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domromer
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Clearwater, Florida
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 Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:22 pm Post subject: New 81 Vanagon owner |
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Just picked up an 81 air cooled Westy today! I plan on doing most of my own maintenance. I'm wondering which books would you guys recommend? I'm not sure which to get since I assume the air cooled westy is very different from the water cooled and the bay windows. A little insight would be appreciated.
Dom
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1981 Aircooled Vanagon
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsrphotography/
http://www.dustybootsphotography.com/ |
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mrcool
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2015
Posts: 358
Location: Bozeman, MT
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 12:27 am Post subject: |
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Not sure what kinda books you are looking for but I am sort of in the same boat. I live eat and sleep carrying around (and reading) my Bentley Manual. I purchased one to make sure I really wanted to get into fixing up a VW and it has been a life saving with my newly purchased 1980.
I haven't even touched the Hayes. Couldn't tell you which books to get for the interior though |
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domromer
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Clearwater, Florida
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 12:34 am Post subject: |
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I was thinking of repair books. I wasn't sure which ones to get. Like I know the Muir book covers air cooled engines. But I wasn't sure if it would cover the vanagon. How's yours run? Had any issues? The air cooled engine is an unknown to me. I was wanting to start with a basic tuneup but I'd like to learn a bit more about it first. Then figure out what the tuneup entails and where to get these items. The place where I got my tune up items for my 85 vanagon doesn't seem to sell parts for an 81.
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1981 Aircooled Vanagon
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsrphotography/
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a2d2
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Joined: March 28, 2013
Posts: 366
Location: EastVanagon, BC
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:16 am Post subject: |
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My thoughts as a fellow Air Cooled owner:
I bought the Haynes when I got my van in 2001. It convinced me that I was not capable of working on my own van so for years I paid mechanics for most things other than oil and sparkplug changes. Very confusing in my opinion - although others have said it can be good if you are already a knowledgeable mechanic.
I got the Bentley a year or two ago as I was starting to restore my van. Since then I have dismantled, re-assembled, and rebuilt almost every single part of it. I would call this one a necessity - highly recommended.
I got the Muir book last year and after reading it I found myself wishing I had bought it instead of the Haynes in the first place. It really is great if you're a "compleat idiot" like I was but in my case I had learned most of what was in it from other sources before I got my hands on it. Does a good job of explaining such mysterious procedures as "adjusting your valves" and "setting your timing" if you have never done so.
Same with Tom Wilson's "How to rebuild your VW Air Cooled engine" - probably should have got that before tearing an engine apart. Just got it recently and it seems redundant now - but I'm glad I have it and sure I'll appreciate it if I ever decide to crack the case and rebuild a bottom end.
Welcome to Air Cooled ownership!
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1981 Vanagon, Aircooled 2.0 AFC
1978 Baywindow Bus (R.I.P.) |
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rubbachicken
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Joined: October 05, 2004
Posts: 3058
Location: socal
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 3:16 am Post subject: |
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the regular bentely will do you just fine, it covers air cooled engines, as well as westy interiors, it's pretty much all you need.
welcome to vanagon ownership 
lets see your bus
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lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32638
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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domromer
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Clearwater, Florida
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 5:19 am Post subject: |
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Thanks all for the replies. Quick question to get me down the road of repair. I want to change the oil this weekend. From my reading it looks like this kinda bus has an oil screen and two gaskets that should be replaced. Is this something I can pick up in my local auto part store or something need order online?
I used to get all the parts for my 85 westy on van cafe but they don't seem to carry anything for the 81. If I do need to look online for this kit could someone point me in the right direction.
Here's a pic of her. Just picked he up last night. Couldn't resist going for a ride this morning. Now I gotta order some new tires and start getting her tuned up. The inside is in fantastic shape. Just some little odds and ends to fix. I'll post some interior pics later.
20150424_072419_HDR by dsrphotography, on Flickr
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1981 Aircooled Vanagon
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsrphotography/
http://www.dustybootsphotography.com/ |
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RCB
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Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:20 am Post subject: |
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Thats one sweet lookin' Air Cooled.  |
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a2d2
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2013
Posts: 366
Location: EastVanagon, BC
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| Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| domromer wrote: |
| I used to get all the parts for my 85 westy on van cafe but they don't seem to carry anything for the 81. |
FYI:
Not sure why Van-Cafe is hiding this info (following GoWesty's anti Air-Cooled stance, perhaps?) but they do have parts for your van.
You can sneak into the 80-83 parts catalog by searching for a part that is also used on later models then following the link at the bottom:
Bus Depot is another option if you can't find the crush washer and strainer gaskets locally.
Nice looking van by the way
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1981 Vanagon, Aircooled 2.0 AFC
1978 Baywindow Bus (R.I.P.) |
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mrcool
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Joined: April 01, 2015
Posts: 358
Location: Bozeman, MT
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 1:16 am Post subject: |
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If youre doing the oil change look for the oil drain plug to the left of it. I just did my first oil change and missed that and tried draining through the filter. Just in case you didnt want to replace those parts 
And to answer your question from before. My bus isn't running... haha. I bought it as such because i wanted a fixer-upper and boy did I get it |
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:17 am Post subject: |
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| domromer wrote: |
| Thanks all for the replies. Quick question to get me down the road of repair. I want to change the oil this weekend. From my reading it looks like this kinda bus has an oil screen and two gaskets that should be replaced. Is this something I can pick up in my local auto part store or something need order online? |
Cleaning the screen is a very low priority procedure with is fraught with dangers. If you over tighten the retaining nut you will damage your engine case and be in a world of hurt, and of course if you leave the nut too loose??? I only check the screen when I buy a new to me engine and then maybe once every 150K miles thereafter. The proper torque on the nut is very low, something like 7 ft*lbs. This is just a moderate twist of the wrist. Clean the gasket seating area well, and use a very light coat of oil resistant goop on the gaskets (spray hi-tack comes to mind) and then don't plan on ever removing the cover again until your next engine rebuild.
Note that VW fixed this vexing problem on the WBXers by eliminating access to the screen, certainly one of the reasons the WBXer engine will last longer than an aircooled, one less failure point. |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32638
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50353
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:42 am Post subject: |
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| djkeev wrote: |
Not being an Air Cooled 2.0 guy, may I assume that this engine has a Modern Spin On Oil Filter?
Dave |
Yes, Type 4 engines have spin on oil filters.
Last edited by Wildthings on Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:46 am; edited 1 time in total |
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82WestyMan
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Joined: December 28, 2006
Posts: 1098
Location: Western OR
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: |
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First, sweet ride, nice score on an A/C. Wish my 82 looked that good and taken care of when I got it
The Bentley is invaluable but remember, it was written to be a comprehensive guide for a mechanic so it assumes you already have some basic knowledge
Stay away from Haynes, not worth the paper they're printed on IMHO
There's a surprising large number of manuals, etc under "Technical", grab a beverage (or 2), a few hours of free time and do some exploring.
I uploaded a manual on the Fuel Injection system that i was lucky enough to run across, really helped me keep mine running far better than what the Bentley covers (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/afc_fi_training_troubleshooting_manual.php)
But far and away your best resource for keeping you beauty alive is this forum.
From the day I brought my 'eBay P.O.S. find' home, it seemed no matter what problem I ran into, I found I wasn't the first to have it and I wasn't alone when it came figuring out a solution.
Good luck with your find
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry S. Truman
82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine |
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mrcool
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2015
Posts: 358
Location: Bozeman, MT
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:31 am Post subject: |
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I'd agree with 82. That being said... I did flip through the hayes last night and it points out some of the obvious stuff, names of parts and such. Their diagrams are pretty good. For instance, I had no idea what an ignition control unit looked like and Hayes points it out. That being said, I could have just as easily googled it (I think i did that first actually  ) None of the Hayes looked good for the actual maintenance of your vehicle though. I only have it because it was sitting all crusty and unloved on some shelf of the van i bought. |
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Mark70baja
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2008
Posts: 152
Location: Heron, MT
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:54 am Post subject: Welcome to the Air Cooled world. |
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Best advice on books, A Bently Manual, A Haynes Manual and also this group. With these three we've been able to keep our 82 running strong for three years and it's getting better all the time. Others include a subscription to Hot VWs and Dune Buggies, and anything else you ever come across with Vanagons and the Type-4 engines from any good source. Great looking van, Good find.
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82 Vanagon with ASI Full Camper Conversion, 2010 Jeep Rubicon |
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Ahwahnee
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Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 10:51 am Post subject: |
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I, too, have several manuals but use the Bentley more than the others.
To make it easier to use I sliced the pages out and selected only those that pertained to my 84 WBX.
By eliminating pages specific to Air Cooled, Digifant, Syncros, power steering, and automatics the manual is about half the original size and I don't spend time figuring out 'which one of these illustrations is supposed to be mine?'.
The remaining relevant pages are punched and bound in a 3-ring binder. |
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