Engine Trouble : 1958 Type 2 Pickup

Dear Forum Members:

While driving I snapped the fan-belt on my 36 horse motor (1958 Type 2Pickup). In order to save a huge towing bill, I drove my truck home with no generator or cooling system. I only drove 2 miles, but the engine was definitely smoking by the time I turned the motor off. I did replace the belt the next day and the engine fired up just fine.

However, my truck is now missing (i.e., bogging) between 1st and 2nd gear and 2nd and 3rd gear, etc. Also, my truck has a bad exhaust leak and back fires.

I am taking the car to my mechanic, but my mechanic is not a specialist on air-cooled motors.

Should I ask my mechanic to test the engine compression before he works on the exhaust and tune-up procedures? How can I troubleshoot this engine issue with my mechanic?

Please help.

Thanks,

Hey Casey

I am new to this so not sure if you have replies yet. How do I get that info?
I am not a mechanic but have owned about 100 and rebuilt many, etc etc.
to assess if you damaged it the first sign would be powerloss during your 2 mile drive. If not do the compression test to check the heads. If ok then go back to basics, ie. new plugs, new points, tune carb. If problem still there find a mate with similar engine and borrow his carb. Fit it on and drive it. IF problem still there put yours back and swap the distributor, but don't do that if you are a novice as it is tricky and easy to mess it up. That may isolate the problem and save you some cash at the mechanic. If still there (and I hope not) I am not so sure that the exhaust could create the 'missing'.
Good luck,
Texas

Have him do a compression check to see if any valves or rings are cooked.
The backforing could be valves or seats or a vacuum leak, possibly from a warped head. That last one might cause the exhaust leak too.
Next time get towed. It's cheaper.

Rob

It sounds like you burnt the pistons. Probably #3 since it gets the least amount of air. And probably the valve guides too. My suggestion, rebuild the whole engine. Don't bother trying to diagnos the problem. You know what you did to do her in.

Aircooled engines rely not just on the air blowing through the cooling fins to cool it down but also to cool the oil. Oil heats up and breaks down and then you have 300+ degree oil moving through the engine. Chances are the rod bearings went to hell in 2 miles time.

On type1/type2 motors you always want to have a spare belt on hand. Only type3's can run without the belt for ANY length of time or until the battery dies.

Your oil must've been boiling when you got it home.:banghead:

Ya cooked it. Burned # 3 valves at the very least. #3 cyl runs the hottest by design due to the position of the oil cooler in the fan housing partially blocking it. Luckily it's one of the easiest engines to overhaul. They sell kits for everything. Although I'd try to get a 53 hp engine and overhaul it. Alot more options. Where else can you pull an engine in 30 minutes?