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Bobs67vwagen Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2005 Posts: 869 Location: Eastern north carolina
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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| Good job on that and probably better for and quality than any replacement available today. |
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Buggeee Samba Member

Joined: December 22, 2016 Posts: 5000 Location: Stuck in Ohio
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2025 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Read a lot about heater box repair vs replacement. Decided on repair as under the rust mine are actually in decent condition.
Looked like this on removal.
Scraped. Degreased. Metal brushed. Bead blasted. Ospho'd and high temp painted.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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Cusser Samba Member

Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 33445 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2025 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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| PiperFixer wrote: |
| Cusser wrote: |
| Sounds like it's going well, great ! |
Mostly yeah! I could not for the life of me get the distributor drive gear situated without messing up the crank seating so I left it out until later. I know that's the 'harder' way but that's the choice I've got to live with now. |
When I tore down/rebuilt my factory 1971 engine in 2016-2017, I also could not get the distributor drive gear out, and I had the correct tool from decades before. I ended up pounding it out with a block of wood and a hammer, once I had split the case.
No issues rebuilding, engine still running fine. _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2025 9:46 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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| Cusser wrote: |
| Sounds like it's going well, great ! |
Mostly yeah! I could not for the life of me get the distributor drive gear situated without messing up the crank seating so I left it out until later. I know that's the 'harder' way but that's the choice I've got to live with now. _________________ Orange 72 Super
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Cusser Samba Member

Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 33445 Location: Hot Arizona
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2025 6:15 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Everything in place.
And closed. Sealed with Curil T. Nuts sealed with Permatex Aviation. Crank moving freely after all torques applied.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2025 9:33 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Crank gears installed. Toaster oven at 350 for 35 minutes and they slid right on.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 7:38 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Since the engine is out, I'm replacing the tar boards and engine bay seals. Chipping away at the death foam etc. Found an ancient colony of mud daubers.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2025 6:48 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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| viiking wrote: |
| There are reasons for specifications. If the crank is out even on one journal then replace it or get it machined. It won’t miraculously improve. Bearing clearance will be increased, lower oil pressure etc. |
Ordered a new crank, it's only money right?
The deeper oil relief plunger was pretty stuck. Got it out with some Kroil and a tap.
While the engine is out I replaced the rear trans mounts. One was broken.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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viiking Samba Member

Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 3435 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2025 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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There are reasons for specifications. If the crank is out even on one journal then replace it or get it machined. It won’t miraculously improve. Bearing clearance will be increased, lower oil pressure etc. _________________ 1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2025 9:37 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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| Rob Combs wrote: |
Somehow this entire thread has eluded me until today. Nice car! I had a 73 Super the same color. Still miss that car.
As to your questions about the air cleaner, yes, the factory will provide far better driveability than the chrome replacements. The big thing the chrome filters don't help with is carb heat. And carb heat is needed, even in warmer areas like yours. Going back to the stock* air cleaner, in addition to replacing the thermostat and flaps that had been stripped out, made massive improvements in driveability on mine, with an aftermarket carb. (*Mostly stock air cleaner - I gutted the oil bath part to put in a modern cone filter, but it's a Ghia so a little different than yours).
While you have it all apart be sure to clean out the tube throught the intake manifold that runs between the heat risers on the exhaust. They get carboned up really bad under the carb because whatever particles are in the exhaust recondense under the cold carb and plug the tube.
Questions about the carb itself - some will tell you that carb will never run right, others will tell you it will be fine. It varies, so don't necessarily throw it out just yet. The thermostat, intake manifold tube, and air cleaner situation can cause just as many if not more driveability issues as the carb itself.
Your engine looks a little sludgy - hopefully the black lines in your main bearing saddles are just part of the sludge buildup and not evidence of the mains being pounded into the bearing saddles. Clean it up really good and let us know if you want any pointers to inspect for bearing saddle pounding.
You also have a golden opportunity to really put it back together precisely, and in doing so can enhance performance quite a surprising amount. Do they do smog testing in your zip code, and if so is your car exempt?
Now I'm off to split my case this morning, in one of those grey service carts just as you've done.
Best of luck to you. |
Thanks, Yeah the black lines are sludge/stains. I've been working at them with degreaser and scotch brite and they are greatly decreased in intensity. I've already mic'd out the crank journals and it passes except for main #2 which is .0007" out pf spec so I'm probably just going to go with it.
EVERYTHING else will be replaced.
Thanks for the tip on the intake tubes. Yes mine are pretty carboned up. Going to have to work on those... _________________ Orange 72 Super
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Rob Combs Samba Member

Joined: December 30, 2020 Posts: 833 Location: South Bay LA, California
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2025 8:23 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Somehow this entire thread has eluded me until today. Nice car! I had a 73 Super the same color. Still miss that car.
As to your questions about the air cleaner, yes, the factory will provide far better driveability than the chrome replacements. The big thing the chrome filters don't help with is carb heat. And carb heat is needed, even in warmer areas like yours. Going back to the stock* air cleaner, in addition to replacing the thermostat and flaps that had been stripped out, made massive improvements in driveability on mine, with an aftermarket carb. (*Mostly stock air cleaner - I gutted the oil bath part to put in a modern cone filter, but it's a Ghia so a little different than yours).
While you have it all apart be sure to clean out the tube throught the intake manifold that runs between the heat risers on the exhaust. They get carboned up really bad under the carb because whatever particles are in the exhaust recondense under the cold carb and plug the tube.
Questions about the carb itself - some will tell you that carb will never run right, others will tell you it will be fine. It varies, so don't necessarily throw it out just yet. The thermostat, intake manifold tube, and air cleaner situation can cause just as many if not more driveability issues as the carb itself.
Your engine looks a little sludgy - hopefully the black lines in your main bearing saddles are just part of the sludge buildup and not evidence of the mains being pounded into the bearing saddles. Clean it up really good and let us know if you want any pointers to inspect for bearing saddle pounding.
You also have a golden opportunity to really put it back together precisely, and in doing so can enhance performance quite a surprising amount. Do they do smog testing in your zip code, and if so is your car exempt?
Now I'm off to split my case this morning, in one of those grey service carts just as you've done.
Best of luck to you. |
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2025 6:08 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Progress...No horrible cracks immediately obvious. Crank looks ok aside from staining, will measure for wear. No spun bearings or any mystery metal in the sump.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 7:39 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Got this old style pressure plate. It's got a pretty bad groove worn in from the clutch disc rivets so will replaced with an updated plate. Was hoping I wouldn't have to oh well.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2025 7:10 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Almost two years in and I decided it's finally time. Running on 3 cylinders and oil leaking from basically everywhere. Got new 88 thick walled cylinders and new machined CB heads for a mild upgrade. I'll be happy if I can reuse the crank. Everything else internal I expect to replace.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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New shift coupler. Old one was pretty worn out.
_________________ Orange 72 Super
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PiperFixer Samba Member

Joined: March 25, 2024 Posts: 65 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 10:19 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Thanks. I pulled that photo at random off the web. I'll have to get a shot of my actual air cleaner but I'm sure the top is sealed off where the two hoses are attached in your photo. Are the small round air cleaners that bad?? _________________ Orange 72 Super
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kpf Samba Member

Joined: March 01, 2017 Posts: 1061 Location: California, US
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 9:46 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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That oil-bath air cleaner is not from a '72. The little bracket sticking up to hold the end of a cable to operate the pre-heat valve marks it as a ~1968 (someone correct me). That might be why it won't fit on a 34-pict. I think the 34 came along in 70 or 71 (?).
I believe the '72 air cleaner has a vacuum operated thermostat to operate the pre-heat valve. It has distinctive double vacuum hoses on top, like this:
_________________ 1971 Super Beetle |
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agramer1966 Samba Member

Joined: October 17, 2010 Posts: 179 Location: Northern Poland
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 6:30 am Post subject: Re: New to me 72 Super |
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Great bug, nice to see one in this condition. I plan to have mine done in this color. 👍 _________________ 1966 VW1300
1973 VW1302
1984 924
Bunch of old Jap motorbikes
Instagram & YT: #agrameroldoctane |
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