Hi all,

I am about to undertake the removal of my intake manifold on my 1600 type 1, so that I can fit dual carbs.

Reading information both here on the forum and in Bentley's it appears to be a mammoth job, hardly worth the effort, but as I now have the carby kit.......

My question is:- To simplify removal is it possible to cut the heat risers, then if I should want to return to standard at a later date, rejoin them using high temperature hose or tight fitting copper tubing? Currently they are attached to my exhaust headers. The car is running OK with the original Solex with this set up, despite aircooled.net and others saying it should not work.

Thanks

Ken

Ken its a lot easier in the long run to drop engine out to remove the manifold.
good opportunity while its out to do any other small jobs - mainseal, engine bay seal, clutch etc.

Even with the heater risers gone its still a juggling act trying to get it out in the car.
it just takes lifting the fan shroud up and off to get it out once the engine is out.

If your manifold is in good shape the 73-76 ones with the larger diameter heat risers are worth saving, the modern repros are a shitful fit and quality.

Yep to Joels post, x 10, and to add that hose or tubing will not work sealing the heatriser if returned to service, only welding would be satisfactory and all but impossible due to the carbon buildupinternally in the tube

Thanks Joel,

Have no experience of removing Vee Dub engines and it's not a job I have really got the facilities to do.

I'll have to give it some serious thought, car running OK at the moment.

Ken

Sounds like youre best off leaving it as is

gather some more experience before diving off to into the "joys" of modifying

Um, if it's a twin port engine then with the manifold boots undone doesn't the centre section lift out?

Never owned a single carb TP engined Bug before only single port so just wondering?

No unfortunately that is what I thought.

Because it is running so good at the moment I will take advice and leave well enough alone.

When something goes wrong with the engine there will be plenty of time to start modifying.

Bentley goes on about being able to do it by "just" lifting the fan housing. That in itself look like a mongrel of a job.

And I thought mini's where bad enough to work on

Ken

Ken,
X 10 as well on all of the above. "If it aint broke - don't fix it". Count yourself lucky that at least you have an alternator stand.
The Bentley people have 1000 trained 3 armed, small handed chimps with all the tools of VWoA at their disposal.


Enjoy
Ctefeh

Thanks Joel and others.

After having a good look around, "Yes I would" I am in agreement that it WOULD be easier to take engine out.

Had a look at a utube video on taking the engine out, looks easy except of course the video was of an earlier model, no oil cooler etc and you could see the two upper bolts. No sign of them in my car????

Ken

The drivers side top one is exactly the same but with the top left one its a bolt and you undo it from the gearbox side.

There is a captive nut in the case so you just undo the bolt from underneath, much easier than the early models.

Thanks Joel,

Carby package arrived today after I put everything back to normal. Damn, I might as well have kept going I had nearly everything undone. Getting the car high enough to get the engine from under will be the problem though.

Will continue to keep driving the car until something else need doing, then it will become removal time.

In the meantime I will have another look about and familiarize myself with the beast.

Front suspension/shock absorber problem needs to be addressed yet.

Ken

You can do it on a garage floor with a big enough pair of axle stands, I bought a pair that were rated to 4000kg, intended for 4x4s. You will need a decent trolley jack as well, I had to stack wooden blocks on top of mine to lift the car high enough.





The actual job of removing the engine is easy, the first time took me a few hours and on my second time I got the engine out in half an hour!

That's the joy of a removable valance, you don't have to worry about height

660mm, that's achievable, thanks.

I love the removable valance idea.

Managed to find a great utube video that the vw specialist showed a motorbike lift being used to remove and lower the engine. At the moment Supercheap are selling the same lift for $109, could save a lot of mucking about and swearing.

Thinking I could fabricate a frame to hold the engine in place.

Any more comments are welcome.

Ken