OK turned Bel over and listen with her back open

Noise is from the bottom wheel/pulley where fan belt goes

I have not driven her since hearing the noise and will have her looked at. Everyone should be back from holidays this week

[Edited on 12-1-2003 by jenz58]

I hope its nothing BIG & Expensive Jen, but YES thats where the Crankshaft is.... Have You been Drag Racing again???
Maybe a Big end Bearing knock...
I had a noise in My 68autobug just after I bought it and it sounded like the fan hitting something.... hard to tell where the noise was coming from... anyway took the fan belt off. and started it and still the same noise. A mechanic said it was either a big end bearing , I think... Anyway had the engine completely reconditioned and the noise is no longer there.... Just as Well. The Mechanic didn't find anything , well He didn't say anything.... Maybe its quite common... I don't know...
Looks like the engine coming out anyway.
You need a spare engine Jen...
Best Wishes and hope it doesn't hurt the hip pocket too badly....
Have a Good Week....
:o

I hope its not a broken crankshaft Jen..

Me too, fingers crossed

have u tried removing the fan belt and running it? does it vary with RPM or is it constant regardless of RPM? Is it a heavy dull noise (possibly from bottom end or tranny)? or is it more a sharp, higher pitched noise (could be loose tinware)?

hey
sounds familiar it will be the bearings (mechinic inspected dads-same noise) and said bearings havent pulled it down yet but it doesnt hurt them to drive them anyway!
cheers
rhys

Dr L is doing a great job of getting me around but had a passenger confirm that his heaters are stuck on.

He's been like a sauna:jesus

I thought maybe weather and big windscreen

Bel's noise is not sharp, more dull

I'll take the fan belt off, run her and see

Before you do anything!!

Do you still have oil pressure. If you dont' I'd stop right there, because chances are you will have to pull the engine down anyway. AND, if you don't stop you can risk further damage.

I have seen the oil pressure drive break and as a result you get a real nasty noise as it grinds away in the cam pump drive slot. This can happen if the pump is the incorrect model for your engine. It may work for a little while, then it would break.

If you still have oil pressure, I'd ask if you are using an aftermarket cam. If so do you know if the three cam bolts were correctly torqued and peened over so they don't come out.

Last of all I'd try what one of the other guys said. Disconnect your fan belt and see if the noise is still there.

Is it only there when cranking or all the time. If its a cranking only noise, I'd suspect bushings in the starter motor, otherwise you might be spinning a bearing which means rebuild.

I'd doubt you have broken a crank though. Even a stock crank is increadably strong.

Good Luck...

Ian.

I've seen a beetle drive with a broken crank. A little old lady came in to check out an oil leak. We asked her how long it had had the hedious knock and she didn't know. Stripped down the motor and the crank was broken in two.........:o

Oil is OK

Not really a hidious knock, but a noise that is not normal.

She was sounding so sweet, I loved the window down and listening

yeah VW aircooled cranks are very strong, i've only ever seen one break and it was a type 4 crank. They are short and they are forged, so they are near indestructable.

if your oil light hasnt come on at all whilst driving, my guess is that you should be OK, it shouldnt be anything major.

It could just be your tranny is a bit old and making some clunky noises, not much to worry about.

Can u describe the noise more? when does it happen, is it consistent or is it intermittent?

If you have spun a bearing or something your engine would have probably already stopped, and if it was any other problem with your bearings the oil light would proabably have come on already.



[Edited on 13-1-2003 by Che Castro]

Noise is fairly continual, a little like the cricket sound but not

my 1600 motor has just been dropped out of the kombi and I have had to replace the cooling fan ($35 for a secondhand one) It was loose and was making a continuous knocking noise when idling. BUT, the noise was hard to find...it did sound like it was coimg from the bottom of the engine. All fixed now.

Glad it was something simple and less pricey than something major. Hope to get the same sort of news:sandrine

We all have our Fingers crossed for You Jen.
Yes a broken crankshaft doesn't usually break clean , its a jagged break and can still drive.... I don't think thats Your Problem Jen..... and it IS nearly impossible to tell where the noise is coming from....
It's all metal and all connected.... to each other.... If it sounds like a cricket, it sounds more like the fan touching the housing. Another thing is that the Generator Pulleys can crack in half... Usually the inner one I think !!!! and the fan belt protests... chirpily....:o:thumb:thumb:bounce:bounce
Check Your Fan Belt pulleys..... Piece of cake if thats the problem Jen... Lee:thumb

Thanks Lee

I'll do it when I get home

Jen,

If your in a position too, check your oil. A bearing that is breaking up will leave a lot of grey gunk on your strainer plate. It would also tell you if there are any metal particles in your oil which would indicate internal damage. All for the price of some new oil!

I've also had a fan on a twin port shear around the mounting bolt. The engine ran fine, just the fan made an awful lot of noise. Easy to check this, just make sure your engine if off (an no-one near the ignition) and reach over the engine near the firewall, and grab the fan and give it a shake. If its firm it should be OK, if it shakes then its either the fan, or possible your generator bearings are stuffed. Removeing the fanbelt for a few mins max will help check if its a fan problem.

Good luck

Steve

[Edited on 13-1-2003 by matara]

[Edited on 13-1-2003 by matara]

Ta for that.

Got home late and so done nothing