. Sorry... couldn't resist.

Did you enter through the intake or exhaust port?

.And ALWAYS tape up intake ports while working on the engine with open intakes... (or fill them with rags)

That head is very repairable, just make sure it didn't cause a hot spot and crack.. If its cracked it'll have to be drilled and then welded.

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 07:42 PM)

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story... Now back to your regulary scheduled program. Sorry... couldn't resist.

I guess thats better then a "foriegn object" in her cylinder

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 07:42 PM)

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story... Now back to your regulary scheduled program. Sorry... couldn't resist.

prolly didnt do any damage, put er back together she'll be fine

QUOTE (sanman @ Feb 17 2005, 07:07 AM)

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 07:42 PM) My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story... Now back to your regulary scheduled program. Sorry... couldn't resist. prolly didnt do any damage, put er back together she'll be fine

Just be carefull of hot spots heard that can happen during prolonged use and lack of lube.

Back to chopstick guy. Glad to see that Opera guy changed his AVATAR from cam lobes to Chopsticks. Gets the heat off me.

QUOTE (Qarl @ Feb 16 2005, 07:42 PM)

My wife had my "object in her cylinder" on Valentines Day.. but that's a different story...

Did she notice?

I still remember the plastic chop stik in the cyl trick. I dropped a valve drove it home after it bent and jammed in the guide did min dammage. Tough motors.