Mikes 30HP rebuild thread

[Mike1973]

We're back! General life/work getting in the way the last couple of months but today we got together again to remind ourselves what the engine looked like, and how much work we had left to do...

I'd finally got around to painting bits of tinware whilst it was peeing cats and dogs last weekend, and today we test fitted a few bits and pieces inbetween cups of tea and catching up





The 'To Do' list is still quite long! We need to finish test fitting all the 'bits', make sure there are no issues there. That includes the regulator ring at the back of the fan housing, setting the shims on the flywheel, giving the carb a good clean...

Also need to sort out the exhaust... I have 3! None are usable in their present state! A 30hp bug exhaust, solid but mullered, my old exhaust, which is wafer thin and one of the preheat pipes has snapped off from corrosion, and a good 34hp exhaust, which I reckon needs some pipe work to fit properly...

Getting there! Hoping to have a few updates over the next couple of weeks

Still after a crank handle start if anyone has one? Think I've Tony Best has a spare for me but not sure when our paths are next crossing.

[WILL]

Getting there Mike Wish my engine looked that clean

[Mike1973]

More test fitting last night.... After I managed to run out of petrol on the way over... Thought I had a good 15 miles left in the tank, but started spluttering a couple of miles down the road... managed to coax it another 3 miles where is spluttered and died as it coasted to the pumps in Asda

I had a choice of 3 exhausts. One that I bought as a 30hp is actually a 34hp one bent to 'fit', but obviously doesn't
Then there is the 30hp bug one I had kicking around, that as well as having a few bits missing, has also been involved in a rear end shunt, so nothing lines up...
So going to use my tired original exhaust. The pre heat has fallen off, but we can swop one from the bug'd 30hp one. It's solid enough to get a couple more years out of it

Got to finish putting a lick of paint on the heater box tinware, and some black exhaust paint on the heater boxes.

Looking good....







(Notice Andy's clever little clip to stop my fuel pump falling apart...)

[Byron Bamboo]

Mike,

Great work.. you'll have to clean the engine bay out now.. that'd look wierd in your dirty old engine bay

I have a 30hp bug one if you want.. very very good condition.. but I heard its not a good thing to block off one tailpipe?

[Mike1973]

Mike,

Great work.. you'll have to clean the engine bay out now.. that'd look wierd in your dirty old engine bay

I have a 30hp bug one if you want.. very very good condition.. but I heard its not a good thing to block off one tailpipe?

Think there is still Aussie dust and dirt in the engine bay...

Your bug exhaust will go well with those clever little cut outs that have been put on my rear ribbed bumper...

I'm not sure why bus and bug exhausts are different?? I should have paid more attention to those cut out ones at Wolfsburg...

[Mike1973]

Very close to firing it up now!

[vwspijlbus]

Damm that looks very clean!

[surreysplit]

Mike , Thats very shiny i like

[smithsvw]

mike that engine looks way too good to put in that crusty old bus of yours
looks ace mate

[Mike1973]

mike that engine looks way too good to put in that crusty old bus of yours
looks ace mate

Don't worry Matt, I'm sure it will soon blend in (Well done on selling the Devon, it's gone to another good home )

Like the rest of the mechanics on the bus, it's not for show, just makes it easier to work out where the oil is coming from...
And we already think the motor may suffer from oil leaks after the build... when we had the case apart and were cleaning the mating surfaces up, there was a tiny bit of distortion at the bottom. It's filled with running in oil now, and no drips underneath but some oil weeping from one of the bottom bolts. It'll always need checking and topping up, but it didn't drink too much oil before so hopefully not a problem. Apart from that the case was way too good not to reuse.

[Mike1973]

It Lives!

Arrived at Andy's this afternoon armed with a can of petrol and a 6v battery, only to find while Andy
was testing his rig was set up and working earlier, the thing had fired up on the fourth crank!
Running sweet as a nut. We gave it a couple of 15 minute runs. No expensive noises or major oil leaks.
Andy's homemade starter handle just in shot. (Tony Best has come up trumps and has a pukka one for us )

The sensor running off the exhaust is telling us how lean/rich the fuel mixture is.

Andy's engine test rig, a fair bit was redundant on a 6v 30hp! But the digital head temp worked fine.
We are going to run one in the cab of the bus while it is run in, but this is something I'd like to fit
permanently with my track record...


Andy checking the thermostat. We had trouble getting the engine hot enough for it to kick in, but it works fine.


And apologies for the dire quality of the clip. All I had that takes video was my old phone...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9TzSqm-Da8

Next job, get it in the Kombi

[vwspijlbus]

Good job done!

[Split-Lee]

Nice one!

~Lee

[Mike1973]

Took the starter off last night, as it sticks when hot (after 3 or 4 hours driving). Just going to clean up all the connections, but is there anything else I can do to make it better? I'll only think about replacing it if it sticks after 1 hours driving....


Also going to replace a split axle gaiter while I can get to it And top up the gearbox oil...

[paul_f]

If it is sticking then I would fit a hot start relay - though you would need to get a 6V relay (I did have one but I might have given it away to someone else who is stuck with 6v )

You could also remove the solenoid cap and clean the contact

I have a photocopy of an old SSVC mag tech article about fixing starter motors, maybe we could have it in a future issue (although it would be good to find the previous magazines as this covered testing the starter as well)

I'll scan this one in for you tomorrow at work.