86-88 How to (2)

HOW to
Rebuild a VW Type 1 engine
DIY engine build part 1
That may sound daunting
but, approached
methodically, it’s well
within the reach of the
home enthusiast
Words and photos Matt Keene
This month’s how to is part one
of a series that will cover the
reconditioning of a 1600cc
twin-port engine. Our aim
is to show you how simple
the Volkswagen engine is, and how
you can go about stripping, measuring,
checking and rebuilding your engine
at home, without breaking the bank or
purchasing a fortune’s worth of specialist
tools. Though we will show some such
tools in use, we will always try to give an
alternative means of achieving the same
result to keep it well within the reach of
a DIY enthusiast. That’s not to say there
will be any compromises, the job will still
be done right.
Whilst the air-cooled VW engine may
well be simple, missing just one little
detail or overlooking tight spots, for
example, will lead to disaster. The ethos
of these features will therefore be: never
rush and always check twice.
Along the way we will point out
possible pitfalls and how to remedy
them. We will measure components
and work to factory tolerances, with the
emphasis on analysis and reconditioning
existing parts rather than simply
replacing with new. As such, there will
be some jobs we take to a machine shop,
so it’s worth looking for a good one in
your area. However, where parts fail to
meet tolerances and the only choice is
new parts, we will discuss the options
available, including in some cases
purchasing good, used parts.
Finally, a note on specialist tools.
These range from simple locking
devices that are invaluble in loosening
the flywheel gland nut to Vernier
calipers and micrometers for measuring
components. Pretty much all of the
equipment used is relatively inexpensive
– a flywheel locking tool costs £5, a
second hand micrometer can be had
from eBay for a tenner – so for well under
£100 you could equip yourself with a
handy set of engine building tools that,
treated properly, will last a lifetime. Who
knows, you may even end up building
engines for friends to offset costs…
feature
engine
01Our
is the
ubiquitous 1600cc
twin port, which
powered all manner
of Volkswagens over
the years. We have
already stripped ours
down to a long block
but, as removing
the tinware and
ancillaries is simply a
case of undoing nuts,
bolts and screws,
there’s no real
mystery there
02
The next
job is
draining
the oil. Doing
this on an engine
without a sump nut
is quite a chore, but
a necessary evil.
Ensure you glove
up for the occasion
and have a suitable
receptacle handy.
I’ve never quite
worked out why
VW chose not to fit
a sump plug on
some models…
03Here’s a selection of the tools necessary for the initial strip down. You
could easily do it without these, but they make life much easier. The
specialist tools pictured from left to right are: oil control check valve tool,
distributor drive tool, flywheel locking tool and a case splitting tool
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