VW Nova Trike donated for a charity event

Hey guys and gals,

I just received a 2002 Nova trike that has been sitting for a while. Looking for some assistance.

1. It was a crate motor and trans in 2002. Need to find the information for an oil change.

2. Its an all medal body and the gas struts are gone to hold it open. Need a lead on these.

3. I need an electrical diagram for the motor. Never worked on the VW before. I do know its 12V.

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Your at the right place, as there are a lot of VW experts here, they just got to wake up !

As far as #2 goes, measure your total length , as auto part stores have them. Also measure closure length as it has to be at least 1/2 the length. Just take note as to how there mounted , ball joint or eye end.

The pitted chrome stuff, either go as rechrome $$$ , or scotchbrite them clean as possible and rattle can them with Rustoleum primer/paint. Just recommendations depending how much you want to get involved with the restoration. Good luck 👍

That is a nice looking Trike, not sure of the engine, but one would do a lot of general tune up and replacement of worn parts first.

The dog house oil cooler on the front side of the fan shroud, if I am right it was later in the 70's, 74 I think it came out, an idea of the year for now, but I would keep that fan shroud and cooler on the engine, just make sure everything else is working to keep the engine cool.

I sprayed the rusted area with WD40, let it set a bit, and used steel wool and worked it off, but it is almost impossible to get back that original chrome shine, but it looks better.

I would say, go over to "MY Trike" post, very last page, no 2nd to last, near the bottom of the page are some video links to watch, will take you to others to watch also, very educational info for a individual new to the VW engine, I am just now getting back into it, and of course more deeper than I expected.

It is actually all about what the rider wants from the engine, long rides, short run-around town tike, or more just a decked out show trike with not much riding, more show stuff.

I would look at keeping the engine stock as possible with only needed modifications, and research each one before doing it, some can do more harm than good.

this is the place to be to learn all you can, get solid advice, and get the help or guidance to resolve issues.

Welcome to the Site.

Item 1

As it has a replacement stock type carb I would guess the displacement as close to stock 1600cc.

All air cooled vw engines use 30 weight oil with a high zddp content. As the oil for older engines has been outlawed for road use you now have to use specialty oil. Most are expensive mail order. But one is a shelf item at the parts store and some wall marts. Valvoline vr1 racing oil. Straight 30 is fine and is what the oil system springs pressures an everything is made for. If the oil pressure is too low then it has some wear. Go to a thicker oil to get the pressure as long as it has a minimum of 1200 ppm of zddp.

Item2

I do not know what it was originally made with. But has struts are available through industrial supply places. Msc, McMaster Carr, Grainger....ect.

I usually get the adjustable force ones from mcmasters.

Item3

There is a vw wiring diagram over in tech tech.

If the specific year for generator and regulator combination was known we could narrow it down a bit.

Welcome to TT Stephen.

Used to live in GC while stationed at Chasn. many moons ago. Nice little town.

The trike looks like it has great potential, after a good & thorough steam clean/pressure washing and good old fashioned elbow grease. It appears to be intact and not missing anything that might keep it from running, which is a major bonus in your favor.

If the trike was built new in 02, the mileage was probably started at 0 on the odometer to correspond with the fresh "crate" engine & trans. That it only shows under 5,200 miles now is good in that its barely broken in!

As far as the engine chrome goes, most is hidden by the bodywork, so scuffing it and repainting it as Frank suggested might be the easiest most cost effective "fix" over replacing all of it depending on what your long term plans are for it.

Many good tech tips for the VW side of your ride can be found at TheSamba.com if you can't find what you're in need of, here.

Welcome Stephen. You have found the motherload of VW trike experts, lots of great help here from all. The owner of Nova Trikes is a member here, screen name Loner. Maybe he will be along to chime in as well.

Any way to get year info from the motor. Looks like it need plug wires and maybe a few other things from sitting. I have found replacement parts just need year info. The oil smells of gas right now so first order of business is to drain and refill.

[QUOTE=peteg59;564618]Welcome to TT Stephen.

Used to live in GC while stationed at Chasn. many moons ago. Nice little town.

The trike looks like it has great potential, after a good & thorough steam clean/pressure washing and good old fashioned elbow grease. It appears to be intact and not missing anything that might keep it from running, which is a major bonus in your favor.

If the trike was built new in 02, the mileage was probably started at 0 on the odometer to correspond with the fresh "crate" engine & trans. That it only shows under 5,200 miles now is good in that its barely broken in!

As far as the engine chrome goes, most is hidden by the bodywork, so scuffing it and repainting it as Frank suggested might be the easiest most cost effective "fix" over replacing all of it depending on what your long term plans are for it.

Many good tech tips for the VW side of your ride can be found at TheSamba.com if you can't find what you're in need of, here.[/QUOTE]

Yes the wife and I are looking duck ditch. I was a contractor for the Navy and like the area

From this number under the generator stand you can look up what the engine case was originally.

That don't mean that is what it is anymore unless you have documented proof it has not been repaired or rebuilt in the last 50 years.

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It looks like the carb and fuel pump have been replaced recently. They are not as corroded and aged looking as the rest.

All the chrome tin is aftermarket.

The distributor is a Bosch 009 or a copy of one.

Make sure the fuel pump diaphragm is ok. It could easily be what is putting gas into the oil.

The trans is a swing axle...that put it pre 1968.

Unless it was rebuilt/combined with other year parts.

The engine is a dual port....that puts it after 1971.

Alternators came out mid 73....yours is a generator.

That puts it between 71 and mid 73.

At least the original base engine.....probably rebuilt using a mix of parts.

[QUOTE=DeathBySnuSnu;564746]The trans is a swing axle...that put it pre 1968.

Unless it was rebuilt/combined with other year parts.

The engine is a dual port....that puts it after 1971.

Alternators came out mid 73....yours is a generator.

That puts it between 71 and mid 73.

At least the original base engine.....probably rebuilt using a mix of parts.[/QUOTE]

Thanks I knew I was asking the right people. So I'm assuming it's a 72 but was new in 02 from a crate.

Does anyone know Jerry Martin the trike has a plate on it that says the Omega by Jerry Martin

Got the oil changed and put a small amount of gas in it from a spare tank. She started right up. Now on to making it easier for whoever buys it. The fuses are fuse-able links under the tank going to change that to a fuse box in the battery compartment. The turn signals don't work yet but i do have power to the running lights. Someone did a 5 to 4 wire converter to power the lights. Now i just have to figure out how to wire the turn signal switches to the relay. I did find that the front brake switch and kill switch wires were cut and non operational.

No real wiring diagram for most Trikes, but some did get put together with one, but very few.

If you are taking it on, means you have some knowledgeable experience with it, with time it can be figured out.

Light bulbs not working are sometimes just the simple ground connection not being good, also could be a dirty socket, or like mine where lose, a squeeze with the fingers made it right.

You are selling it, are you putting it to auction for charity, (I thought you bought it from a auction ? )

[QUOTE=grandpanystrom61;565808]No real wiring diagram for most Trikes, but some did get put together with one, but very few.

If you are taking it on, means you have some knowledgeable experience with it, with time it can be figured out.

Light bulbs not working are sometimes just the simple ground connection not being good, also could be a dirty socket, or like mine where lose, a squeeze with the fingers made it right.

You are selling it, are you putting it to auction for charity, (I thought you bought it from a auction ? )[/QUOTE]

It was donated for an auction. I will auction it off at an event. The diaphragm in the fuel pump failed after running it for a few minutes. Hope I don't offend anyone when I say the wiring is Mickey mouse. No fuses anywhere, and 18ga wire brings power to the switch then to the rest of the bike. Putting a lot of time into this I may have to bid on it for myself.

If you are handy with electrical it won't make much difference.......but......a lot of folks start with a dune buggy harness. Buggies are typically shorter and have the basics like a trike. It would put the fuse panel near the front and if you use the motorcycle handlebar switches it would be up to you to figure out.

It is still a large chore either way. In my opinion it dont help a huge amount other than......having that long front to back bundle of different colors of wire. That part is much better to work with than everything being one color off the big spool of wire.

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DeathBySnuSnu, lucky for me i'm good with electrical. I found the main wire from the starter to the ign switch was a 20ga wire. I have decided to go with a 10ga from the battery to a circuit breaker into a relay that will be triggered by the ign switch. I'm also laying out a wiring diagram for the new owner. It amazes me the shortcuts some people will take.

Excellent.....sounds like you have a good handle on it.

The only thing weird on the vw part is the voltage regulator and its indicator lamp.

I also used relays on mine a lot like you described.

Other than I did mine npn style it does work great.

I did not want to get into that, mainly because it is time consuming, but if you love your work and hate looking at a mess of electrical wires, well we draw out the schematic of what we did so that some one else can follow it.

I tried to do a master schematic, and before I new it I was drawing out individual ones for the gauges and so I have a VW Trike binder being made, of course all the notes and stuff I keep to.

The trike style you have, it is very nice and clean looking, not found of the swing axle design, but they do work.

Yep, I would have to think long and hard about who gets that winning bid at the auction, why, because I do love to have the trike to work on and I enjoy the ride, but it is slowly becoming more a part of me, all that sweat and tears all over it, LOL

Do wish you the best, you are at the right site to get the help and advice that is needed.

Wiring is complete. Headlight, running lights, turn signals, and brake lights all work. Dash indicators are all working. She fires up with little effort. Now to bleed the brakes and put the fenders back on.

That is great news. Glad that all worked for you and she is one more step closer to the road.

It is a nice looking style trike.

[QUOTE=grandpanystrom61;567899]Yep, I would have to think long and hard about who gets that winning bid at the auction, why, because I do love to have the trike to work on and I enjoy the ride, but it is slowly becoming more a part of me, all that sweat and tears all over it, LOL[/QUOTE]

Sound like someone may be bidding on this trike himself ... LOL.

So if anyone else is interested in bidding (Local pickup, of course!), what's the auction info?

It does not take long for the Trike to become part of you. Yes, we still can let them go, but if we do it is because of other reasons other than we do not want it.

They can be a money pit, so many were bought or built and than just ridden and abused like most VW's.

Mine looks pretty much together and a good ride, but so much work can be needed to get them back to what it should be, again the more time with it the more it becomes part of you and more of an investment for the joy ridding brings you.

And some of us do find as much joy in just getting them back to proper running condition and selling them to another to enjoy.

Look it over long and hard for what is truly needed, what you want to change or repair, what the auction price maybe, and will it all be worth it ?

For me, paid 1k for the trike, figure I can spend 2k on it before I reach a sell price that is max, meaning anymore spent on the trike is out of my pocket and not coming back to me, okay a good chance of it.

Hope you the best with this decision, at least there is a lot of helpful members and good advice here for you.