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I was driving my buddy's vw 1960 beetle 1600cc engine down the freeway at 80 miles per hour for over a half hour. I heard a tick tick tick sound and started to lose power. When i reved it, it got louder. I pulled over and looked at the engine. I thought it was a miss. but with the engine turned on, it was loud and made a banging noise. with the engine off, i checked the points but turning the alternator by hand clockwise to see the gap open on the points. I thought it was the fan banging. so I went to drive it, and it stalled when i applied 1st gear. i put it in neutral and started it again, then it died making that noise ( i know its not a fuel, spark, or air problem) I thought maybe it was the tranny clutch, but it moves freely in neutral. but trying to start it again. the starter clicked, i tried turning the alternator pully clockwise again, and it wouldn't turn. i got it towed home and took off the alternator belt and the alternator freely spun.. no noise from the fan either BUT check this, i tried turning the crankshaft pulley by hand...seized!! i put a wrench on it,,no luck. IM thinking of three possible causes....1. it threw a rod 2. overheated and rendered the oil useless seizing the bearings 3. valve bent. Im leaning towards a rod. because the sound it made. BTW its a 1960 VW beetle aircooled 1600cc. almost 50K miles and had full tank of gas. and oil was up to level.everything looks okay. Ive worked on the engine several times b4 fixing it, by replace a bad coil, tune up, new carb, dizzy component upgrades, timed it, tranny bushing, you name ive probably fixed it. BUT it strange this happened. Its not my repairs but rather my neglect to keep the rpms lower in forth gear and lugging it. I have to fix it because i drove it. Its not even my car, i got to try it once and it breaks on me. but then again 80 is ridiculous . so is it a rod? i got the engine almost ready to be removed from the car almost. please help//
I was driving my buddy's vw 1960 beetle 1600cc engine down the freeway at 80 miles per hour for over a half hour. it it was loud and made a banging noise. the starter clicked, and it wouldn't turn. ...seized!!causes....1. it threw a rod leaning towards a rod. because the sound it made. Its not my repairs but rather my neglect to keep the rpms lower in forth gear and lugging it. again 80 is ridiculous . it a
Welcome and sorry it had to be this way
80 MPH is not lugging a 1600 CC engine
Sounds like a rod to me
Nothing to do but man up and pull the engine apart to see what you did by running it 80 MPH
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derf
No matter where you go,there you are.
My post are my opinion of what has worked for me but are not the gospel What I post is what I do on my cars. I am here to try and help not to impress or boast
Possibly not seized, but it could be something just as bad...
I had a similar noisy engine failure many years ago on a 1958 1200cc VW, which resulted in me being towed into a nearby VW shop. The mechanic was only looking into the problem for about 5 minutes when he came back to report the bad news. I was told that most likely I had a valve head break off and drop into the cylinder. I asked him how he could possibly know that without pulling apart the engine. He then showed me a sparkplug that he had removed which had the tip chewed up and badlly flattened. He was subsequently proved to be right.
So I suggest that you remove all your plugs and inspect them for damage. If they are OK, then maybe your oil pump failed and it did seize up.
okay the engine is a 1200cc. the oil pump failed and starved the bearings for the piston rods, and crank. im rebuilding it now. but im having a very hard time finding pistons and cylinders for the 1200. people at the vw shops around me only carry 1600cc. i need the piston rods too. the crank shaft is bad, the cam was bad, i got used crankshaft, camshaft, theyre good to go. new main bearings. the camshaft doesnt require bearings, crazy, i got the block line bored. picked up a gasket kit, real main seal. heavy duty oil pump from cb performance, camshaft plug,i live next to cb performance, that dude is smart. its all ready to be put to together but im needing the cylinders, pistons and connecting rods. cb performance only had a upgrade big bore, 1500cc, they designed it 27 years ago and said i can keep my stock crankshaft, cam, even heads, and upgrade but they wanted 250 +tax. i was thinking more about 129 i seen some advertisments for that price, but have to wait over a week for mail. im going to call some farther away vw shops and ask them tomorrow morning. peace. ill keep updated
Last edited by vw1960dude; 10-28-2009 at 08:01 PM.
In my case (above) I had only damaged one half of the engine and considered re-building that side. But the VW shop advised against it as I had about 80k miles on the engine already. Also one side new - other side worn, would not run very well, they said.
So in the end I went for a recon engine that came complete with new carb, distributor, generator, etc.
I have no idea what the cost is now, but maybe it's worth considering if you have to replace so many bits.....
In my case (above) I had only damaged one half of the engine and considered re-building that side. But the VW shop advised against it as I had about 80k miles on the engine already. Also one side new - other side worn, would not run very well, they said.
So in the end I went for a recon engine that came complete with new carb, distributor, generator, etc.
I have no idea what the cost is now, but maybe it's worth considering if you have to replace so many bits.....
thanks for replying. im going to rebuild it. way cheaper than a reconditioned engine ($1050). I already bought the camshaft and crankshaft and all the parts except, piston and barrels and connecting rods. Three components left and im done. I got my buddy helping me out. He has rebuilt tons of vw engines. he the engine out in like hours. but i should have luck today, im going to Bakersfield if any of those shops have my three parts. If worst comes to worst. just going to honed the cylinders and get new rings. but the connecting rods are toast. thanks anyways.i would have had it done today if the shop had the parts yesterday,
Is it the 40 HP or 36 HP 1200? The 36 HP has the generator stand built into the case halves and the 40 HP has a bolt on stand. Either way after searching $300 give or take is a good price for a new set of P&C. If you need it in a hurry just hone out the cylinders and re-ring it.
Maybe you will get lucky to find somebody who will have parts in stock for either engine as most people want bigger & and faster. At least you are in CA & have more VW shops and parts stores to choose from
Good Luck
PS if you're buddy was good, he'd have the engine out in like minutes not hours
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derf
No matter where you go,there you are.
My post are my opinion of what has worked for me but are not the gospel What I post is what I do on my cars. I am here to try and help not to impress or boast
its a 40hp. I called around, nobody gots the parts. im probably going to have to order the parts. I should take two days but it sucks because its Saturday. That means i gotta wait an extra couple of days. like thursday or wednesday.that sucks. stupid weekend.
That means i gotta wait an extra couple of days. .that sucks. stupid weekend.
No, worse would be that you would have to "special" order them from obscure factory somewhere
At least the parts are available in a few working days.
__________________
derf
No matter where you go,there you are.
My post are my opinion of what has worked for me but are not the gospel What I post is what I do on my cars. I am here to try and help not to impress or boast
__________________
derf
No matter where you go,there you are.
My post are my opinion of what has worked for me but are not the gospel What I post is what I do on my cars. I am here to try and help not to impress or boast
update: So the engine did seize up. it didnt have the right cam in there either causing the oil pump not to pump or something thats why it seized, . I got the rods from this place in Arizona, i swear they charged me more than the final amount. i had to get new pushrod tubes, the block was cracked a little on the halves in the back. i got it welded and used some j b weld. the stud broke off in the head, but got it out finally. im not going to get new pistons just hone them and re ring them. there arnt 77 mm 1200cc pistons either. the engine i guess was upgraded to to 83mm pistons and cylinders making it a 1500cc i think. thats it. should be done tomorrow.
__________________
derf
No matter where you go,there you are.
My post are my opinion of what has worked for me but are not the gospel What I post is what I do on my cars. I am here to try and help not to impress or boast
nope! the engine runs, but the oil pressure is 20psi at cold start, when hot is 0psi at idle, 20psi at 4000rpm. ive replaced the oil relief valve, tried using a adj. oil pres. valve. nothing. what do i do. i might have to get another engine$$$..IM having the exact same problem. imi freaking broke over this 1200cc 40hp. I got the blocked machined, align bored. and got everything put together. no oilpressure when hot. 0psi.i've replaced the relief valve, tried using an adjustable oil pressure valve. its being stubborn. Im suspecting the problem lies within the camshaft journals. The oil isnt building pressure. The 1200c doesnt have cam bearings stock. I live next to CB performance. i have to take the whole block all apart AGAIN>and get CB performance shop to bore the cam journals to install bearings. stupid oil pressure. Costing me money. IM fixing this dude's engine i seized up going close to 90mph for over 30 minutes. Im going to end up buying him a new engine if i cant get this 40hp going by this week. its been a month and he's getting mad. He doesnt get mechanics and how things works with oil pressure.. I have to read his books and research because he doesnt get it. i get it. I get how the 40hp engines suck. ANyways its been upgraded long time ago from 77mm pistons to 83mm in a big bore kit. making it a 1400cc. but the camshaft journals? man i should have bored those out with bearing, then i wouldnt have this mess on my hands. But im looking to other possibilities like maybe a pin point size hole in the pickup tube. ANY SUGGESTION> im a A SMALL BLOCK guy myself. VW engines make me broke. -mikey
Last edited by vw1960dude; 11-08-2009 at 09:33 AM.
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HELP! Vw beetle 1600CC SEIZED???
I have to fix it because i drove it. Its not even my car, i got to try it once and it breaks on me. but then again 80 is ridiculous . so is it a rod? i got the engine almost ready to be removed from the car almost. please help//
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