"What is that ball bearing doing in the valve cover?&qu

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Bitterbrew
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Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:18 pm

"What is that ball bearing doing in the valve cover?&qu

Post by Bitterbrew »

My daughter was doing a valve adjustment on her beetle. Its a 1970 chassis but has a 1966 engine in it (F serial number). Anywho, the last time she did the adjustment she must have forgotten to tighten down the jam nut on the adjuster screw for #2 exaust because it was sitting in the valve cover and the adjuster screw was backed nearly out. After getting it back together I notices in the valve cover that there was what looked like a worn ball bearing in it.
I had to go to work so I've left it as is for now, but for the life of me I can't think of where it came from. It doesn't have a hole in it else I would think that its the end of a pushrod (I'm still not abandoning this theory btw).

Does anyone have anyclue what it is and where it might have come from?

Any help would be appreciated.

BB
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jmartini
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Post by jmartini »

Hi BB and welcome to the Forum! Great to have you as a member!
No idea on that little ball bearing! That is strange. When I used to do my valve adjustments on my old 72 Super Beetle I would always find stuff in the oil pan I could never identify - but it kept running like a champ. I'm sure someone here will have an idea on what it could be....
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SeeBlauKafer
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Post by SeeBlauKafer »

Hi Bitterbrew,

Probably somebody was replacing the manifold and a sheetmetal screw or a bit of metal got into the head.

To relate, this story actually happened to a buddy of mine. He had removed his manifold and somehow one of the sheet metal screws from the engine tinware fell into the open head without his knowing it. He secured the manifold back down thinking all was well.

A day or so later he was driving the car at highway speeds when suddenly the car started sputtering, lost power, and began making sounds as though the muffler had burst open. He promptly pulled over and had the car towed home.

I removed his valve cover and noticed what appeared to be a "grease fitting" that had settled down into one of the valve seats holding the valve in the "open" position. This would later prove to be the misshapen sheetmetal screw that would not pull through due to it's head. We pulled the engine, removed the head and out fell the screw. He learned a valuable lesson that day. The valve seat on the head luckily was not damaged .... and I do mean LUCKILY.

Cheers!
'66 Type I
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