Date:         Wed, 28 Jun 1995 18:07:16 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         amunro@amunro.seanet.com (Alex Munro)
Subject:      More awkward tales...

I have another embarassing moment (I'm '79 westy on fire) that occured
several years ago while driving my bug.  I had built a sweet little 1600 DP
motor, and my girlfriend and I were trying it out on a road trip.  We were
headed from Seattle to Portland, and stopped along the way for gas.  All
morning long I had been listening to a very light knocking noise, and it was
bothering me.  After gassing up, I fired up the engine and went to the back
to listen some more.  I couldn't tell exacltly where the sound was coming
from, but something told me it was inside the engine.  I had put in a CW
crank, and noticed when I built the motor that there was VERY little
clearance between the rear counterweight and the case surface (probably
something like 0.030").  Listening to the motor I decided the worst was
happening:  a counterweight was hitting the case.
Stress, guts boil, worry, etc.
I decided I couldn't very well do anything about it now.  I got in and=
 drove.
I'm sure you've all been there, driving gently just hoping to make it there
(at least all you type I owners :)...)
About 30 miles later BANG, and my rear wheels were locked up (I had been
doing about 70 in the left lane).  Relatively quick thinking had me push the
clutch in and we rolled of the the right hand shoulder.  There was a large
amount of smoke coming from the engine compartment.  I jumped out with my
standard equipment fire extinguisher (a dry chem I would do anything not to
have to spray at a motor).  My car had one of those 30=B0 cooler kits that
stands the decklid off for more air.  I looked down inside where all the
smoke was coming from.  Intense smell of arc welding.  I waited on the fire
extinguisher, and was happy to see the flames die.  I opened the lid to see
what was the matter.  My generator was FRIED.  I mean burning winding
material all over the engine compartment, shaft at about 10=B0 from center.
We're talking toast here folks.
My belt had been way too tight, and the load pulled the spinning guts of the
generator down in to the housing.  Are you listening type I folks?
We were a few miles from the nearest exit.  I knew that drag racing guys
remove their fan belts for more power, so I let the engine cool.  Then we
made it to the next exit by me blasting for a long 1/4 mile ;) and then
shutting it down and coasting.  We would sit and cool, repeat as necessary.
The next exit was no help (omit long part of story here), so we kept up with
the drag racing trick for 10 more miles.  At the next exit was an auto
electric place that was sympathetic of our problem.  They drove to Olympia
and picked up a new Bosch generator (polished no doubt) and charged me
$127.00 for it.  I knew that I could get a rebuilt one out of Hot VW's for
$28, but we had no money and they let us put it on my brothers plastic.  I
had my own tools (we are talking bug here...), and went to work.  Thankfully
I had dual carbs because with the stock single port manifold I had on the
last motor I would have to pull the engine to get the generator off. Less
than an hour later we were back on the road, with a very shiny generator
that was still going great when I sold the car later (moment of silence.  I
had replaced every part on that car but the transaxle.  It held no secrets
but I was hot for an RD400 I had found.  Live and learn...)
Hope this helps someone avoid a problem...

I've got a million of them.  At least I don't let a dealer rip me off (jab,
jab).