Thread: An VW experts here? Air cooled 2.0L engine Q. Nasty Ticking noise.

Years ago I was living in Merredin and an uncle had an old beetle which had exactly the same symptoms - a very loud and savage "clicking" sound at all revs. We tried everything we could think of and could not find the fault.

Went around and saw an old German bloke on the outskirts of town who had a yard full of dak daks, and he told us that it was more than likely a broken crankshaft.

Not believing him, but also not being able to come up with any alternatives, we pulled the engine out and stripped it down. Sure enough, the crankshaft was broken completely in half, with the break being diagonal through the shaft. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd still find it difficult to believe. Apparently it was a common occurrence with some of the earlier VW engines, and it was not uncommon for them to run on for many more km's in this condition (according to the old German bloke who told us what to look for).

The engine was still running fine in this condition, still had normal power etc but just this loud clicking noise as the only sign that something was wrong.

We never repaired it - a quick phone call to a wreckers in Perth at the time had a complete replacement up overnight on the bus, and we had the old banger back on the road next day.

Hope you haven't come across the same problem, but don't let anyone tell you it can't happen.

Originally Posted by big guy

Still have that prime merc you recently bought with the funny smell?

Deceased Estate?

Originally Posted by BMKal

Years ago I was living in Merredin and an uncle had an old beetle which had exactly the same symptoms - a very loud and savage "clicking" sound at all revs. We tried everything we could think of and could not find the fault.

Went around and saw an old German bloke on the outskirts of town who had a yard full of dak daks, and he told us that it was more than likely a broken crankshaft.

Not believing him, but also not being able to come up with any alternatives, we pulled the engine out and stripped it down. Sure enough, the crankshaft was broken completely in half, with the break being diagonal through the shaft. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd still find it difficult to believe. Apparently it was a common occurrence with some of the earlier VW engines, and it was not uncommon for them to run on for many more km's in this condition (according to the old German bloke who told us what to look for).

The engine was still running fine in this condition, still had normal power etc but just this loud clicking noise as the only sign that something was wrong.

We never repaired it - a quick phone call to a wreckers in Perth at the time had a complete replacement up overnight on the bus, and we had the old banger back on the road next day.

Hope you haven't come across the same problem, but don't let anyone tell you it can't happen.

We snapped the crank in a 1100 in a similar way. Used to rev the guts out of it as was in a single seat buggy. Also have stripped the dowels off the fly wheel It made some interesting sounds wile at 5000 RPM

not sure what they have,but not a manifold gasket or rusted out manifold.

Originally Posted by d@rk51d3

Deceased Estate?

Yep - how'd you guess???

Big Guy (Frank) lent me his Ozone machine and I ran that for an hour or so in the cabin, and that helped quite a bit. The smell still faintly lingers however.

Well, it is now 5 days later, and we just changed the oil and filter after the ATF treatment. New oil has made it even quieter in the valve department.

Old oil was disgusting, but it had been sitting for 2 years, so to be expected.

Runs as sweet as a Singer sewing machine now, and my daughter is very happy to be back on the road again.

Love that German engineering

Originally Posted by spudboy

Yep - how'd you guess???

Big Guy (Frank) lent me his Ozone machine and I ran that for an hour or so in the cabin, and that helped quite a bit. The smell still faintly lingers however.

Just a weird hunch.