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Sat Feb 06, 2010 2:56 pm

I have always wanted a VW bus and have recently been looking into buying one. However, I am worried that I won't be able to afford the engine repairs/maintaince. I was wondering if there were any repair/maintaince books that anyone reccomends? The one i'm looking at right now is a 1974, but that's about all i know a the moment.

I have found one on amazon called "how to keep your volkswagen alive: a manuel of step by step procedure for the complete idiot". The reviews sounded good but i was just wondering if anyone had any other reccomendations. thanks for any help!

Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:15 pm

Bentley

http://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Station-Wagon-Bus...amp;sr=1-9

Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:16 pm

Then go here

http://www.ratwell.com/

Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:19 pm

if you can find one, get this. it may not be 100% applicable to everything on your bus, but it is way better than the bentley for later bus information.

Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:24 pm

The Haynes manual for the 72-79 Bays is pretty good. In many ways better than the Bentley as the Haynes doesn't mix in two different engines on every page of the engine section. The Haynes paper quality is crap these days though. If you have no VW experience you might want to start with John Muirs Idiot Book as well, How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive 19 Ed: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:24 pm

Best - Bentley - still published. If you can find an early version from say 1975 or so it will have color wiring diagrams. Bentley was the factory manual.

Next is an orange factory manual that acts like an addendum to Bentley. Well worthwhile looking for. Out of publication and printed in English in Germany.

Haynes is a good book and available in print. It looks at repair more as a backyard mechanic would but does not have the depth of the above two manuals.

How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine by Tom Wilson is in print and an excellent source for information on VW engines. Recommended reading.

Early versions of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive ... for idiots" by John Muir is worth having around for a good read but it would be more like a dead head repair guide than a technical manual.

If you buy a bus with Weber carbs - get the Weber factory manual on design and theory. If Fuel Injected get several of the FI books. Solex carbs are in the Bentley I believe although it has been some time since I rebuild one. Everything we have has FI since about 1992.

AND LAST BUT MOST IMPORTANT - add TheSamba to your favorites and learn how to use SEARCH. This forum is incredible for repair of VW Buses. There isn't anything that hasn't been covered here at one time or another. There will be days when people here will push you to your limits of tolerance but guaranteed there is much reference material here. I cannot think of another forum that I've ever seen where so many people have shared so much. It is amazing sometimes.

Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:44 pm

SG is being a bit unfair to the Muir book. It's damn handy if you don't have the exact no longer available tool or gauge and need a workaround.

Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:58 pm

hazetguy wrote: if you can find one, get this. it may not be 100% applicable to everything on your bus, but it is way better than the bentley for later bus information.

Know anyone that has any of these for sale?

Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:47 pm

SGKent wrote:
Early versions of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive ... for idiots" by John Muir is worth having around for a good read but it would be more like a dead head repair guide than a technical manual.

You nailed it SG :lol: Although it might be a decent read to find out in general terms what the air cooled VW world is somewhat about. But not to use if you have a wrench in your hand.

Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:53 pm

Quote: SG is being a bit unfair to the Muir book. It's damn handy if you don't have the exact no longer available tool or gauge and need a workaround.
Tom - you just couldn't leave a good thing alone - huh? Now watch the flames grow...

Quote: Know anyone that has any of these for sale?
Re: orange factory manual. Last one that I bought was from Book4cars.com. $90 when they have a good one, $60 if worn. I keep my $90 one as a spare but pm me if you are unable to find one. I've heard there is also a 2nd edition but I've not come across it. Hoody said he found one.

Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:09 pm

I did get a bentley on disk for a 2004 vw jetta and all I can say is never buy a bentley on disk! I have alot of other manual's on disk but this bentley has been nothing but trobble. I have been on the phone with them many time's and I findly told them I want my money back!!! and thay said thay will sell me a paper manual for half price but that's all thay will do. Now Iam a die-in-the-wool bentley manual (gods own handbook) user have been from the mid 70's and I will NEVER get one of there manual's on disk again. just sayin

Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:13 pm

TomWesty wrote: SG is being a bit unfair to the Muir book. It's damn handy if you don't have the exact no longer available tool or gauge and need a workaround.
I like the cartoons in it. :)

Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:36 pm

I have the Bentley and the Muir. I started by reading the Muir from cover to cover. It gave me a good (though incomplete) picture of the workings of my bus. It is a great source for getting that basic understanding. After that, it is unlikely I will ever look at it again, because it lacks the detail needed to be a true manual. For that you will need the Bentley. Both are valuable books IMHO.

Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:22 am

flat4freak1978 wrote: Know anyone that has any of these for sale?

there was a real nice one in the classifieds last week for $85. it did not last long.
they don't come up for sale very often, and when they do, they usually sell rather quickly.

Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:54 am

SG,
As an example, the Bentley shows you a VW special tool to hang the tranny upon engine removal. The Muir gives you an example of how to build one that works quite well. That's all I'm saying. There's a lot of info missing from both otherwise we wouldn't be exchanging info on here.

Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:40 am

Mountain Minstrel wrote: I started by reading the Muir from cover to cover. It gave me a good (though incomplete) picture of the workings of my bus. It is a great source for getting that basic understanding. After that, it is unlikely I will ever look at it again, because it lacks the detail needed to be a true manual.

That is pretty much the way I did it 35 years ago. I really think that Muir helps the uninitiated become comfortable with the strange contraption we call the ACVW. Muir gives you some work arounds that I still use frequently, while the Bentley pretty much assumes you already have a good knowledge of vehicles in general on top of rear engined air cooled ones.

Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:04 pm

[/quote] while the Bentley pretty much assumes you already have a good knowledge of vehicles.[/quote]

I have noticed that and it has been more noticeable in the later watercooled manuals. :evil:

Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:52 pm

TomWesty wrote: SG,
As an example, the Bentley shows you a VW special tool to hang the tranny upon engine removal. The Muir gives you an example of how to build one that works quite well. That's all I'm saying. There's a lot of info missing from both otherwise we wouldn't be exchanging info on here.

you mean a piece of rope or coat hanger? Gee ma, never would have figrured that one out if I hadn't read it. I gave up when he suggested creating a balance beam to measure the piston weight. The parts to make that cost more than a cheap postage scale these days. Has anyone seen the price of hardware recently? Home Depot wanted $56 for a bag of fertilizer last night. We just walked out. We used to buy that stuff for $3 ten years ago. Damn Republicans who sold this country to the chinese between 2000 and 2008. As for the Muir - it is a cute book but not what I use. Bentley and Orange factory manual only.

Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:46 pm

The Bentley published manuals have long been the Bible for many since "their beginning" for German cars.And not always for the week-end warriors that many here have become with our vw 's.
even if they do not include every little detail you may need for your repair.And, this is why it is important to remember that opinions found here is as important as opening any repair manual for Help.

No! the Bentley does not have all the answers but, this is how to learn the Proper to repair.

I cringe when i hear the name 'John Muir' IDIOTS MANUAL is great!!
when in my world it's CRAP. Having been an automotive educator for 20 year's + and to see some of the thing's that go against all i know is simply outrageous!

And yes, i knew who he was way back in the 70's when in one of his discussions he said,..."(quote") take 2 ball pein hammers and hit them together to drive the rear axle into the housing.....Whoops!!! NO Safety glasses on...a piece of steel thru the young mans eye leaving him with an detached retina.

John Muir,Peter Aschwander (his illustrator) were sued in San Francisco for Not informing buyers of his "Saintly" manual to be Safe when working on ANY car

Just another 1969 hippie making a buck and boy has he ever
Hell he was 51 yr's old in 69

This is why they call it the IDIOT'S guide to VW repair.
and not a factory repair manual.And, That's why we all all come here.To share what we have learned and pass it on to those who choose to learn. :shock:

Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:08 pm

old DKP driver wrote: The Bentley published manuals have long been the Bible for many since "their beginning" for German cars.And not always for the week-end warriors that many here have become with our vw 's.
even if they do not include every little detail you may need for your repair.And, this is why it is important to remember that opinions found here is as important as opening any repair manual for Help.

No! the Bentley does not have all the answers but, this is how to learn the Proper to repair.

I cringe when i hear the name 'John Muir' IDIOTS MANUAL is great!!
when in my world it's CRAP. Having been an automotive educator for 20 year's + and to see some of the thing's that go against all i know is simply outrageous!

And yes, i knew who he was way back in the 70's when in one of his discussions he said,..."(quote") take 2 ball pein hammers and hit them together to drive the rear axle into the housing.....Whoops!!! NO Safety glasses on...a piece of steel thru the young mans eye leaving him with an detached retina.

John Muir,Peter Aschwander (his illustrator) were sued in San Francisco for Not informing buyers of his "Saintly" manual to be Safe when working on ANY car

Just another 1969 hippie making a buck and boy has he ever
Hell he was 51 yr's old in 69

This is why they call it the IDIOT'S guide to VW repair.
and not a factory repair manual.And, That's why we all all come here.To share what we have learned and pass it on to those who choose to learn. :shock:

This is harsh. He gave his safety rap when necessary. Take off jewelry and be careful around spinning pulleys and test the car on the jack, it's there. Then he gave you the benefit of your own common sense. Nowadays of course people sue all over the place for their own lapses of common sense. Cripes, the Bentley people were giving me hell for recommending that people shut off their ignition if the oil light comes on.
"They might lock the steering wheel when they take their keys out of the ignition!"
"I never said, 'take the keys out of the ignition', I said 'turn the key back a little'."
"But they might not get out of traffic safely with no power!"
"That may be just as true one second later with a blown engine!" I replied.
"Our lawyers will not allow this."

John Muir was a moment in time, he brought empowerment to many many people who might otherwise not have enjoyed the adventure half so much. Of course we have all become more knowledgeable and sophisticated, but at the time, he did OK.
Colin