Useful information from Paruzzi magazine and from our YouTube channel :
Engine overhaul - video 07 TDC compression in practice In video six, we explained the operation of the four-stroke internal combustion engine through animations. In this video we will look at how to determine the top dead centre of cylinder 1 in practice. We will also learn how to find the compression stroke of cylinder 1, different techniques will be shown.
6 volts and 12 volts Until the early 1970s, the VW Beetles were equipped with 6 volts in their 1200 cc version. The 1300 cc Beetle was first equipped with a 12 volt system in 1968. The VW Bus and type 3 VWs were increased to 12 volts in 1967. Types 4 are in 12 volts, as they were only introduced to the market in the late 1960s.
ignition timing - dynamic In this edition, we will adjust the ignition with the engine running, this is called a dynamic measurement. VW advises in its workshop manuals this way of adjusting all air-cooled VWs from August 1970 onwards. The static adjustment with a test bulb is then only suitable for a temporary engine adjustment on these young Volkswagens.
vacuum advance Both the vacuum advance and the mechanical advance were used for the VW Beetle, Karmann Ghia, VW Bus, VW Thing, type 3 and type 4. You can't stick a year of manufacture or type of engine on it, both systems do the same thing in the end, they bring forward the ignition time depending on the engine speed.
Engine overhaul - video 08 ignition time of cylinder 1 In this video we will determine the ignition timing of cylinder 1. This mark will be needed to correctly position the distributor drive shaft during assembly, as well as for ignition advance adjustment once the Type 1 Volkswagen engine is rebuilt.
Engine overhaul - video 12 the flywheel In this video, we'll explain how to disassemble and assemble the flywheel, and what tools you'll need to do so. To disassemble the flywheel, you will need to unscrew the gland nut. This nut is attached with a torque of 350 Nm, it will require some force to loosen.
checking the Dwell angle There are several devices available to dynamically measure the Dwell Angle. These are usually combined devices that measure battery voltage, Dwell Angle and advance. Others can also be used to measure the CO content of exhaust gases.
spark plug codes Spark plug manufacturers use different codes to identify their spark plugs. It can be very confusing if you are not familiar with their own brand names. At the end of this article, we summarize again the coding structure, so that everything becomes crystal clear.
spark plug heat range The construction of the part of the spark plug that is screwed into the cylinder head determines the degree of heat. The spark plugs are screwed into the cylinder head, which is the warmest spot of the engine. Temperatures can be as high as 1000°C. The electrode part of the spark plug extends into the combustion chamber of the cylinder head.
voltage drops The electric consumers of your classic Volkswagen expect the full 6 volts or 12 volts (or more) to function properly, which is unfortunately not always the case. Especially the 6 volt version sometimes complains about slow running windscreen wipers, weak headlights and direction indicators that pinch too slowly.