72 VW beetle engine rebuild
 

Well it finally puked. Leaking too much oil and no compression on one cylinder. I will post the rebuild progress here, its been about 30 years since I rebuilt one of these so this should be fun. One question, who is the best supplier for engine parts like gasket kits, big bore cylinder kits etc? I taint going to go crazy with this, I will keep it pretty much stock. The old time suppliers I have used in past were places like bugpatch and Clyde's buggies (CB)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8546.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8547.jpg

That 'leak' rivals the Gulf spill . . .

I have not rebuilt one since highschool in the 80's, but back then JC Whitney had the cheapest standard rebuild kits. A quick Google search shows they still sell them starting at $250.

Here is a link that might make for a nice refresher on some various routes to go. Engine Costs - Tech Review - VW Trends Magazine

There is/was a place in Toledo called Mini Performance that always has specialized in VW engine machining/building. I assume they are still in business as they machined my 911 heads for me several years ago. If you need some head machining work, they might be of interest to you.

I forgot all about JC Whitney! complete rebuild gasket sets for $14 P&C's big bore $140 forged scat crank $395 worth going all out compared to what I am used to!!! No interest or payment for 90 days too!

Progress!

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8548.jpg

I like those old Bugs. Cool to see you're keeping one on the road. Any hot-rodding planned?

Ditch the Solex and go with duals!

Brings back a lot of memories.... In highschool, I could have my engine out in 15 minutes flat. :D

Me, 45 minutes. Memories indeed. I must have dropped 10 of those.

Good progress and best of luck. Make sure you measure the lifter bores. A friend of mine rebuilt a bug engine twice because of a "knock." Finally, someone told him that his lifters are probably rattling around in the bore. He checked the tolerance and sure enough that was the problem. You can have your bores sleeved really cheap out in CA.

Ya know.....a few beers and you can get a 911 motor in there!...well a few beers and a torch!

Well I found the problem. I could almost spin #2 cylinder head nuts off by hand. Thats the easy part now I have to machine the case the same for all 4 cylinders and flycut the heads to match. Thats why it was popping and leaking a lot of oil.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8549.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8550.jpg

Craig,
The last VW engine I built was a 1,776 (cause it was the biggest displacement w/o machining the case), dual carbs and a mild street cam, and a really good balancing job. I really loved that engine in my '65.

CB Performance aka Claudes Buggies.

I've bought tons of good parts from them over the years.

They supplied me with parts for an 1835cc, big valve heads, dual 44mm Webers back in the early 80's. I grafted a 901 into my Karmahn Ghia. Very fast car. I raced a '80 911 SC on the FDR here in NYC. They guy could'nt believe I was keeping up with him, especially when we both threw 5th! Great days!

Be careful it's another slippery slope:)

I also built a 1776cc motor for mine...lightened flywheel, balanced bottom end and a scat procar tranny with 4 something ring and pinion...which was good for about 70mph at redline :rolleyes: totally worthless on the freeway but what a HOOT from stoplight to stoplight!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274104553.jpg

Although its been 20 years since i've messed with Vdubs...These places I bought from still provide performance and restoration parts.

SCAT enterprises Welcome to Scat Enterprises
Gene Berg Welcome to GeneBerg.com
West Coast Metrics Vintage VW Parts : Volkswagen Parts : Beetle Parts : Bug Parts : Bus Parts : Ghia Parts : Type 3 Parts : Vanagon Parts : VW Carpet : Convertible Parts : VW Interior : VW Restoration : Thing Parts
Bugpack Volkswagen Performance Parts and Accessories BUGPACK

Good luck!
Einar

I've done a few of these...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274106319.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274106334.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274106347.jpg

VW's.....the gateway drug to Porsches.

Same here then finally made mine a "Baja Bug" with the rear center section cut off and could drop the puppy in 10-15 minutes.

Loved the old bugs... if I had a bigger garage would get another one!

For parts, as well as good tech info, try aircooled.net. Stay away from J.C. Whitney. It might be more cost effective to just replace the piston/cylinder set instead of machining the existing stuff. It's cheap insurance against future problems too. Same for the heads. If you flycut too deeply, you'll raise the compression ratio causing the motor to run hot and invite pre-ignition. It'll also alter the rocker arm geometry which can lead to damaged valve stems. You can compensate for this by shimming the rocker assys or shortening the push rods. If you're gonna open the case, don't be tempted to have the main bearing saddles line bored. This will ruin the case.

If you have a stumble off idle with that motor, replace the mechanical advance distributor with a stock vacuum advance unit. That'll cure it.

Here's a link to aircooled.net: VW parts for your Aircooled Volkswagen-Aircooled.Net Aircooled Volkswagen Parts

The best air-cooled VW forums, tech help and classifieds can be found here: TheSamba.com :: Volkswagen Classifieds, photos, shows, forums, and information

Got a little work done on the case. One head was loose and worked the cylinder into the case so it had to be machined flat again. I took off .020 and will use the same thickness base gasket for this one side. Next is to flycut and rebuild the heads. I ordered all the parts, it only came to about $450 with all new p&c's lifters, oil pump and all the other goodies.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8554.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8556.jpg

CB Performace screws you on postage and handling costs. I'll never order from them again. I use aircooled.net.

Based on the few photos of your yellow bug...it looks really clean.

I had a '68 back in the old days and I loved that car. I built a 1766cc and bought many of my parts from a place called Sebring West in Fresno. That place is still their but is now a Car Quest branch - still named Sebring West. I go ther from time-to-time and I see they have lots of VW stuff.

I also think there would be many online shops like VW Unlimited, Clauds Buggies, etc.. Even Jake Raby sells a lot of VW stuff albeit I think his specialty is Type IV motors but I know he has Type I stuff too.

Just my $0.02 worth.

4 bolts, 3 wires, 2 heater cables, and a throttle cable......on the ground.

Yep thats about it, The only problem I had was there is not much room to slide it back very far so the lower tranny studs would clear. I think I can have it all assembled exhaust and all then slide it right in?

yepper. the exhaust assy is a good handle.

No heater cables on mine... the heat exchangers were rotted out completely and I had also shiitcanned some of the tin. Mine were my first and second cars and were complete rust buckets..... That said, I loved them.

First car was a '64 that had been converted into a Baja Bug. Could pull the engine out in 2 1/2 minutes flat! Have had several others, including a '62 with a ragtop sunroof. Fun cars to work on and drive.

LOl, one of the few engines you can rebuild while stumbling drunk and it turns out the same ;)

Got all the parts just in time for the weekend rebuild. new P&C's lifters, valves, guides all gaskets, tubes, some extra tin, oil pump, bearings etc all for under $500 Damn these things are cheap to rebuild!!

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8567.jpg

Craig,
If you are using the same heads, have you checked for cracks? I remember cracking between the spark plug and one (or both) of the valves being common. There could be some micro cracks that will develop into macro cracks later on.

Well I got the case all together but ran into a problem with one head, it has a bad exhaust seat so now I have to order some next week and wait, wait, wait. I hate these heads, I prefer to rebuild the 911 heads but then that's what I am set up for. So in the meantime I am painting a bunch of tin to make it look real purdy.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8568.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8569.jpg

Intake seat lookin' kinda bad there.

I think they mold the seats in place when they cast the heads. Now I know why they only get 60hp out of these things! The exhaust was so bad I could not even cut it clean but the others seem ok.

Not real excited about either of them! Course this is not a high output engine but still, do the best you can and make it right.

Got the heads done tonight, I was waiting for an exhaust seat that needed replacement, Don at Bug Patch shipped me one pdq. I put in all new guides, one new exhaust seat, valves and springs. Should have it back in the car this weekend!

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8570.jpg

Don't forget the choke cable!

One guy on each side to lift the car over the motor.

Easy breezy lemon squeezy.

Turbo Street Engines
CB Performance - Turbo Street Engines
http://www.cbperformance.com/images/RedEngine.jpg
Nice progress, looks like you are having fun.

Its done! Just need to put in new rear motor/tranny mounts tomorrow then it can go back in.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/100_8571.jpg