TheSamba.com :: View topic - First rebuild Questions! of many to come!

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:31 pm

I am 17 and i have a 68 type 1(my first car) and its 1500 is getting tiredit has 136k on it. and i have a 1600dp sitting in my garage. should i go with the scat 1641cc kit to rebuild the 1600. and keep in mind i am 17 and drive my bug hard. what is the best rebuild options that will give it the most longevity. and where should i start. its my first rebuild and i want it to be a good one and i need it to hold up threw college (4-6 years) without major work. please help. i need step by step info.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:32 pm

If you'll drive it hard... stay with a 1600. The 87 slip ins are thinner and will wear faster than the stock 1600 cylinders.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:38 pm

First off, dont drive it hard. Youre going to be dealing with a somewhat stock motor. They dont take the high rpms as well. Also, spend the extra money on good parts and make sure everything is sealed properly. My first bug was when i was seventeen too. Drove it to hell and back three or four times. Ended up spinning a bearing and havent driven it much since. You can build it up to a 1776. Dont just stop at 1641, its not much more for the larger pistons and cylinders. But most of all, Longevity is due to proper cooling and a good driver who knows the limits of their vehicle. Have fun but not too much fun, it is addicting.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:49 pm

i was looking at the 1641 to give me the better MPG. what will the 1776 give me. and what do you call high RPM. my motor ofter sees 4,000 on a regular basis( i wont go higher). and is the sact rebuild kit any good. i heard the 4010 cast crank is weak. should i go with a 4030 chromoly.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:49 pm

You are 17. You have a lot to learn. You can learn by spending a lot of money, or by doing things wisely.

Rebuild your 1600 to stock specs. Then drive it as it was ment to be driven. This is the way to get the most longevity out of it.

Regardless of what you build, if you abuse it, you shorten its life, spend more money, have more head aches and service issues and may end up hurting your self or someone else.

Respect the vehicle and it will give you many years of trouble free service.

The stock package is ment to be the best compromise for the street. Start changing things and you get away from that. For every change there is a give and take. You may gain something in one area, but you give up something in another.

Squeeze more power out of it and you shorten its life, or increase the operating costs.

Get a good book, read it and follow the directions carefully. Don't rush it and don't take short cuts. When its done, you can be proud of your results!

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:58 pm

High RPMs to me is anything above 4.5. I was just saying a 1776 because you would put in thicker cylinders and pistons. My 1776 gets on average, 20 mpgs, but it was built to move. But I also agree with drscope. The more you change with a car, the more that can go wrong. Stock is good for longevity and fuel efficiency. Besides, the motor was designed the way it was for a reason.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:02 pm

then is a counterweighted crank any good?? does it help it last longer?? my 1500cc has a set of dual 34ict webbers(they were on it wen i got it) and i get 31mpg. how much power would i lose and how much MPG would i gain if i went to the stock carb??

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:09 pm

I run a counterweighted crank on my motor. I cant remember what weight it is though. I love the baby webers. By far my favorite carburator set up. Any more all youll find is that crappy mexican carb so id stick with the webers. Plus, you probably have an aftermarket dizzy which clashes heads with the stoch carb. Should be a Solex 30 pict 1.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:13 pm

stock dizzy put in a elctronic system into it BIG DIFFRENCE. but the webbers are a pain to start in the winter, no chokes. so should i rebuild the 1600cc motor into a 1500cc with a counter weighted crank. i dont want to lose my 31MPG.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:21 pm

I have never rebuilt a 1500. From what I hear parts are a little harder to find. But you can get 1600 parts just about anywhere. If you want the gas mileage then 1500. If you want the ease of being able to find parts then 1600 or 1641. But you will notice an improvement when you build your motor. Just make sure you break it in properly. Others will tell you the same I am sure.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:27 pm

could you tell me exactly what i need and how to break it in??

Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:36 pm

Get yourself one of the actual vw shop books. sometimes hard to find. Cant remember the printer off hand. Dont use the haynes one they sell at autozone. Its Not a good book at all. And find a club in your area. They would love to just bs with you and help you with a rebuild. Volkswagen owners are like family. Theyll help you out. As far as break in goes, dont drive over fifty five for the first hundred miles,adjust/ check valves, after that, dont drive fifty five for very long, until you hit three thousand miles. Then change your oil and adjust valves. Every time you change your oil, adjust your valves. Itll help keep your car alive. That is unless you decide on hydraulic lifters but thats expensive as all get out.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 4:41 am

is the book you speak of the red book that says how to rebuild volkswagen engines. in yellow. and how often do you chane the oil and how long does the breakin last. i heard when you first start it up you must let it run 20min @ 2,000RPM. before you drive it.??

Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:06 am

Since u r rebuilding i would stick with stock (Mahle are good) p/cs ,chech main brngs incase,probably need line bored. Bal crank not that much more than new stock and will keep from pounding out mains in case if run at norm speeds. Also would put hardened exhaust seats in heads. this will make a long time driver If driven reasonably, especially if u want to go 4yrs. DONT forget= ALL new exhaust valves/guides. Single port heads go longer without cracking ,little diff in performance with dual ports. Whichever u use keep the dog house oil cooler sys and related tin,correct adaptor cooler oilring seasl make tight fit to block. Keep all thermostat system-VW didnt put it there for nothing.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:02 am

68beetleman wrote: is the book you speak of the red book that says how to rebuild volkswagen engines. in yellow. and how often do you chane the oil and how long does the breakin last. i heard when you first start it up you must let it run 20min @ 2,000RPM. before you drive it.??
I'm 19 and this my first car was a beetle as well. When I rebuilt my engine i used this book
http://www.amazon.com/Rebuild-Volkswagen-air-Cooled-Engine-models/dp/0895862255
It helps alot especially if you new to beetle engines as I was.
It gives all the breakin instructions oil changes all of that.
Yes you do run it at 2000 rpm for 20 min to break in the cam.
Good luck on your rebuild

Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:26 pm

I was talking about the actual shop books. Each year range is a different color. I wish i could remember what the publisher was. You change your oil/ adjust valves every three thousand miles.