Re: [T3] Unexpected oil change problem

[Simon Glen <simonglen@bigpond.com>]

Daniel Baum,

I had this problem once with a 1971 model VW 181 ("Thing" in USA) which I
bought.  Eventually, I removed all six of the little studs which the
capped nuts screw onto.  This ruined each stud as I used Vise-grips or a
Mole-wrench to do it (but it is easy to replace these studs with new
ones).  Then I got a plank of pine wood about 10mm thick, 100mm wide and
400mm long, placed up against the bottom of the case with one end up
against the flange of the cover plate.  Then I gave the other end of tne
plank of wood a hard wack with a hammer.  The cover plate came away and
dropped to the ground.  In this case I was horrified by the amount of
solidified dirt and grime stuck to the upper inside of the cover plate. 
Some people just never remove the cover plate when servicing a VW and,
despite this, the little engine just keeps on going and going!

Simon Glen
Toowoomba,  Australia.

Daniel Baum wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I ran into a very unexpected problem while changing the oil in my old wreck
> earlier this evening. It's a '69 Type 34, and this is supposed to be a
> prelude to attempting to start the engine in a couple of days time. if it
> works you'll all know about it in very big letters. This was the first time
> I had ever done this, but it didn't sound like the task presented any
> special problems. I had equipped myself with all of the proper gaskets,
> washers etc.
>
> Anyway, I had drained the oil with no problem  (I had to use my big flex
> handle to undo the plug; should it have been that tight?) and removed the
> nuts to remove the cover plate.
>
> The problem was that the cover plate was stuck tight, as if it was welded
> on. I tried pulling it with pliers and prising it with a screwdriver, but
> didn't want to exert too much pressure in case I damaged it. It showed
> absolutely no sign of wanting to move a millimetre. In the end I cleaned up
> what I could, put all the screws back on and put the new oil in, but I
> couldn't change the gaskets or the strainer.
>
> Any idea what the problem could be?
> (I've got a nasty feeling the answer will be "remove the engine and
> dismantle it into its constituent molecules . . .)
>
> Regards,
>
> Daniel Baum
> '69 T34: Everything missing, nothing works.

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