VW's are easy to work on too!

[therealfrogman]

So after hearing this statement a couple of dozen times over my life I have determined that the folks that say this have never owned an AC VW. I have no regrets and never will to owning one of these EASY to work on cars.

I pointed out to my neighbor a few weeks ago that I was the best VW mechanic around, as long as the VW was running good when I started toying with it, it was a tongue in cheek moment The reality is that I have had nothing but hard times when trying to get a VW running good, from A to Z I have been unable to master the ease of which a competent VW mechanic can make the engine sing. There have been issues that I had to spend many hours on just to accept that there was a part needed to make things work, like jets, air hoses, spark plug wires, etc.

I am not dumb, I am very mechanical in a sense but doing things in order has always escaped my great mechanical ability.. I have always inherited or bought a VW that has an issue that cannot be fixed with a screw driver and new plugs. The VW engine is not a toy, it is an incredible piece of work that was designed to use regular old air to stay cool.

There are volumes of discussion I would guess to cover how and why things were designed to work but I will depend on the old paper work that describes all of that. and of course those of you that are masterful!

I feel pretty ignorant right now. I feel incompetent, unable and all around stupid! Making them run and keeping them running correctly is not something that I have been able to do.

I want to drive the bus but I doubt I ever will.
_________________
73 Camper Tin Top/Type 4 1.8 engine, Single progressive EMPI carb, electronic ignition SVDA W/ Vacuum.

Really appreciate what Everett has done here. Almost like he hand picked some of you. I am very thankful for all the help I get here.

[Miklo]

I think the term "easy" when working on a VW is measured in component weight.

I will remove/install an engine/trans from a VW any day, in my garage with few tools, by myself in a few hours if need be.

Could I attempt the same with a 8 cylinder or the computer engineered jumbles of new cars?. Probably not.
_________________
✠Miklo✠
'55 Type1 "Ozma"
'66 Type1 "Charlotte" RIP
Antelope Valley's Mobile Air-Cooled Guru

[Mike Fisher]

We had to pull the front bumper/radiator & 2.8 V6 out of my son's Jetta just to replace the water pump as per the Bentley manual!
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[skills@eurocarsplus]

put the lock carrier in service position...takes 10 minutes. but yes, I agree todays cars are not user friendly, which is good because it forces people into getting stuff fixed right
_________________

[modok]

They ARE easy to work on.
Obtaining GOOD parts is tricky tho. The only secret to making them "run" perfect is the distributor and carburetor systems.

Your problems could be solved in a day.
Removing the progressive carburetor kit takes only minutes, then you dig a hole several feet deep so you can bury it and prevent it causing others trouble. Some skip this step, but that just causes more problems later on.

Installing a good setup only takes a few hours.
Finding a good setup to install may take a few weeks to forever.
But if you did HAVE good parts to install, or an entire engine that runs great, it could be swapped in quick.

Now, the high% of junk that doesn't work is a type of survival mechanism that the old cars have developed. This prevents the VWs from being driven, and preserves them for future generations.
If it did work, it would have been worn out a decade ago!

[therealfrogman]

modok, you made my day! Thank you.

Things are getting better
_________________
73 Camper Tin Top/Type 4 1.8 engine, Single progressive EMPI carb, electronic ignition SVDA W/ Vacuum.

Really appreciate what Everett has done here. Almost like he hand picked some of you. I am very thankful for all the help I get here.

[kamesama980]

I think it's just a different flavor and frequency of work. Most people hear they're easy to work on but think in terms of modern maintenance intervals. These things had to be easy to work on because you had to work on them frequently just for the periodic maintenance (IE valve clearance every 6k vs modern engines being able to go 250k, even without hydraulic lifters.

If I had to adjust valves on the firebird or fiddle around with anything underhood as much as a ACVW requires you can darn well bet there wouldn't be ANY on the road because it's a B*tch to get to anything but the air filter, oil filter, and throttle body. you change 3 plugs from the top, 3 from underneath, and the other 2 you have to break half the bones in your hand to reach if you have bigger hands than a 7 year old girl.
_________________
-Russell
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you break"
1970 VW Beetle
1994 Pontiac Firebird
2001 BMW R1200C
2003 Subaru Baja

[KTPhil]

My experience is that "back in the day" there were parts stores and repair shops everywhere who could work on them. Also, the owner could do the maintenance with a small set of tools. This resulted in the reputation as being "easy to fix," or at least "easy and cheap to get fixed."

Today it is different. Lots of obsolete technology and maintenance that is not required for newer cars: manually adjusted valves, carburetors, oil bath air cleaners, lube fittings, steering and brake adjustments, shorter lubrication cycles, etc.

Also, parts are harder to come by, at least GOOD parts. And forget about finding a neighborhood shop that knows these cars.

So now you are either made of money or you are not merely an owner, but rather an "owner/mechanic." If you don't have the time, patience and interest in doing all the work, then it will seem like a cranky, high-maintenance, unreliable car.

[marklaken]

4 cylinders, 1 carb, no coolant, no power steering, no power brakes, no AC - how could it be any easier?

That being said, my honda is way easier to keep running reliably...
_________________
Wish List:
1967 Wesfalia SO-42 Parts Needed: Kitchenette, Cot Poles

'65 rear left beetle fender

15" Bus Wheels in fair condition

Mark Laken
Fort Collins, CO

[nathansnathan]

I always imagine a bus earlier than 72 model year must be what these people are talking about when they say that, "I hear these things are easy to work on".
I'm like, "no".

I remember swapping a fiero engine into my grand am with my dad back in the 90's, seemed about the same. We had a lift and an engine hoist, sure but it's not like I'll be picking this type 4 motor up with my bare hands, and it doesn't just slide out the back like some bug, gotta lift it all up on stands.

These aftermarket intake runners are a re pain in the ass to deal with, too. And Dansk heaterboxes are a real pain in the ass to fit and seal are probably the worst bits.

I always think people are trying to steal my thunder when they say that, how easy it is, and I feel the need to set them straight. It took hard work and mad skills to keep this bus going year after year.

Of course I also get all defensive when people say, "man, you put so much work into that bus. Why don't you buy a honda?" I think to myself, "I could just keep on buying hondas every 3-4 years like everyone else". Tbh I haven't had to mess with anything but checking valves (not even adjusting) in like a year, set it and forget it pretty much. I took a day off a month or so ago to drop my engine and reseal it, mess with an exhaust issue that involved swaping a set of heads. I had hear this, "oh, so much work" from people at my job who have had like 3 cars since I've worked with them.bla

If someone could say to me, "wow you really do just the right amount of work to this bus, great job, man!" I'd appreciate it.

[GodJockey]

The thing I hate hearing is how cheap it is to work on these cars, the price of my modest engine would have built a 400hp SBC.

These cars are pretty easy to work on in comparison to modern cars. Then again my friends Willys is just as easy to work on, I just can't lift the engine by myself.