Help: Listen to my old VW engine on youtube - it is hurtin

[thomas-cos]

Hi, I am having a little trouble with a 1985 VW Van I got recently. I made a youtube video so maybe someone that knows about Volkswagen engines could listen to and let me know what might be wrong with it.
Thanks so much for any advice.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Zek2xschO7M

[thomas-cos]

This is a video looking into the engine while revving the motor. I know there is a lot of stuff missing and wrong with the van. But it ran great for a couple weeks after the last mechanic worked on in Mexico.

I just want to get it running smooth again, where it doesn't want to stall. Then I will work on all of the other issues.

Thanks so much for any advice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKWt0N92Iqw

[Bruce.m]

You should learn about these engines because you are killing that one and I guess you don’t have the fund to pay someone to fix it properly. They are relatively simple but precision made.

See if you can pick up John Muirs book. It’s old & has some errors but it is aimed at people who have limited funds to maintain these cars/vans so need to learn themselves.

The engine is “aircooled”. It has a big fan behind the generator which is 100% responsible for stopping the engine overheating and dying permanently. It cools the finned cylinders and heads (each side of the central case) using air flowing through the vanes. There is also an oil cooler inside the fan housing, which the fan pushes air through.

Currently your engine is missing all the sheet metal that goes all around the engine and stops hot air from the exhaust and hot air which the fan has push over the engine... rising back up (its hot, & hot air rises) and being pulled back into the fan. The fan needs to get a flow of ambient air to stand a chance of keeping the engine from overheating. There are air vents which allow the fan to suck in fresh air but they only work if the top side of the engine is sealed off from the hot side underneath.

You don’t have an air filter on the carb. So all the dust / grit in the air is being sucked into the engine and acting like sandpaper to wear the engine from the inside. If the filter was restricting the air flow into the engine it’s because it was full of dust and blocked. So it needed cleaning and not removed. Ideally you should fine a genuine original air filter. Lots of the cheap ones available are shiny and don’t work very well.

These engines have a service interval of 3000miles. That how often they need a service/ oil change / etc. They are not low maintenance but will last if looked after. Currently you are running that engine into the ground.

[Clatter]

Before you will ever be able to drive that thing any distance or trust it AT ALL it will have to come completely apart.
SO many things are wrong, there's no way a tune up will do you any good.
I'm amazed you were able to drive it as much as you have!

Unless you are in a position to get all of the right parts assembled, you should sell that and cut your losses.
It will be worth far more as a running vehicle than after a catastrophic engine failure.

A VW Bus isn't the right vehicle for everybody.
You have to either have a lot of money, or have tools and put forth major effort.

[doc]

thomas-cos,

So, this is some hard advice you didn't want to hear, I'm sure. Probably wise to get a second opinion. But both responders are known to me and, I assure you, are likely giving very good advice. You are a lot of work and likely thousands of dollars away from where you want to be.

You might try to find a VW club in your area and get some local authorities to actually lay eyes on your bus and see if they can make suggestions.

I always hate it when the news is not good. Good luck!

doc