Air filter search leads to possible bankruptcy!

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Jaysparx, Oct 14, 2021.

  1. As some of you may have heard, I've got one of those awful little air filter things on my crankcase breather and a pancake air filter on the carb. Result, oil mist all over the engine bay and nowhere to put the fuel tank breather pipe. So it's time to look for a proper oil bath air filter for my T1 engine, so breather pipes have a home and I can clean things up. Much reading of threads here tells me that said filter clips to a stand, and there we meet the first problem......
    No stand in my engine bay.
    Maybe it was chopped out during a previous resto and never replaced, but there's not really much evidence of cutting or welding in the area.
    I looked up my engine number, to find out what air filter I should be looking for. Second problem, apparently mine is a 1500 beetle/ prototype bay engine that has been "upgraded" to the 1600 it says on the registration (hopefully). Since my bus is supposed to be from 1977, I then decided to decode my M plate to find out exactly what I should have back there engine-wise. Turns out it should have a 2L type 4 engine with twin carbs. That explains the lack of an air filter stand.
    So I start to think about getting things back to their original spec, and look for a type 4 engine.

    Which, with all the other bits and pieces that need doing, is where the bankruptcy bit comes in! :(
    A bit pricey, ain't they?!?
     
  2. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    I'd stick a couple of photos up of your engine/engine bay to give us all a better idea.
     
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  3. 20210919_154614_Moment 7.jpg
    It's a pretty ropey picture because it's a grab from a mobile phone video of the general state of my engine.
    But you can see the oil breather filter and just about see the blank space where the air filter stand should be.
     
  4. bluerustybucket

    bluerustybucket Supporter

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  5. Dub and Dubber

    Dub and Dubber Supporter

    FWIW ... If it were me I'd get one of these
    (you did say just one carb?)
    images (1).jpeg
    and the bracket is like this:
    images~2.jpeg
    so not that complicated.
    Bank balance secured!
     
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  6. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    On the plus side, being that it originally had a type 4, it has the inspection hatch!
     
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  7. Dub and Dubber

    Dub and Dubber Supporter

    This is a photo of the stand from "behind" ...
    taken from a thread on the Samba about how to remove one
    6313275.jpg
     
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  8. Get a stand from a bus that’s being cut up for parts or get something fabricated to do the job.

    I wouldn’t worry about originality with these old busses
    If you go down that rabbit hole you’ll need very very deep pockets
    Would you have been fussed about a type four engine if your engine was all complete and you hadn’t started looking into things?
     
  9. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    It will be probably cheaper to upgrade and keep your existing T1 engine running than go to a T4 engine - the key difference is that every component of a T1 engine is available new, while for T4 engines, the choice is smaller.

    The cost of a set of stock 1600 cylinder heads and new pistons and cylinders is a lot more affordable for a T1 for instance.

    The T4 is a better engine in terms of longievity as it is relatively less stressed in a bus, but as millions fewer were made and they were not as much used for racing, the range of parts is limited.
    Also before heading down the T4 route, check if your gearbox is matched to the T1 engine, as if you were to fit a 2L T4, you will probably want the gearbox that goes with it.


    With the silly EMPI oil filler you have, the actual inside pipe diameter of the metal fitting that goes to the oil breather is about 5mm... As already said, nearer 20mm is stock. Also with the filter on the breather arranged like that, any oil that spits out will just drip out of the little air filter.

    However, if its spitting oil, I would start with a compression test on your engine, to check if part of the problem is wear and tear, building up pressure in the crank case.

    All of the stock air cleaner solutions try to suck air out of the crank case back into the inlet manifold in some way.


    I would focus on cleaning up what you have rather than spending thousands more. If it turns out to just need a stock oil filler, air cleaner and other bits and pieces its more like £200 than thousands. ..
     
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  10. Just bagged these off Fleabay! Screenshot_20211014-204108_eBay.jpg Screenshot_20211014-204032_eBay.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2021
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  11. I'll make a bracket when the bits arrive.
    TBH I was already thinking about a type 4 engine, in a "wouldn't it be nice" kinda way. I've always felt that 1600 is a bit underpowered for a vehicle as big as a bus. Finding out the engine started life as a 1500 makes me wonder how good it was before it was upgraded, and since it was done years ago, if it's going to be a reasonable base unit for further upgrade.
     
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  13. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Type-4 for the win. :thumbsup:
    It all depends on you attached you are to the contents of your bank account... however, it'll never be a racing machine, maybe you should drive a 2L before you shell out, you might still think it's under-powered.
     
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  14. It's only money, and you can't take it with you!o_O
     
  15. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    I agree, I have a 2.4L type-4 in mine.
     
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  16. Bet your cruising speed is more than 55mph!
     
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  17. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    The aircleaner in the picture is the very old type with the wax capsule operated of hot air flap and no vacuum flap system. If the capsule has failed then you can use a Volvo spare apparently but...

    Not the best, as the later vacuum operated type switches automatically between hot air at idle and cold air at wide open throttle and back again, mnimises flat spots after warm up too..

    The oil filler in stock that you show is also the older type that doesnt have a negative pressure breather setup..
    The one you wanted connects to a breather inlet on the correct air cleaner downstream of a weighted flap.

    Nice try but can do better..
     
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  18. How about going to twin carbs instead. Solves the air filter problem and you get a little more grunt as well

    Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
     
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  19. bluerustybucket

    bluerustybucket Supporter

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  20. MorkC68

    MorkC68 Administrator

    Barneyrubble had the full airbox / pipework etc to fit a 1600 motor with Solex carb sat doing nothing but he's awol :(
     
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