[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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