[T3] Rocks in a tin can sound

Jim Adney jadney at vwtype3.org
Thu May 26 10:00:44 PDT 2011


On 26 May 2011 at 10:26, Gregory N. Cox wrote:

> I was driving my '73 Sqbk yesterday and in a turn lane waiting on a
> light. Engaged clutch, shifted into first and as the engine revved, a
> sound like rocks being shaken in a tin can started. I pulled off
> immediately and shut down the engine. After removing the hatch for a
> look, I then restated the engine. At low rpm, no sound. Upon an
> increase, the loud rattle states.

With a long screwdriver, blunt end in your ear, you may be able to 
pinpoint the source of the noise.

First, check the muffler heat shields, as they're easy to get to and 
they often cause sounds like this. If this is the problem, you can 
either ignore it, or get it welded/brazed back in place. It's a 
harmless problem and a rather easy fix.

The more common problem is that 2 of the screws that hold the front 
half of the fan housing to the engine case come loose and rattle 
against the spinning fan. If this is the problem, you need to fix it 
before you run the engine much, because it will eventually ruin the 
fan.

To fix this, you have to remove the pulley housing along with the 
pulley, then the rear fan housing half, and then the fan. DO NOT pry 
on the fan; if you can't wobble it free, use the 2 threaded jackscrew 
holes in the hub to push it off.

Once you get the fan orr, the screws will probably fall to the 
ground. You'll see where they lived and where they were captured. The 
best thing to do at this point is to tap the threaded holes in the 
case deeper and get longer screws. Install the screws with Loctite, 
tighten them, and then put some silicone caulk on top of them so they 
can't back out even if they come loose again.

It's a rather big/long job, but at least you don't need to tear the 
engine down or take it out of the car to do it.

When you're done, be sure to torque the fan bolt to the TYPE 3 spec.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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