DIY: How To Remove an Early Bay Engine

[Stuartzickefoose]

Ratwell has a lovely late bay how to on pulling the engine (type 4) but I haven't seen a specific how to on a early bay. so, I figured it was due time. I am not an expert, I just pretend to be one here on the internets. This is not THE only way, but it is ONE way to get the engine out. this is a 1971 factory spec dual port doghouse style engine.

First step, tools.

pictured are two 17mm wrenches (One a ratchet style, recommended)
one 8mm wrench
a 13mm socket
a 17mm socket
and a driver of some sort (impact gun, ratchet etc)
and a flat head and a phillips screw drivers.

not pictured is a floor jack, or an ATV or motorcycle jack.

first step, remove your bumper. this will require taking out the 4 lower bolts off the bottom of the brackets. they should be 17mm.

then take out the two 13mm bolts on the rear of the apron (rear means REAR OF VEHICLE) and the phillips screws along the top edge inside the engine bay. theres a few....

if you have not already, go ahead and remove your air cleaner:

next, after you have removed the positive battery cable from the post on the battery, you can pull the generator wiring off. three small wires, each with a different connector. a ring, a spade, and a slot type so you cant hook them up wrong very easily (though it can be done!)

don't loose this itty bitty guy:

the fuse holder seen here can be unplugged next, that's your backup or reverse lights:

This is the oil pressure sending unit, which lights up the warning light on the dash when your oil pressure is to low, or if the sender fails

this is a 12v wire to power the idle cutoff solenoid, the choke, and something else I'm forgetting (someone want to chime in? I took these pics over a month ago ) and plugs into the positive side of the coil (the 15 terminal) it is key switched power which means when the key is on, it should have full battery voltage (12v or so)

next, your small vacuum lines off the carburetor and the altitude adjuster off to the left. don't forget the brake booster!

(brake booster connection under the carb)

moving along to actually turning a wrench again...this is our drivers side FRONT of the fan shroud, see that big bulge in the way? we will have to loosen that nut from under the car later...

as for the passenger side, we have a few things going on here...

seen in blue is the bolt end that will be removed from the bottom of the car later, leave it alone for now.

the yellow is the nut we will use the 17mm ratchet wrench on to remove it. that's also the top bolt for the starter.

the two in red are the engine case. DO NOT UNDO THESE.

the green is your accelerator cable tube. undo that with an 8mm wrench at the barrel clamp on the carb:

if you forget, when you go to pull the engine apart, this is what happens:

the arm gets yanked all the way down and you test the tinsel strength of the accelerator cable

go ahead and remove the fuel line from the inlet to the fuel pump as well, the line will wrap around the drivers side of the fan shroud.

I like to pinch the line in a bend to keep fuel in. bending the line in a 180* bend and snugly zip tieing it together usually will keep the fuel from flowing.

here I just used the bodys clamp to hold it for a bit.

move on to the lower part of the engine, undo the lower two 17mm bolts...

then that upper bolt that we left for later:

and finally, the two heater cables need to be unbolted...8mm here:

while your heater cables are being removed, go ahead and yank the accordion tubes out of the way, you can fully remove them, or just slide one end off the engines heater flaps.


you will need to support the transmission with something, two jack stands work well under the axles....

later on, a tie strap will hold the transmission up well, whilst allowing you to roll the bus around the yard if needed.

and finally, slide the jack under the engine, locating it here, then lightly lift until the jack just starts to lift the engine up.

then remove the two engine mounts seen here, 17mm bolts

with the transmission set firmly on the jack stands, and the engine on the jack, slide firmly back towards the rear of the vehicle, and you should get this result:

be sure to replace the engine seal while your engine is out!

and always good to eyeball your fuel tanks and links if you have never done so...:

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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[Abscate]

Two bolts on early Bays, four apron bolts later.

Brake booster hose only on 1971 model

Altitude adjuster separated on later? models, vacuum hose to mark and disconnect



Attitude adjuster constantly needed
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.ssS!

[danfromsyr]

I was really expecting a ERB video..
soo disappointed..
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[Stuartzickefoose]

[Stuartzickefoose]

[Wildthings]

Just reminds me one more time why I hate it when people paint their engines anything but black and then of course never so much as take a rag to them ever again to keep the crud buildup down.

[Stuartzickefoose]

[Abscate]

[airschooled]

Colin has a good rule of thumb: the more fasteners a Volkswagen has, the older it is.

4-bolt aprons changed to 2-bolts mid 1970. Though aprons are extremely easy to swap around, and even most 1971 buses have four receiving holes.

Nice write up Stu-can we add a thin shin of wood between the jack and the engine as not to warp the oil sump plate? OGs are beefy but most plates are thin aftermarket sheet metal these days. Also, your “removed engine” pic looks a little wonky. Let’s all strive for a more controlled release

On cars with generators, the wires to the generators are not hot with the key off. Disconnecting the battery positive isn’t as friendly as the negative first. (Think about wrench arcing to chassis when undoing each....) Alternator cars MUST have the battery disconnected before touching the big red wire but.

Robbie
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Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
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[SGKent]

1971 have 4 holes but only two punched in the apron. If a 1971 has a 4 hole apron it is likely a replacement - look for damage from a rear end collision or that it came from a wrecking yard without an engine, apron and bumper. Not uncommon to find a bug upright in a bay like that.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Wasted youth]

Don’t forget... leave the rear bumper off forever. Put it with the middle seat in your friend’s side yard so that neither will ever be seen again, like the middle seat seatbelts.

Kidding aside, I echoe Robbie’s advice about a piece of wood. Nothing fancy needed... the wood also allows for some more grab, helping preventing things from sliding off at inopportune moment.

[Stuartzickefoose]

[Stuartzickefoose]

[wcfvw69]

Stu, did you accidentally on purpose fail to post the picture of the un-supported transmission hanging down before you remembered and put jack stands under it, bending the shifting coupler?!?

Folks- Don't forget to support the transmission by the engine or you'll do this ^^^ Just ask me how I know! Yes, I too have the famous "Bent the shifter coupler" trophy!
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Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

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[sodbuster]

First thing, first step, first item to be disconnected. ALWAYS! The battery.

[Wildthings]

[Stuartzickefoose]

[Globespotter]

[Stuartzickefoose]

[wcfvw69]