the never ending project. 71 super build

fuel pump plumbed (with hose clamps)
clutch installed
air filter installed
oil pressure gauge/idiot light sensor installed

once i clean up the trans and install the new throw out bearing, i think the engine can go in the car.

probably all im getting done this weekend... (...maybe...) need brake cleaner and im to lazy to go to the auto parts store. also don't want to risk loosing my parking spot...

alright stopped by the auto parts store after work yesterday and got engine degreaser rather than brake clean. it was cheaper and i thought it would do a better job. which i think it did. sprayed it down, went under there with a brush and a rag and not only inhaled fumes i probably shouldn't have but i made mess in the driveway as well (even with a tray under most of it :roll: ). cleaned off decades of gunk caused by the typical VW oil leaks. it's not perfect but it's 100x's better than it was. so after the driveway and transmission dry (degreaser gets sprayed off with water) i can take a stab at swapping out that throwout bearing.

edit:
add drain the gas tank and install new rubber line from the hard line to engine to the list of todays accomplishments. (going to do under the tank sooner than later as well. just not today)

also tried to have some fun. poured the gas in metal tray and tried to light it on fire. i was throwing lit matches in it and all it was doing was putting out the matches. that gas with ethanol in it from 2014 sucks! :lol:

so im digging through a nondescript box of random VW parts and what do i find? not just one, but two chrome generator pully nuts! so i finally found that. but now iv got the question of where the hell did the second one come from?
i remember the first one kept coming loose so i put the stock nut back on. it also kept coming loose and eventually jacked up the chrome pulley and woodruff key so i put another non chrome pulley on it with the stock nut and new woodruff key and the problem was solved. this second chrome nut is lightly used, but in much better shape than the first one but i don't remember ever buying a second chrome nut. :?

front tires are being mounted.
they couldn't (or wouldn't) mount the rears saying the tires were to wide for the wheels. so... i ether need to go pick up some 5.5" stock chrome wheels. or track down some chrome 8 spokes at a price im willing to pay. but at least the front will be on the ground by days end!

front is mounted and on the ground (for now, still have to jack it back up to replace the fuel line under the tank :roll: )
smaller than the 145's that were on it, but they'll clear the fender at full steering lock will a full tank of gas. also wider so maybe ill quit locking the front up under heavy braking.

so this happened today

Super_Randy wrote:

so this happened today

todays progress:
header and muffler installed
fuel line under gas tank replaced (glad i did that one, it looked ok, but was actually kinked under the tank and dried out on the ends) and made sure i had fuel at the pump
put high zink break in oil in the engine (lightly over filled but whatever)
found the 2 missing screws that hold the airbox in behind the dash and installed that "correctly" ;)

idk if ill do anymore today. im fighting a pinched nerve in my back that's causing a stiff neck. it's 3 o'clock and id really like to mow the backyard, dog went out there to whiz this morning and got lost for 15 minutes :lol:

edit:
ended up doing more.
because of where the coil is mounted i had to make longer wires for the idle plunger thingy on the carb and choke.
also had to make a longer wire for the backup light wire.
don't worry i used proper SFI spec 16 gauge so it's engine compartment safe!
also ghetto wired up my oil pressure gauge so i can use that when i start it.
also pounded an old generator pully straight-er and put that on with the belt.
im at a point that if the battery had a charge i could start it!

which brings up a question. i have a stock generator pully and 8 shims. the instructions for my Bugpack chrome pully say 10 shims. so is this an aftermarket VS stock thing or am i missing 2 shims?

Super_Randy wrote:

... i have a stock generator pulley and 8 shims. the instructions for my Bugpack chrome pully say 10 shims. so is this an aftermarket VS stock thing or am i missing 2 shims?

To be honest I never counted them and have no idea about the exact stock number of these shims.
The pic in in the original VW repair manual shows seven shims (so I suppose 7 or 8 are stock).
The official VW parts manual reads "X" for the number of shims needed... :D
Most "sets" advertised today contain ten AFAIK.
Just make sure there is enough thread excess to safely tighten the stock pulley nut.
On the other hand an aftermarket acorn nut will bind if there is to much thread excess.

new battery acquired and installed.
generator pully shims acquired and chrome pully and new belt installed.
wheels, attempted to acquire but they were out of stock.
engine static timed. points gap checked. it was good.

so i just need to ghetto connect the oil pressure gauge but i have to go to work tomorrow :roll: i don't know how long ill be there, don't know if ill get a chance to mess with it anymore this weekend cause i don't really want to be a dick with noise and fumes if my nextdoor neighbors have company on Easter sense the only thing separating my back driveway from there back patio is a 6 foot tall block wall.

8-)

It sounds fantastic! Have you gone for your first drive yet?

it sounds better in the video than it did when i was running in the cam/lifters. although iv been working on it all day. the timing was way ass off and the carb was out of adjustment (more on that in a moment).
haven't driven it yet. in theory i could take it around the block. iv got 145 tires on the rear right now and they do "hold air" (my spare and one bald leftover front tire) i really don't want to drive on those (waiting to hear back from JBugs about some 5.5's). i also need to adjust the clutch. it's so loose right now i can't disengage it.

so anyway back to tuning. iv got the timing set. its bouncing around a bit at idle but it's at 8 to 10 degrees and 30-32 at 3000rpm so it's good.
the carb on the other hand won't adjust.
the fast idle screw is acting up. it's not real constant. it's supposed to go all the way in so it's JUST touching the cam and then you give it another 1/4 turn. problem is i don't think it's holding the throttle plate open enough. it's only supposed to be open about .004 and i don't think it is. not only is it not open it feels like it's sticking shut. so idk wtf.
then the air volume screw, goes in to bottom out (gently!) and then comes out 2.5 turns and that's it's starting point. that's all find and good.
then you use the big bypass screw to set idle at 850rpm but it's not really having any effect whatsoever. i can play with it and get it to idle somewhat smooth at about 650rpm. i can thread it all the way in and actually kill the motor from low idle or i can back it out to a very ruff 600-700rpm idle with a major sucking sound coming from the carb (it's very loud). i put my thumb over the screw to seal it just to see if there was air leaking around it, made no difference. so idk wtf.
currently consulting manuals.

also wondering if i need to change jets cause this engine does have a SCAT C20 cam.

todays experiments go as fallowed.
1. silicone the vacuum ports on the carb just in case the vacuum hose with a screw in it was leaking. no idea where one of those ports even goes.
2. replace the o-ring on the bypass screw. old one was rock hard and had possibly shrunk, i had a spare from a rebuild kit that was still good. and is now a much snugger fit.

so maybe later today after my neighbors party is over and the silicone has time to dry a bit ill give it another shot.

Hey Randy this is awesome - another milestone accomplished! 8-)
Last time I tuned a 34pict was 25 years ago... And I was no fan of this thing.
I'm afraid can't help with some further tips but the new bypass screw o-ring may fix the problem.
I guess you ran this distributor & carb combo before (back in the day) and it worked well?

Maddel wrote:

Hey Randy this is awesome - another milestone accomplished! 8-)
Last time I tuned a 34pict was 25 years ago... And I was no fan of this thing.
I'm afraid can't help with some further tips but the new bypass screw o-ring may fix the problem.
I guess you ran this distributor & carb combo before (back in the day) and it worked well?

works, but not well. the 009 distributor and 34 pict 3 carb issues are well known. iv been running the combo sense 2000 while learning and making small improvements over the years. had it working decently and then started having issues that i thought were ignition/carb related but now i know probably weren't. this exact carb is relatively new to me. as i was messing with it the volume control screw in my original German carb the screw jambed up and broke off so i got this lightly used aftermarket replacement and ran it for a very short time before my last engine gave up the ghost. so these parts have all worked together on my engines before.

the new o-ring seems to have helped. the bypass screw seems to perform a function, although not much of one. also found a slightly loose sparkplug. it's now idling somewhat smoothly at about 900rpm. it fluctuates about 80rpm. im now seriously wondering if the issue is jetting. it's jetted for a stock cam and now it's got a SCAT C20. although i would think it needs more jet, but while not smoking, it does smell a bit rich already...
also pretty sure i have the fast idle screw to far in, but if i back it off the idle sucks.

clutch is adjusted. it's money. nice and smooth. perfect amount of play in the peddle. im happy.

now for the im not happy.
damn back half of the brake reservoir was empty (i filled it) not sure if the lines were empty or not. i thought the back half of the reservoir went to the front brakes (?) those are locked up (or at least stuck)
i know the drivers side rear is working. passenger side not so much (they're sticky but spin and the peddle does nothing) don't know about the fronts yet. ill have to look at those when i have some help tomorrow (hopefully)

what i find odd is the brakes look dry. and there's an "access panel" (hole in the tunnel) and i pulled the carpet and looked through that and the tunnel by the master cylinder is dry. iv never seen a fluid spot under the car. so idk where it could be leaking from.

...unless brake can fluid evaporate cause my reservoir cap is cracked so it was more open than just the small vent hole... :?

Is this the part you looked into? Because a failing MC can leak the fluid into the dead space in between the inner and outer skin, making it seemingly just disappear into thin air:

yeap, that's where i looked. last time the master leaked that's where it ended up. wasn't fun to clean.

Check the distribution joints as well as the rubber brake lines to eliminate that.
Check to which MC inlet the rear part of the reservoir is actually connected.
Then off with the correspondent drums... :evil:
Brake dust collected inside the drums may have "absorbed" some brake fluid from a leaking wheel cylinder.

i inspected the front rubber lines yesterday. they're still flexible, no signs cracking or spongyness. also no signs of leaks. going to pull the drums on the front anyway cause they're stuck. probably going to have to try to adjust them down away from the drum and then hope the drums come off cause i don't have a puller.

as for the rears. ill cross that hurtle when i get there.

i swear, if it needs brakes im just swapping over to disc. it'll set me back time wise but i don't care.

edit:
found the leak. at least the first leak. passenger side wheel cylinder is leaking like a sieve. haven't checked the drives side yet. had to stop for breakfast. but everything is covered in a nice fine layer of ewwww.... :lol:
so after breakfast ill check the drivers side then if im feeling froggy, the rears.
im OK with just changing a wheel cylinder or two.

Are the shoes coated in eewwwww? If not, cylinders and done!

yes, shoes are covered in ewwww... i shot'm with brake cleaner and seem to clean. but why spend $12 on a wheel cylinder when i can put disc brakes on the front? i want 4 wheel disc on it, this just moves me halfway there. i was checking out the Topline Parts site and they're front disc kit says it uses the stock master cylinder so i shouldn't have to replace that until i do the rears (?). hopefully ill find the time to call them up and run out there next week.

brake kit - https://toplineparts.com/product/disc-brake-conversion-trw-based-front-all-super-87-0988/

and in other news im now fighting a stuck adjuster on the passenger side rear :roll: have i ever mentioned i really don't like messing with brakes?

in an interesting turn of events the passenger side rear drum is coming the hell off :twisted:
they won't really adjust correctly. i tried to bleed them and a good stream of clear fluid comes out suggesting that no air is in the lines. but when you step on the peddle the brake doesn't work.
so im kinda pissed off wtf right now. i hate rear brakes. i hate that damn 36mm castle nut. i dislike dealing with the parking brake.

edit:
took the rear drum off. use dynamite and a jackhammer to remove the adjusters. after dealing with homeland security i cleaned them up, slathered them in anti seize and reinstalled them. put everything back together. adjusted the brake, bled the brake. brake doesn't work. only thing i can figure at this point is the wheel cylinder is seized up. and all i did to check it out while i was in there was look under the boots to see if it was leaking. :x

Any chance of a faulty MC? I've installed new ones that were no good, not to mention the failing of the older ones.