Date:         Thu, 8 Aug 2002 21:18:23 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Why this type IV engine caught fire,
              spun the mains and ruined everything.
Comments: To: shea@gtsdesign.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

If you look at the bearing you'll see that the pin missed the bearing
alignment hole.
The pin applied undue pressure on the bearing that may have been a
friction factor as well.
The bearing became ever so lightly egg shaped as the case tightened, this
condition may not have caused the crank to lock while the rods / etc were
being installed but eventually it caused the engine to fail from oil
starvation to almost all engine bearings.
Every bearing shows signs of operating under extreme heat and are failed.
I can visualize that the engine may have held 5/8 pounds of oil pressure
and the idiot light might not have signaled the operator but as heat
built up and the oil thinned it could have continued with enough pressure
that the sender might not activate the oil indicator light.
During installation the case may have originally dropped together
properly but considering Murphy's law the bearing could have moved as the
case was rotated, rolled over or handles in the bolting together process.
As for the snap together, the case is a precision fit and when you drop
the top (left side) onto the bottom side (right side) with the case in a
holder, on an engine stand, sitting on wood blocks it just gravity drops
into place with a snap sound. Any misalignment at this time and you'll
know something is holding the two halves apart.

Stan

------------------------ Clip --------------------
Hi Stan --

I'm wondering if you could give a bit more detailed description of what
the rebuilder did wrong?  I've rebuilt my air-cooled Type IV, and hope
never to do it again (I've gone diesel ;), but I'm still interested!

I get that the case is somehow snapped together wrong, but in what way,
and how did you detect it on disassembly?

Thanks!

        Gary

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