[T3] Flickering Oil Light

[J. Jonik]

---  Wait.  I was wrong about the oil breather.  The "new" one is the same as the "old" one. (Two caps on top, etc.)  BUT...difference is that the breather hose in "new" set-up connects to under the Air Distributor.  "Old" one just hung down attached to nothing at the bottom end. "Old" Air Distributor had no place to attach that hose.  That had something to do with correcting a Bad Overheating Situation up in Virginia foothills.  I can't remember why that was part of the solution. 

Should I go back to the former Hang Down breather hose?...and change the Air Distributor back to the one with no hose attachment?

--- Another correction. The engine in my '71 was a '72 engine...which I put in way back when I changed the '71 from automatic to standard shift.  Of course, compatible "brain" was installed at the time.

--- The one inch diameter paper heater hoses have been adequate, with help from some duct tape. Now they're destroyed.  But, I just remembered that I used to use sections of heavy-duty clear plastic hose. Don't know the intended use for that, but it didn't melt or shrink or crack...AND I still have some somewhere. They were perfect fit. Didn't even need clamps.

[ NB:  I'm trying Plain Text now...to maybe prevent the weird question marks. ]


From: "Jim Adney" <jadney at vwtype3.org>
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] Flickering Oil Light
Message-ID: <506C3B43.30714.24D310 at jadney.vwtype3.org>


On 3 Oct 2012 at 1:02, J. Jonik wrote:

> No...I didn't change Pressure Sensor or "brain".?? Basically, I just changed the engine case...again, because to all evidence (expert outside opinions involved), the thrust bearing was shot...as shown by way too much play in the crank.?? Fan moved in and out, using big screwdriver, over eighth of an inch...maybe more. ? Bonk bonk, in and out. Plus the rattlesnake rattle unless engine revved a bit.? Quite noisy.? Ran well otherwise.?? Now it sounds and drives solid as pie.??
> Great relief....except for that flickering oil light and apparent hot engine.

Sounds okay. The excessive end play is usually due to the #1 main 
bearing coming loose in the case. Yes, the only way to fix this is a 
complete rebuild of the engine, so what you did was reasonable. It 
sounds like you now have a mostly '71 FI system with a '73 breather.

> Crankcase breather is different from the one on removed engine...but
> the "old" one was a cob job...with a hose venting straight down and
> out. That solved some serious overheating problem years ago...but I
> forget the details. ? The one now seems to be the way it's supposed to
> be. ? I can't draw or describe without going under with a sketchbook. 

The '73 breather should have 2 plastic caps on top. Underneath the 
small one there should be a  hose that connects to a tube that runs 
to the front of the '73 intake air distributor. If that's all there, 
then this should work just fine.

But, the '73 throttle valve switch won't work right with the '71 
brain, so you should use the '71 FI wiring harness and the '71 
throttle valve switch. Is that what you did?

I'd also swap in the '71 distributor, as the advance curves are 
different. You might consider letting me rebuild that for you before 
you install it.

> The 73 Intake Air Exchanger is there...with Cold Start Switch left
> idle...no wire plug or fuel hose. I didn't keep the former Air Intake
> Temp Sensor. Just left the 73 one there. 

That will work just fine.

> Bellows is tight and fine. My last good one. No back-up spares. I
> have no rubber cover plug things over peek hole in fan housing or head
> temp sensor. Never had them. VW thought we should have them for air
> cooling.? How big a deal are they?? Spark plug holes have good rubber
> seal things. 

Most Type 3s are missing that little plug now. It doesn't seem to be 
that big a deal

> The paper-like one inch diameter heater hoses are shot.? How to
> replace? The other heater ducts...the bigger "accordion" "flexible"
> things that go from heater boxes to the body attached with ring
> clamps...are frozen fairly solid and a bitch to wrestle with to put in
> place. 

I have new small paper hoses. You're lucky your big metal hoses were 
reusable. I have no spares for those.

> One other concern is the dashboard wiper switch. ? If that goes, I
> have no back-up for it.?? If that goes, I'm doomed....unless you know
> of wherabouts of workable replacement, or of tricks to over-ride or
> by-pass that switch.

I have good used '71 wiper switches, but they don't seem to fail 
often.

> Clutch cable adjusting wing nut is virtually soldered in place. Wings
> are bent from attempts to adjust.? Now soaking in some nut loosening
> stuff. Would like to adjust that properly one fine day.??? And front
> brake calipers aren't exactly moving in and out as they should.??

It takes a torch to free those up. Too bad you didn't do that while 
the engine was out. It's a lot easier to get to then. I've seen brass 
wing nuts that replace the steel ones. That sounds like a great idea, 
but I don't know where to get them. Does anyone else?

> ?Outside of those things, the car feels better than it has in ages.? I
> never meant to own an antique.? It's just a CAR, one that I mostly know
> how to fix...and that CAN be fixed. Why do others buy cars they can't
> possibly fix? ? ? ? ? 

Yes, I agree.   ;-)