Driving home today in my 66 bug 1600 on the highway my oil light came on and then a knocking noise...plenty of oil though? I know this is bad...what could it be? $$$$

if you dont know, take it to a mechanic ..

me thinks you have dropped a big end !...not good !

ah the song of a dying engine
i wouldnt run it again till u get it looked at

oil light at revs = trashed engine, little or big end, you still need to split the case to fix.

Thanks guys you have just confirmed my suspicions....

Quote:

Originally posted by warb if you dont know, take it to a mechanic ..

I would say that you have the start of terminal decay. It won't take long.

Back in the 1980s I traded in a Beetle when I sold my Fiat 2300S. I travelled from Canberra to Bega one night. When I was approaching Brown Mountain to go down the scarp on The Snowy Mountians Highway a slight knocking noise started at Nimmitabel. By the time I had got down the scarp to Bemboka about 30 miles later it sounded like I had a heavy machine gun in the back of the car. I had to be towed to Bega. The mechanic at the wreckers offered to bet me a free engine that I had done a piston. I reckoned that it was a big end. I should have taken the bet. The engine was full of little bits of Babbitt Metal from the big end shells.

I'm sorry to be the bringer of bad tidings, but it's a fair bet that your engine is finished. Drive it until it goes bang. It's a lot of fun to know that an engine is blowing up behind you. The looks on peolpe's faces while you are making an unholy racket is worth it.

i wouldnt listen to the ppl saying drive it till it dies cos its no fun being standed and if it happens at a bad time ie. traffic lights in peak hour u and others wont be impressed

i built a shitter motor a while back with a knacked bottom end just to turbo for the fun off it
amazingly it took the abuse i threw at it till the wastegate jammed and gave it full boost leaving me stuck on the side of the road for 2 hours while dad came with the car trailor

-Joel

It's surprising that some people give info to the new VW owner to drive it until it drops. If the engine has only started to knock and the driver has one ounce (sorry, for the ones who only know metric, about 28 grams) of brains, it is better to pull the engine and strip it. The oil light is on, it's knocking, there is clearance somewhere that shouldn't have it, so it's now time to start learning about the engine.

For a daily driver, the engine only needs to be stock and will not cost the earth to be reliable AND is within the reach of most VW owners with moderate mechanical knowledge. That way at least he may be able to save a few $$$ as the case as well other bits can be re-used rather than poking a hole through with a dropped rod. This is aside to the looking stupid in traffic when it dies in peak hour.

Also, why not update your profile so that others know at least the area you are in! You never know what help is just around the corner.

DH

Well said 1500S

I dont think I could drive it into the ground anyway it just doesnt seem right to do that to a engine that once seemed so good. Are you saying that with limited experience I could strip mine down myself?? Or is it best to leave it to the experts ?

There must be quite a few up there where you are to help pulling the engine. Not many special tools to strip:

A reasonable manual
36 mm socket
standard metric spanner/sockets
a piece of say 50 x 6 steel flat bar a couple of feet long to lock flywheel. 2 holes req to bolt on using clutch bolts.

AND for assembly you will need a torque wrench which someone up there may come to your rescue to save a bit of expence. If you intend staying with car playing, one would be a good investment.

and away you go. A couple of hours and you can see what made the old bug tick as well as seeing what's making it KNOCK!

If you were a bit closer I'd give you some bits but Tamworth is as close to the Gold Coast I'll be for a while!

Good luck with it and YES to the moderate mechanical knowledge for a stock dub engine. Far easier than a watercooled engine. Have faith in yourself and you can be quite competent in doing many tasks without going to an "expert" mechanic which is getting rather rare when it comes to the aircooled VW. Of course you will have to rely on some machine shop to do head and crankcase repairs when required.

DH

Listen to 1500s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Yes some sound info from 1500S

Oil light coming on when You have plenty of oil means
You have No oil pressure...

there are a few things that can cause this but the knocking noise will be a big end bearing.... IMHO

driving without oil pressure will do damage to most of the engine parts...
and it WILL stop... seize up....

Best of luck

Lee

I agree get it checked out.

Its all fun and games thrashing it till it dies but speaking from experience having it explode at 7am in flooding rains in the middle of peak hour and then getting out and having to push the car 100m up the hill is no fun.

Most people just look at you pushing the car these days and dont even consider giving you a hand.


Get it looked at asap or just give me a call when it goes bang ill help you push.