Funkwagen Kfz 17 with FU 11 SE 100

[Val]

Damn

How that cylinder looks like - any marks there from that broken piston ring?
Cylinder head and valves are OK?

[Funksammler]

The cylinder wall had received a nasty scratch from the broken piston ring. Fortunately the wear on the engine was minimal, so there should be enough thickness to hone the cylinder walls and still use the standard size piston.

Unfortunately you never quite know what problems are lurking in these old engines untill you commit to a full strip-down and rebuild. It could have thrown a connection rod through the cylinder wall so in a way I am lucky that the damage is relatively limited. Still I am pretty frustrated not being able to drive the Kfz17 at the moment, certainly on a beautiful autumn day like today!

regards,

Funksammler

[Val]

Have you stripped down and checked Kfz 17/1 engine to avoid similar problems?

[Funksammler]

Have you stripped down and checked Kfz 17/1 engine to avoid similar problems?

Already done and dusted, just need to get the car on the road so it can run under load!

regards,

Funksammler

[Val]

How about swapping engines then? In this way you can get Kfz17
on the road again this nice fall and 17/1 will need work anyway.

[Funksammler]

How about swapping engines then? In this way you can get Kfz17
on the road again this nice fall and 17/1 will need work anyway.

Possible... but only as a last resort. Not only is it a lot of work but there is always a risk of damage/mistakes. Best to be patient I think and wait until spring!

regards,

Funksammer

[Funksammler]

Hope at last...

After a long wait, the final parts for the Engine rebuild have been sourced, so now the engine can be reassembled and tested.

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/P1040724_zpsibox1mrs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/P1040724_zpsibox1mrs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1040724_zpsibox1mrs.jpg"/></a>

The top end (camshaft, valves) have all been rebuild already, we were waiting for the pistons, so now the crank, connecting rods and pistons can be fitted to the engine. The pistons are newly made and were sourced from Australia of all places. I think the number of countries that supplied parts for the Kfz 17 has gone up again!

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/P1040718_zpsfnpktwsd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/P1040718_zpsfnpktwsd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1040718_zpsfnpktwsd.jpg"/></a>

All bearings etc have been renewed we should end up with a virtually new engine. Here is a peek inside the engine, looking at four of the freshly honed and polished cylinders:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/P1040727_zpsttltzeo4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/P1040727_zpsttltzeo4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1040727_zpsttltzeo4.jpg"/></a>

The crankshaft and connecting rods were already prepared, fitted with new bearings. The bearings in the connecting rods get pumped through the crankshaft, a hole is drilled along the length of the connencting rod to supply oil to the bearings in the pistons. Wear on the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings is the main reason why old Horch engines have weak oil pressure. With the new bearings we should be up to full oil pressure again....

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/P1040730_zps89vlodct.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/P1040730_zps89vlodct.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1040730_zps89vlodct.jpg"/></a>

A rather hefty timing chain connects the crankshaft to the camshaft, built to last! So hopefully the engine will be up and running again later this month and I hope I will be able to get the Horch up and running again this spring.

regards,

Funksammler

[Funksammler]

remember this sorry scene:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC08707_zpsmns7ommk.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC08707_zpsmns7ommk.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC08707_zpsmns7ommk.jpg"/></a>

now looking a bit less sorry:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09117_zpsnjr2nhcq.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09117_zpsnjr2nhcq.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09117_zpsnjr2nhcq.jpg"/></a>

Winter is over, oh yes!

regards,

Funksammler

[Yuri D.]

That looks beautiful FS. Brand new engine.

[Val]

Absolutely splendid work, Funksammler!
The engine look like just as a brand new.
Amazing work.

Winter is over, oh yes!

Same thing here

BTW, from old pistons you can now make a lamp

[Funksammler]

It has been a while since I posted on the Kfz 17's, even though a lot of work has been done.

The "new" engine was duly fitted to the Kfz 17 and the intial test run of the engine sounded good. With all the auxiliaries and covers refitted the car was ready for a test run after a good days work.

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09130_zps1hnagerw.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09130_zps1hnagerw.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09130_zps1hnagerw.jpg"/></a>

The initial test runs revealed that the engine was running fine, but the clutch was slipping, I could hardly get up any hills without going back to a lower gear. After a lot of head scratching I decided that the only way to resolve the issue was to dismantle the gearbox and clutch housing to have a closer look. I discovered that the clutch plate had been fitted back to front, the clutch has a protruding flange to one side, the protuding side has to face rearwards, otherwise is comes up against the flywheel, preventing the clutch from gripping properly.

In a way I was relieved that it was a relatively simple issue to fix, and after refitting everything a test drive proved that reversing the clutch plate solved the slipping clutch.

I had noticed that on my initial short test drives the engine sounded slightly different. There seemed to be more ticking noises which I intially thought was the fuel pump camshaft. After a few more test drives this noise slowly got louder. At first I thought I had a leaking exhaust manifold but tightening that up did not make a change. The engine started to sound more and more like an air pump so I knew I had a gas leak somewhere. After more searches I discovered that one of the bolts hiding behind the ignition leads on the head was loose. Fastening the bolt did not solve the problem and a good look in the radiator revealed gas bubbles when the engine was being revved.

Fortunately being a sidevalve engine, the head does not contain any valves or mechanical bits, so removal is quite straightforward and can be done with the engine in place. Removal of the head confirmed that the headgasket had blown:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09201_zpsteanvlp1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09201_zpsteanvlp1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09201_zpsteanvlp1.jpg"/></a>

This was obviously a sligthly bigger problem, as a new headgasket had to be sourced. Fortunately my engine builder could provide pretty new gaskets but the Kfz 17 had to spend some more time idle in the garage:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09222_zps8hrsmr5l.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09222_zps8hrsmr5l.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09222_zps8hrsmr5l.jpg"/></a>

As you can see the Horch engine is not a flathead, so the head gasket needs to be bend precisely. You can see from the picture that this creates a weak point on the spot where the gasket failed, so I was a bit nervous about getting this right. It all seemed to go well and fitting head was not too complicated a job.

I have now driven the Kfz 17 for about 500 km without further engine trouble, so I am growing more confident that it is now back to it's former health. The engine no longer smokes and seems to have a fraction more torque than before. I can now drive up certain hills in fourth gear where befor I had to got back to third. The car is still underpowered, but sligthly less so!

On one of my test drives, I did have to content with a non-engine related issue. I had recently sourced an original speedometer for the Kfz 17. The instrument seemed to be in good working order so I fitted it to the car to test it.

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/20170406_120749_zps1qzhl9ni.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/20170406_120749_zps1qzhl9ni.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20170406_120749_zps1qzhl9ni.jpg"/></a>

After some use however I noticed a strange squeeking noise after which the speedometer stopped working. The old grease had solidified seizing the intrument and breaking my drive cable in the process. The instrument itself had not suffered, just the driveshaft connection had seized solid. Furtunately it could be persuaded to move again and after cleaning a greasing the driveshaft and all the gears the instrument was back to working order. Another bit of fortune was that the drive cable was broken a few cm from the bottom. It was relatively easy to shorten the drive cable by a few cm and refit all the orignal fittings to the cable. Fortunately it is now back to full working order. To start with the speedometer was quite "wobbly", but with increasing mileage the instrument has become more and more stable. For the first time I now have a relatively accurate kilometer counter, so I can now finally find out my fuel (in)efficiency!

All in all the Kfz 17 has kept me rather busy, delaying the re-start of work on the Kfz 17/1 but we now seem to be fully up and running again, just in time for the d-day commemorations!

regards,

Funksammler

[jir]

Hello Funksammler,
do you have some more photos or dimensions of circled zündkerzenstecker holder in the photo under ? It´s the same as on AUTO-UNIONs maschinensatze/generators... pls thanx for your help

[Funksammler]

The generators used a different kind of sparkplug connector, I will try to find one to take a picture tomorrow.

The type used on the Kfz 17 came from the aircraft industry.

regards,

Funksammler

[Funksammler]

Here are some pictures of a NOS generator sparkplug lead:

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09285_zpscj8xx95v.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09285_zpscj8xx95v.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09285_zpscj8xx95v.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09286_zpsa0roiq8m.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09286_zpsa0roiq8m.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09286_zpsa0roiq8m.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09287_zps6gp09k8w.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09287_zps6gp09k8w.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09287_zps6gp09k8w.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC09288_zpsze5gjope.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC09288_zpsze5gjope.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC09288_zpsze5gjope.jpg"/></a>

regards,

Funksammler

[jir]

Yours is quite typical...
On photo below is one for before/early war... (not mine, web reference)