RE: [T3] Oil Pressure Woes

["James C" <jamesc@bettanet.net.au>]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Adney [mailto:jadney@vwtype3.org]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 April 2002 11:57 PM
To: type3@vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] Oil Pressure Woes


On 17 Apr 2002, at 12:27, jamesc wrote:

>What have you done to deal with the cooling air problems of a type 1 engine
>in a type 3 body?

The shroud kit is a Sharpbuilt kit, similar to the Bernie Bergman kit.  It
sits above a type 1 configured engine with type 1 front and rear tin.  Using
type 3 deflectors around the cylinders.
Have extended the kit to cover over the Superflow heads and around the
manifolds.

Have had to modify the deck to get the webbers on top of the manifolds to
fit.  Jigsaw and lots of filing on that.

As the type 1 tinware sits lower,(Around 20cm lower than the decklid was)I
have custom made a piece of aluminumn that fits above the extractors, but
right up to and under the type1 tin.  This is sealed around the sides with
housing window frame foam.

To get extra cool air in, the boot lid has been offset using flat steel to
provide a 1.5 inch "scoop" to let cool air in, and let the hot air out when
parked.
I also have a restoration shop cleaning up a rear boot lid at the moment and
louvering it for air flow for the Porche fan and carbs.  Both need a lots of
cold air to function well.

>Do the Melling pumps still have an iron body? If so, these have a known
>problem with the fact that they expand less than the case and tend to leak
at
>the junction. I don't know how much of an oil pressure problem this would
>make, but it contributes something. Still, a 30mm pump is HUGE and is
>likely to be able to overwhelm almost any flaw.

Yep. Still cast iron.  I also have the oil pressure booster kit so I can
adjust the pressure.  I am allways interested in what is deemed to be a good
pressure to have while the engine is cold and the oil is thick.  I use 30
grade penrite oil.

>Just the face? Was it leaking there? Like you say, it was probably fine.
The
>Blanchard ground finish on these certainly looks a bit rough, but they've
>worked fine (as in no leaks) for me.

>I suspect that a certain amount of surface roughness is important there to
>keep a gasket from migrating away in time. I really don't know what it
should
>be, but rather coarsely finished sealing surfaces are common here and seem
>to work. I would avoid a highly polished finish.

The finish on these is amazingly tough.  Very, very hard to smooth down.
Without som serious machine, it would be nearly impossible to get these
highly polished.  It's smoother and a little flatter now than it was, but
not dramatically so.


>Did this just make it leak, or do you think that it made the relief valve
trip
>prematurely? This doesn't seem consistent with getting 80 psi at idle. I
also
>don't see how this might cause a temp dependent problem, which was your
>original symptom.

It looks like that when the valve was shut (most of the time especially
while cold) air would have been able to enter it and sucked in to the case.
The only reason I started looking at it was that after some hard
acceleration test, (6000+ rpm), the cabin filled with smoke.  Found a stack
of oil on the exhausts from around this region.  I think that when the
pressure rose it forced it out this direction.
I do need to verify that this is fully fixed.  But the testing will be with
someone following to make sure I do not have smoke problems again.

>While I'm pleased that you seem to have your problems solved, I've got to
>wonder if there is still a cooling system problem, since that's what your
>symptoms seem to point to.

I am continually trying to check and improve.  I have also just rerouted oil
lines away from the carbs.  Also have a Kymco super cooler that I am about
to install.  I have installed left and right cylinder head temp gauges, oil
temp gauge at the filler space that the type 3 oil filler was, and a house
sensor in the engine bay to monitor air temps around the carbs.  Trying to
make sure I have lots of info on how it behaves, so when I do make changes,
I can tell if they appear to be positive or not.  I realise that with an
exotic engine I have to be continually trying to improve to ensure that it
succeeds.

James C.
66 Fastback - 2275 All Scat with some Gene Berg goodies.  Superflow Heads.
Porsche cooling system.

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