Access hole to reach the top engine bolt and starter.

[Busstom]

[Digger89L]

RIGHT ON, ZenVWDriver .....I'm an older guy too, and I understand the 'agility issues' of which you speak! I prefer to stand on my feet, not on my head!!!
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"If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."

[bluebus86]

[BIGMIKEY]

[Sharp64]

[Tim Donahoe]

I own a 1974 Super Beetle. The back half of the car is exactly like a Standard Bug.

The only issue I see with an access door is the fact that my rear seat back would make it rather uncomfortable to lay over and reach down from an access panel. My seat back does not fold down flat.

I could remove the seat bottom, then the seat back, and no problem. But that’s a pain in the ass. I suppose I could leave the seat back on and, while on my knees, reach over and down, so that might not be much of a stretch. Even so, I could probably have all engine bolts removed before then.

To be honest, I have no problem removing either of the two top bolts. The one on the left is easily removed using a ratchet and two extensions (a six inch and twelve inch. No universal joint necessary. If you know where to place your hands and arms—and where to lay down—it’s extremely easy. Plenty of room to turn the ratchet, too. None of this 1/8 inch stuff.

The right D-bolt is another matter, so I bought a hand wrench that ratchets. The head also swivels. Easy-peasy. I also wrap a small snake of plumber’s putty around the inside head of the D bolt to keep it from turtle-heading on me when reinstalling the nut. I hate when that bolt slips back when trying to screw the nut on, you know.

However, anyone who wants an access panel, go for it. It’s your bug. Do as you please. If an upper access makes your wrenching easier, more power to you. I’ve owned buses with and without the access panel. The upper access makes it far easier to work on the engine.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Cusser]

I removed my first VW engine in 1971, on my second day as mechanic's helper job.

On non-doghouse engines/cases, I used 17mm socket on the two top nuts.

With doghouse engines/cases, I use 17mm ratcheting box wrench for right side, and from underneath use ratchet and two extensions like Tim Donahoe

Recently on my 1970 with doghouse engine, I bought an allen head bolt so I use an 8mm allen socket now on that engine.

For the bottom two nuts I still use my 17mm box end of my 1971-purchased JC Penney Penncraft combination wrench set - why not - it's lifetime guaranteed !!
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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

[Wayne S. Johnson]

An 8mm Allen head bolt sounds good for my access hole.
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[bluebus86]

[Wayne S. Johnson]

[RareAir]

I decided I want an access hole, but I may have mis-measured

Just joking, I needed to clearance for the Berg 5-speed nose cone. The cleanest access cover install would be just to graft in a panel from a Pre ‘52 donor. I believe there are several vendors that sell the panel
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1947 Typ 11a
1954 Typ 117
1956 Typ 151
1959 Typ 117
1959 Typ 265
1961 356B
1966 Typ 151
1966 Typ 241

[Digger89L]

Can someone post a photo of which engine mount bolt(s) would be accessed thru an 'access panel' ...and the approximate location that panel would be on the rear luggage shelf? Thanks
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"If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."

[Cusser]

[Busstom]

Hey Wayne, how you holding up in this frickin heat??

Anyway, the ones you're referring to would actually be considered upper "right", over the starter.

The idea of using what is formally and industrially-wide named and referred to as a "Socket Head Cap Screw" is a good one: the purpose of using it in your circumstance is that the bit that you would use to engage that screw is essentially self-holding once you have it inserted and mated to the screw, i.e., it won't tend to slip off and drop like a standard socket would over a typical hex head cap screw. Edit: I forgot to note, another benefit is, you can engage a standard L-wrench, let go of it because it is self-holding, and then go above and loosen/tighten the nut because the L-wrench will rotate and then wedge against something and prevent the bolt from turning (edit complete).

P.S., more to come, I'm off editing...

So, continuing on: the other place that a socket head cap screw works well is on the upper left (driver's side) when you upgrade to the doghouse cooler, but still have the earlier tranny, which has the notched landing for the specified bolt head (it held the bolt still while one tightens from above...with a doghouse cooler, one tightens below, but a hex head screw doesn't "land" properly on the pre-doghouse trannies). Many people just grind the area of the bolt head surface so a hex head cap screw fits, but a socket head cap screw is a great solution if you don't have the trans out, and you don't want to lie on your back grinding.

All that said, yes, once you were to buy and install a socket head cap screw for securing the starter and upper-right engine quadrant, you need the appropriate hex bit that attaches to a 3/8" square drive. However, just note that it doesn't improve your access, it just allows the hex bit to stay more securely in the bolt head once you DO crawl under there and get it engaged. You're still using extensions, and you're still crawling/reaching.

Also, I think an access would be nice right there to access starter wiring for potential troubleshooting down the road, though I've never needed it for engine pulls.

Another edit: I also forgot to mention, there is a specified "D" head bolt that goes over your starter and that in itself prevents turning of the bolt, allowing one-man operation from above with a wrench over nut

[Wayne S. Johnson]

[Busstom]

[Cusser]

[bluebus86]

[Cusser]

Remember: one can make chisels out of screwdrivers, and screwdrivers out of chisel if one really wants....
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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

[bluebus86]