Oil Strainer

You could also just get a replacement plate, or one from 72 or earlier. If you have the filter, I don't think it should be necessary to clean the strainer every time, but I would NOT leave the strainer out. I WOULD check the strainer every couple of years.

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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I used to think it was OK. Then I blew up a very nice engine. Here's how:

A rocker-arm clip broke and the pieces came down the pushrods and got sucked into the oil pickup. These bits chewed up the oil pump ...

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-150F.JPG ... breaking the oil pump drive ...

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-152F.JPG ... and the cam gear ...

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-167F.JPG Bits of the broken drive got jammed in the cam gear...

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-202F.JPG http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-203F.JPG ... causing a large shock to the crankshaft, bending it.

The bent crankshaft (later determined to be out .005") beat the snot out of the center main...

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-198F.JPG And the resulting heat from the torched center bearing warped the case.

So, I'm thinking it's not such a hot idea.

Max

DON'T DO IT!!!!!! It's suicide. I lost 2 oil pumps on my experimental

Jan

Exactly.

What I do with teh plates that don't have a drain plug in the middle, is drill a hole and weld on a fine thread nut. (On the outside). Then use a standard crush washer with the bolt.

OR, the better alternative, buy a plate that has a drain plug on it. That's the older type plate.

If you just assembled th eengine and fitted it with a filter, then there's no reason to check the screen anytime soon. Once a year or every

Jan

Precisely what happened to me...

Jan

Ouch!

There are 2 important reasons why you should leave the screen there. The first one has already been covered in gory detail. The screen is your final line of defence against things getting into the oil pump.

The second is more subtle, but much more likely to happen. If you leave the strainer out, you will probably just put the cover back on with a single gasket. The amount of material you have clamped under the sump plate is now thinner by the thickness of the strainer plate and one gasket. That distance is enough to make the cap nuts on the sump plate bottom out on the 6 studs, which will make the studs jam up and then turn in the case.

The next time you take the plate off, 5 of the studs will come out with the nuts. Repeat this a few times and you will have stripped holes in your case.

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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