3D 🤯 Analyzing one of the Best-Selling engines in the world. The VW Beetle Air Cooled

In this video we analyze the VW Beetle engine, a machine invented in the 30's and produced for more than 65 years.
#aircooled #beetle #volkswagen #power #turbo #speed #engeeniering
#fordT #repairman22 #boxer #bettle

[@loudawggvw9721]

Aircooled owners drop year and model 👇🏽👇🏽69 Baywindow

[@dannymostarac1799]

1973 914

[@lunarpking]

74 Super beetle, original engine and never touched. It’s about time though, it’s starting to drip a lot more oil and consuming it too. Unknown miles, probably 150K or more from what I can tell. Still runs strong though!

[@jasonGreenVw]

1974 super beetle

[@Sebi076]

1971 Fiat 500

[@adamwest1138]

73 Baywindow Kombi camper...which ill be spending the weekend under replacing the transmission bushings

[@thomasgary1219]

My grandpa bought a VW BEETLE brand new in February of 1959. He drove it every day until he had a stroke in 1984 and could not shift gears anymore. He gave the beetle to my dad and he kept until 1998. At that point dad the beetle to me and I still have it to this day. We estimate that the little beetle has had at least 5 engines. 3 transmissions. A dozen or so clutches. Hundreds of tires. I drive it when the weather is nice. Sometimes I look at it and I'm totally amazed. I can remember Grampa dropping me off at kindergarten in that little car, now I drop my grandkids off in it. Maybe one of them will have it someday. Oh I forgot to mention that we're pretty sure that it has well over a million miles on it.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

What a wonderful story! A family treasure! Keep it and pictures and records of it in your family. It could be on antique road show some day!!!

[@pauleveritt3388]

Your car and I are the same age. Keep on rolling.

[@sydecarnutz972]

You must live in a rust/salt free area. Good for you! I grew up in the NE USA. My 69 Beetle (Bettle?) had to be junked due to rust by 1979.

[@thomasgary1219]

@@pauleveritt3388 Thanks. As long as I'm able to get parts for it, I'm going to keep bugging 😂😂😂

[@thomasgary1219]

@@chrisdevalcourt648 Thanks my friend

[@peacetrain3320]

Almost equally iconic is the how-to repair manual, “How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, The Complete Manual for the Complete Idiot”, published by John Muir. The hand-drawn illustrations by Richard Sealy are as incredible as the animation in this video. Every VW enthusiast must have this great book!

[@timblount8111]

Agreed. I'm a mechanical engineer / car guy, and I bought Muir's book a decade ago just for pure enjoyment. I don't even own a VW and I can appreciate the Beetle and the book.

[@RCAvhstape]

My dad had that book, and also the follow on by the same author that dealt with the Rabbit/Scirocco water-cooled cars. Best maintenance manual ever written. Even had instructions for how to build a sandwich when you take a break from working on your VW.

[@quiklids]

The iconic illustrations for ‘How to keep your Volkswagen Alive’ were by Peter Aschwanden from the books inception in 1969. Richard Sealy wrote ‘How to keep your VW Rabbit Alive’ (also illustrated by Peter Aschwanden) and co-authored ‘How to keep your Honda ATC Alive’ with David Old for John Muir Publications.

[@slidingconstant]

I had a copy of that, too!

[@timvandenbrink4461]

I had the book back in the early 80’s.

[@paulorth2251]

This was the car of many young soldiers stationed in Germany over the years. A new soldier would buy the car off someone in the unit who was leaving. This hand off technique was used during all 4 of my tours in Europe. Greatest little car in Germany.

[@pixelnazgul]

The sucker would obey like a wife.

[@pixelnazgul]

Они все... совершенно одинаковы. Без индивидуальности. И как один лягут!

[@johnchandler1687]

My late friend, Al.bought 1 for $50 when he got to Germany in 1967 and sold it to the next guy for $50 when he shipped out to Viet Nam I'm 1968. Just in time to participate In the Tet Offensive party. Said it was the most fun he ever had with his clothes on.😅

[@lunstee]

@4:24 What you indicate as a generator is actually an alternator. Earlier engines did indeed use a generator, while later ones had an alternator; the engine shown in your video is an earlier engine that's been retrofitted. The generators that were used were either a 90 or 105mm cylinder - roughly the same diameter as the pulley. Alternators use a much larger stator diameter to house the three phases of windings, so the housing has a bulge at the pulley to enclose that. The rest of the housing is still the same diameter as the late (larger) generator so they didn't have to redesign the interface with the fan and fan shroud, and only required a minor modification to the generator stand to serve as an alternator stand.

[@TheGreatDrAsian]

Surprising no mention of Formula Vee! They take these engines and other parts from the Beetles and use them to make open wheel race cars! Very cool entry level racing available to basically anyone! So cool to know more history about the engine, thank you!

[@yodab.at1746]

The vacuum advance system actually advances the ignition when cruising and the throttle position is nearly closed. The high vacuum in the inlet manifold pulls the diaphragm and advances the ignition as the mixture has leaned out at this throttle position (lean mixture has a slightly longer burn time).

[@stevehill4615]

Was going to say the same, but the vacuum advance aids engine acceleration from low rpm but large throttle opening until the engine speed makes the centrifugal weights in the distributor take over from the vacuum advance with the their operation somewhat overlapping.

[@yodab.at1746]

@@stevehill4615 that's the spring action countering the diaphragm (the diaphragm also has a spring in it). At wide throttle openings at low rpm you want the ignition to be retarded to avoid detonation (pinking), as rpms increase the centrifugal weights come into action and then as the throttle is closed off for cruising, the diaphragm is pulled to pretty much maximum advance. If the throttle is opened quickly (for quick acceleration or hill climbing) the ignition is then slightly retarded (vacuum drops, diaphragm relaxes) to match a richer mixture (from the accelerator pump). All this is computer controlled on a modern system along with injection quantity.

[@lbowsk]

The cam followers were SO crappy on the after-market point sets, that the engine was out of tune within 1000 miles. Of course, you could be new points for less than 5 bucks at Dart Drug, TracAuto, or anywhere similar. When it started to rev to the moon, you knew that the cam follower was worn and that the points were shot.

[@soilmanted]

@@lbowskWhatever distributor points I used tended to last about 50,000 miles. I simply adjusted them every 6000 miles or so. One adjusts their gap which tends to close up slowly as the cam follower wears down, and then one adjusts the static timing by loosening the distributor clamp and turning the distributor, using a 12v test lamp to see when the points open. I never had a problem with any points that I bought. Were they Bosch branded points? I think so. But they were inexpensive. After about 50,000 miles it was time to either file them down a bit to remove the pitting on one of them and the corresponding buildup on the other, or buy new ones. They were so cheap that there was no point in spending time filing them but you could if had wanted to. Also, you could buy aftermarket electronic distributors which did not have points and never needed adjustment. They worked with the original electromagnetic voltage transformer (often called simply a "coil").

[@peterduxbury927]

@@soilmanted Get rid of the Points entirely!! Fit a Pertronix Electronic Ignition System, which takes an hour. You will be extremely pleased with the starting, running of the engine, devoid of "flat spots" and the common misfires associated with contact breaker points. No more adjusting the Points Gap - or cleaning - not ever!

[@innerlight7018]

For me, the Beetle is primarily one thing: childhood! I still know the number plate of my dad's Beetle when I was 10 years old. I remember the smell, I know how it feels to open the glove box. The "Käfer" was a family member, like a dog. Reliable and always be there when you need him.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Wonderful memory!

[@theoldbigmoose]

Same here. Started with a 65 bug... still is my favorite car. So many miles on it, and so many memories made!

[@android584]

Used to be a regular sight on Australian roads in the 80s when I was a kid, sightings are rare now but some manage to live on as restored classics.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@android584 as a kid in the 60s they were so common we had a game of yelling out "beetle bug" as we drove down the highway and saw one. May have only been for the red ones? Too long ago!

[@1gerard47]

My reg was DRY 132T.

[@timking2822]

I was a young engineer in Detroit at one of the Big 3 OEMs in the early '70s. I remember following some older engineers into an SAE presentation at COBO Hall where one asked what a foreign manufacturer could teach Detroit? Well, I guess they've learned.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@H K affordable and simple. The people's car! In its time.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@H K sadly! The way of the world!

[@peterduxbury927]

@H K Just had to reply back! You said that many modern cars are plastic. The worst step that any Car manufacturer could make, was the use of plastics for the water-cooling. I had a 16V Polo. It had a "hidden" Coolant Leak. I was topping up the coolant for 3 years. Believe me when I say that VW created a Molding for the Polo, carrying the coolant, and I discovered a pin-hole leak between engine and Firewall. Examination of this part (plastic) revealed that the Coolant had dissolved the interior of this plastic manifold. This would not happen readily, with coolant inhibitor, and a suitable metal casting. My '71 Super Bug has had an EV Conversion in 2019. It has been 100% reliable, even in torrential rain and flooded roads. This action really future-proofs many classic cars. If governments decide to place a complete ban on ICE vehicles, (being talked about now), then this is the way to go! In the 60's it was nice to see wood, chrome and leather, on many Jags, Rovers, Mercedes. It's not only the plastics that fail on modern cars, but the sophisticated electronics that send many expensive cars to a premature early grave. I wonder if the latest Rolls - or Ferrari use plastic on their engines, which suffers failure like my 16V Polo did?

[@peterduxbury927]

@H K I have to agree 100% with you! Long before ISO and Quality Assurance, the Beetle was manufactured to strict quality. The workforce had pride. My Beetle is almost 51 years old, and I marvel at the way the doors close, with a hefty "clunk". Years ago, one early Beetle Ad that was televised, the words were: "If you want to close the door on a Beetle - first slightly open a window". There is a Beetle here in Australia, that sailed under the Harbour Bridge. They are well-sealed from new. Also check-out the gauge of the steel that was used. Many cars today can get dented easily because the car manufacturers aim for light-gauge metal, saying that a lighter weight car can travel further on a gallon of gas. I would much prefer a heavier gauge body - just like the Beetle was made. I will never own any other car. The Beetle is my 'life' car! It is a silent member of the family, and gets immediate attention should something need attention.

[@brianchisnell1548]

@H K Don't run hot and heaters work great if in proper order. 20,000,000 people bought a car that didn't work properly?

[@jaxxonbalboa3243]

I was self taught and used to rebuild these engines back in the day and they were just fun to work on. I also owned a number of beetles and one transporter. In fact it was the transporter/microbus that I learned to rebuild the engines with. I was very young and newly married with no money and the Microbus engine blew. Couldn't afford to have it fixed so I bought a Haynes DIY repair manual and holding my breath through the entire process came the moment of truth...I turned the key and the engine started right up on the second try!. Great video, brought back many memories.

[@johnspathonis1078]

Our family drove a 1954 VW and I later used it to drive to university. First gear was crash but synchro on 2,3 &4. I believe that 1954 was the first model imported into Australia. 1100cc with single exhaust pipe with super small oval rear window. The panels were very strong. The handbrake adjustment was up front between the two torsion bars. Everthing was greasable. Indicators were solenoid activated arms which swung out of the B pillar. Fuel tank was 8.8 gallons with a foot activated spare gallon as there was no fuel gauge. As soon as the engine started spluttering the lever was swung over by 90 degrees with the left foot. 6 volt battery under right rear passenger with very dim headlights. Very reliable car.

[@johnd8892]

Did yours have the accelerator roller wheel instead of a pedal as my mother's early VW did. There were some earlier ones in Australia with the rear split oval window and even a hand crank hole to start the engine by hand. Might have been private imports but saw one of these in my suburb of Melbourne. I think the Australian Army brought a 46 model in for evaluating to help decide if the Australian government should take over VW as proposed then.

[@johnspathonis1078]

@@johnd8892 Hi John. Yes the accelerator pedal had the roller. It had the 6 volt battery and dim headlights. First gear was a crash gear.

[@cdmcl3]

not trolling--but you might want to find out how the designer pronounced his name! that said, this is the best review of the VW engine i've seen on youtube! graphics and voiceover, and a few old clips--i get emotional! my first car was a blue 61 with big old cloth panoramic roof. those were the best days behind the wheel for me....

[@PrimoStracciatella]

I assume you're talking about the pronunciation of the name "Porsche" - with two syllables and an "a" (like in "above") at the end.

[@LOVEBABY138]

Emphasis on the sch/sh and the E its an loud and staggering E. Porch;Posh | Poashe. Poache (P-O-R-S-C-H-E)

[@PrimoStracciatella]

For English speakers it's simply "Portia".

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Have a great joke about the man who wants his porch painted and ends getting his car painted .

[@42468]

the 3-speed "autostick" transmission is a really interesting solution. It was brought to market to compete against the three-speed slush boxes that were starting to become popular in the late 60's. designed to require little additional engineering, it used the same gear ratios as the 4-speed manual, with the manual transmission's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear becoming the autostick's "low", 1st, and 2nd. it's not really an automatic, but something in between a manual and automatic. while it had a torque converter (like most automatics), it also had a clutch that had to be activated by the driver. this was done by putting a switch in the shifter! as you would put force on the shifter, it would go down and click a button that would activate a solenoid. this solenoid would connect a vacuum booster to the intake manifold, which would then pull back on a lever attached to the clutch. additionally, the ATF pump for the torque converter was run off the same shaft as the oil pump. it was an interesting and cheap engineering solution that we've never seen anything like since. (It did sell poorly. The half-manual-half-automatic aspect of it didn't satisfy drivers who were used to driving a manual gearbox, and was still too cumbersome for people who liked driving automatics. Most autostick beetles have been converted to manuals).

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Wow! At the very least it may have been a marketing ploy for VW to advertise that they had an "automatic" to offer the buying public. And from what you describe the engineering behind the auto trans compliments the simplicity of the engine architecture. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

I saw one that was automatic and had ac added! What a dog!

[@Gottenhimfella]

I have on which was never converted. Maybe one day it'll be worth something!

[@williamharris8367]

Thanks for the very clear explanation of how the transmission works! Here in Canada, at least, they were badged as "semiautomatic"; there was a special chrome name on the rear. When I was in High School I badly wanted a Beetle, but I could not (and still can't) drive a standard transmission. I only ever saw a single semiautomatic for sale in my city. Sadly, my parents wanted something more modern/safer.

[@speedomars]

I built dozens of these things. they were elegant, simple and you could pull one with just a floor jack. 4 22mm bolts kept it attached to the car.

[@e-curb]

M10

[@andynicoll8566]

Or in my case, three bolts and a stud up in the hard to reach back corner, lol. Never had a problem with only three bolts holding the engine in. One of my bugs had the back panel cut out and held by a couple of screws. Didn't have to jack the car to remove the engine, just pulled straight back. Motor swap in about an hour or so. Ok maybe a bit more for hooking everything up. Bumper? What bumper lol?

[@scotthibbs]

Totally right. The top right passenger bolt was affectionately called the "b*tch bolt" and it never went back in.

[@e-curb]

@@scotthibbs That one is no trouble for me. It's the one on the top left that's hard to reach.

[@scotthibbs]

@@e-curb It's been 30 years - I believe you're right!

[@CuzBarnaJuner]

Number 3 cylinder often had problems because airflow was affected by the oil cooler placement. During a rebuild I would often see cracks in the cylinder head between the spark plug opening and the valve ports.....

[@karlreinke9653]

Very true about cylinder 3. Actually the exhaust valve,it ran hotter than the others. My 70’ was awesome $1995 delivered to the house.

[@dstarfire42]

Thanks for the great video. I really appreciate that you explain the benefits and design philosophies behind the engines various features. That makes it great for the folks that folks that don't know much about cars, and but are a little bit curious about everything.

[@repairman22]

Thank you!!!

[@josephbingham1255]

I drove a 1967 Beetle as a daily driver for 20 years about 600,000 + miles as I kept a log. A decent engine would last about 100,000 so. 1. The fan belt must be kept properly adjusted. If it flies off it often knocks of the fuel line over the distributor resulting in a fire. 2. The valves do not loosen and rattle - they tighten. Proper 3-4000 mile adjustments are critical to avoid a "whistling sound" followed by a burnt valve. 3. Engine compartment rubber seals need to be in place to avoid hot air from the cylinders recycling back up onto the cooling fan (4:44) shows an unsealed engine compartment. 4. Fuel pump hold down nuts slowly loosen. A special shaped 13mm is needed for the hard to reach one. Mad Magazine once said American needed more dependable, affordable automobiles and needed to retool and bring back that Great VW. The illustration showed a factory with VWs having a Chrysler star where the VW symbol usually was. A very nice video on those great ol' VWs!

[@bryanlatimer-davies1222]

Pretty much my experience with a 53, I always set the valves a little loose especially on #3 as the oil cooler blocked some of the cooling air flow, spot on with the plug seals too!

[@josephbingham1255]

@@bryanlatimer-davies1222 I knew about the #3 but didn't mention it as there was nothing you could do about it except a little looser valve adj. as advised in The Whole Earth Catalog? as I recall.

[@bryanlatimer-davies1222]

@@josephbingham1255 John Muir covered it in his book as well, but I think most dyed in the wool Bug owners knew about the issue.

[@jerrymcgeorge4117]

I still have the curved special wrench for the fuel pump and muffler nuts. I must have overhauled 100 of them as a VW tech back in the 70s. Great little cars!

[@soilmanted]

Service literature called for adjusting the valves every 6000 miles, at every other oil change. Sparking plugs at 12,000. The valve lash tends to increase maybe 0.001 or 0.002 inches each time, except at around 85,000 miles at which point #3 exhaust valve, the hottest-running, stretches and its guide wears. I am not sure why the lash generally increases. Perhaps it is just wear on the valve stem end from being smacked by the rocker arms. Or maybe it is wear on the lifters, or rocker-arm push rods. I'm not sure. I've done valve jobs on maybe 10 or 15 VW air-cooled engines. The valve seats and valve heads always seemed to have very little wear. Wear on these would decrease the valve lash but I never saw any serious wear. The valve stem of #3 cylinder, would get narrower, and longer, starting at about 85 0r 90,000 miles, causing the valve lash to decrease at that time. That's how you know it's time to overhaul - before the valve stretches into 2 pieces, and the #3 cylinder "sucks the valve." While I always overhauled the whole engine, From looking at the piston rings, and measuring the pistons, cylinders, crankshaft bearings and rod bearings, I believe they could go 200,000 between overhauls, if not more. .That's assuming you changed the oil on time and used the correct type and grade of oil.

[@alecbruyns4490]

I had a couple of the beetles, then a '71 bus. The 1600cc engine was strained in that, and required frequent valve adjustment, especially to #3 cylinder. It also required the valves to be replaced every 50,000 miles, or risk one dropping in the cylinder. But I loved that bus ...

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

They all required frequent valve adjustments because of the insufficient cooling of the air cooled engine. #3 cylinder always ran hottest because of its position receiving the least air flow and air that is already warmed by passing through the upright oil cooler in the fan shroud. I think in the 70's VW started offsetting the oil cooler in the fan shroud to aid cooling to the 3 and 4 cylinders. VW was aware of the overheating problem with #3 and buildt several degrees of retard in the distributer to help reduce the overheating problem. We were aware of this back in the 60s. Yes simple and reliable engine as long as you keep the rpms down and drive them in cooler weather. They were popular. The people's car! And the hippies loved them too. Not good to be topped out on the interstate at 70 in the heat of the summer on Texas highways! Yet they did amazingly well!

[@davesieg520]

@@chrisdevalcourt648 Amen, Chris, With shadetree-mechanic experience on both 1964 and 1970 models, I appreciate the training I got keeping the valves adjusted. Not quite enough adjusting to prevent #3 exhaust valve from being swallowed in hot weather with highway revs. Installing a kit-built high voltage CD ignition system sure cleaned up cold winter starting problems in Idaho & Michigan. I can't forgive the oil cooler in the airstream for #3 cylinder. That reputation for reliability just made me crave water cooling when I was stranded.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@davesieg520 good memories Dave and you learned a lot! Including that water cooled was the way to go! In the 70's we had a customer who had a older VW ask us as to what type of car to buy. She was very disappointed when we didn't recommend a VW. She asked why? You work on them she said. We told her they are great cars to work on but they are not reliable for driving on high speed US highways. Don't remember what she ended up buying?

[@peterduxbury927]

@@chrisdevalcourt648 Back then, most probably an AMC Pacer.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@peterduxbury927 not sure. It was the early 70's. Was the pacer in production then? We probably recommended a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan at the time. They were really reliable at the time!

[@RobertoRMOLA]

@00:20 and @02:36 a correction: Ferdinand Porsche DIDN'T designed the VW engine. The inventor was a young engineer called Franz Xaver Reimspeiss (who designed the VW logo, as well). The engine he designed was the 5th prototype (E-Motor) Porsche was experimenting. After being enhanced with an oil radiator it becames the basis for all the engines until 1959. @00:38 The crankcase was made of elektron (magnesium alloy), the cylinders was iron and heads was aluminum.

[@louisvanrijn3964]

That is correct. The crankcase was magnesium. Magnesium creeps, becomes distorted in time if heated higher than 100 Celsius. Long highway drives bring the oil temperature above 100C, so the most beetle engines become leaky over the longitudinal split joint of the crankcase halves. If not tuned, and maximum delivering 44 hp the engine is reliable though.

[@makoado6010]

and the car designed by barényi béla hunagrian engineer at 1927. prosche just stole his plans.

[@louisvanrijn3964]

@@makoado6010 Correct. Copy Modify Paste is a mark of human mankind. Copycat.

[@pistonslapuk]

There’s always one know it all….

[@andycumming262]

@@makoado6010 I was waiting for someone to point this out, ion fack the Nazi stole the plans for the entire car. As if the Germans could build something simple. VW paid millions in restitution.

[@TennesseeJed]

I have a lot of experience with these! Keep the tappets adjusted, oil changed and adjust the timing at least every two thousand miles, and it'll last a long time! Even if you needed to install cylinders and pistons it was only a few hours from start to finish. Heck, I did it in a parking lot at a Dead show while tripping on plastic fantastic and didn't miss a single song of the show! No miracle needed.

[@0guiteo]

I had 5 VWs - 2 Karmann Ghias, 2 busses and a Squareback. I haven't bought another VW since they went to water cooling. Those were such great cars, and I could fix them with the Haynes, and Clymer books as well as John Muir's "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". The engines were bullet proof, but the heater(s) stunk for cold weather. I had all but one while living in Hawaii, so it didn't make a lot of difference, but when I had a bus in Denver - it was rough in the winter.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Bet that was rough in winter! The bus used the same heat exchanger junction boxes as the big. They barely heated the bug much less the bus

[@foppo100]

I know that engine had 3 Beetles all well over 100 thousand miles and when I sold them still going strong;Mine were the 1200cc the best one was the 1500cc.Then in the later engines emission control and more crap to the engines started.The orginal was good enough.I used to adjust the tappets set the timing with a static light.Fantastic flat four little engine.

[@ericknoblauch9195]

My father had two VW's. One had the 1600 Dual Port engine which was junk. The 1500 on the other hand was very reliable, and ran forever.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

I have built those little engines from 1776cc for street use to 2180cc for sand rails. The most common was the 1835cc. The engine and trans are amazing works of art!!

[@joeo5738]

I had a type 3 engine that was built to 2300cc. Stroker W/100mm jugs. What a beast. It was in a sand rail/ buggy. Tranny was built also w/514 gear.

[@ATruckCampbell]

Interesting you say that, after seeing this video I am considering using it in a go kart/buggy project.

[@adolfodelagarza4934]

In 1963 my dad bought me a 1959 beetle. It had 36 horse power. The mechanical valves, brakes and clutch had to be adjusted every 2,000 miles. The VW dealership charged $16 for the adjustment with oil change. I delivered 350 college newspapers every morning for two years. I wish that I had kept it.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Good car and a smart dad!

[@airbrushken5339]

In the late 60's I had a VW Camper, after in the 70's I had to drive 43 miles each way to work in Michigan... SNOW!!!... I converted my older VW to a Baja Bug with a fiberglass kit... also added Chevy Rim adapters ... some big Snow Tires ... headers and a "Weber Carb" ram induction manifold. I could climb snow banks and in 7 years never missed a day of work. Sold it to one of the mechanics at work and bought a Chevy ... till this day I miss that little bugger, it was fun to drive in the snow or off road and the horse power increase helped a lot!

[@draintheswamp1588]

Back in high school I bought a 1958 VW bus with a sliding hardtop for 50 bucks from a friend of mine. It kept popping out the exhaust and bad misfire. Took the engine out and took it to my auto shop and we all split the case and tore it apart and never got it fixed. Now I know I could have snapped those heads off in 20 minutes and put new heads on it. I'm very disappointed in my auto shop teacher but he's probably been dead for 30 years, lol.

[@andynicoll8566]

Ya that's a shame. Worst case you could've swapped the core for a rebuilt, they were pretty cheap back then.

[@lounar482]

Had a "66 Bug back in HS. Sent a push rod through the case. Bought a short block from a repair shop for $300 and me and my brother installed it in our barn. The biggest issue I had with it was gas accumulating in the oil. I would gain about a half a quart of "oil" in the winter cause the thing just would not run hot enough to keep gas from condensing in the cylinders. Tried everything I could think of but could never stop it. Still, loved my bug.

[@iansloan5414]

For what it's worth (I'm sure it's too late) the bakelight base used for the fuel pump was probably cracked. This is a common problem for these engines

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@iansloan5414 that was what I was thinking...a fuel pump problem? No other way to get gas in your oil I think. Amazing it didn't blow up on you!

[@reverendjimjones9061]

@@chrisdevalcourt648 thats minor, lol, a gas jockey filled my 72 type 2 engine with gasoline!, it never caught fire on a short journey home but i saw a few flame outs in side mirror, oil cap was off in eng comp, pulled the dipstick and it was soaked to the top, lol, dumped oil, filled with kerosene, ran it a minute, refilled with oil and all was ok.........

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@reverendjimjones9061 that's certainly a way to get gas in your oil I hadn't thought of! Probably a young kid! Haha 😂! I was young and dumb once (or twice) too!

[@TheSonicfrog]

A masterpiece of design engineering. Simple, efficient, easy to maintain.

[@donwhitt9899]

I have a 1969 VW Campmobile, 57 hp. The most significant thing I have experienced is on a 7,000 mile touring trip in the US.. I went through the Arizona desert in the hottest season of the year. Along the road were dozens of water cooled vehicles pulled over to the side, steaming, while I flew right past them in my VW, no problem. It has nearly 500,000 miles on it and it is truly an amazing vehicle. Camping up in the Rockies, the gasoline powered heater it had came in handy. It consumes only 1/2 pint of gasoline an hour, and really keeps the inside warm.

[@averdung]

1987 Europa edition 2, 1994 Firebeetle, 1999 Unificado. The best summary of my VW experience was done by a cousin of mine who traded cars of every marque... "I have never seen someone drive a Volkswagen like you". People swore never to board a car with me at the wheel again, and they have kept their word for 30 years! Disc brakes (from 1995 in Mexico, retrofitted) made the best car ever made even better, and gave me the confidence to fully exploit the low-end torque and better response of the 1600i engine (75 mph [120kmh] average highway speed, decent power sliding/cornering, trouncing all 4/6-cylinder engines at stoplights, all this at 2240 m / 7341ft) and, of course, going where Jeeps feared to tread and driving on in the rain when tractor trailers had to stop (4 big rally lights & high-power bulbs helped). I still dream about my first VW, conqueror of all Mexico, scourge of the Ejes Viales, a car with a "low compression" AF engine that won me another car in a timed bet in the wild streets of Mexico City. Even the darkest den of VW haters, Top Gear, surrendered to the VW's greatness after crossing Botswana. That says it all.

[@LandNfan]

Great engines in great cars. The first car I owned was a used 1964 Beetle. My first new car was a 1968 VW that I drove off the lot for a nickel less than $2,000. Fun, quirky little cars! I wish I still had that ‘68.

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

The good ole days!

[@peterduxbury927]

It must have been a real thrill to drive a brand-new '68 Beetle from the Showroom Floor! Even 50 years later, many do not have rattles or squeaks!

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

@@peterduxbury927 very limited use of plastic back then unlike today!

[@LandNfan]

@@peterduxbury927 a great thrill coupled with a bit of anxiety about paying for it on an E-4’s salary. It was my last year in the Air Force.

[@peterduxbury927]

@@LandNfan TRUE! Back in 1968, I loved the look of a Beetle. Like you, I couldn't afford to buy one because they held their value quite well. I bought crappy Austin 1100's and Hillman Minx - all rotten underneath. I rarely managed to get any of my old cars through the MOT back then Lol! Today, I have owned a '71 Superbug for 20 years. Now converted to EV, with A/C thrown-in. Beetle was purchased as a burnt-out wreck from a scrapyard, it was gonna get crushed. Today, after a lot of hard work and costs, it looks like an almost new Beetle, in Alpine white, wedgewood blue leather seats......... I will never own a modern (plastic) car again. Best bit of all, heaps of power with 178 ft lbs of torque, and revs to 8K.

[@williambruneau]

VW was also the source for the best and most useful auto repair book of all time, John Muir's "How to Keep Your VW alive". Awesome book teamed with a super-easy car to repair. This book re-defined what a user-friendly auto repair book should be, totally useful and easy with no "hidden gotchas". I still use it on other cars for its diagnostics due to its practicality

[@joseluisureno444]

Aaah!, The air cooled engine. I worked for VW of America for years, as a technician, in México and the USA and I got some of my training in the Puebla VW plant; I love this engine design. I would like to point out that in the video, it says that when the accelerator pedal is depressed the vacuum in the intake manifold increases, but technically is the other way way around. But I think it’s a nice video.

[@LucasOliveira-dm8mb]

Aqui no Brasil esse motor foi fabricado até 2005 na Kombi e já vinha de fabrica com injeção eletrônica

[@davidkeep6526]

Impossible to think of an engine better suited to the backyard mechanic or young fella to cut their teeth on with a rebuild and vehicle build. Been involved in dozens over 45years and still a favorite. A good set of extractors and a Bendix carb from a 138 Holden 6 with a variable fuel jet got you extra hp in an afternoon !😎👍

[@scotnor]

My very first car was a brand new 1961 VW with 40 hp. I bought it for an automobile newspaper route for the Oregonian Newspaper. I drove it 128 miles per day for six days a week,starting at 2 AM from Chehalis, WA to Aberdeen,Wa and back to my home in Centralia. My local VW shop owner told me that the bug needed strengthening in certain areas because of the heavy loads it would be carrying on a daily basis. So, we(he made me do most of the work while he supervised) installed a Transporter clutch and throw out bearing, re-torqued the rear suspension from 900 psi to 1200 psi and installed a Porsche transmission. I put approximately 42,000 miles on it in eight months, all while full time in college and getting my private pilot’s license. Did I mention that my girlfriend lived 22 miles from my house? Amazing what can be accomplished when you’re 19! The Bug never missed a beat, best car I’ve ever owned.

[@alecbrown66]

The vw beetle engine has a huge history and ancestry. It started life as the bmw twin cylinder motorbike engine. After the war, they basically joined 2 of the motorbike engines together, focusing on the simplest connections. Obviously porche used it in all their cars, which evolved along with the 9 series. The citroen 2cv, and later the visa used the same engine, as did early peugeots. It's an interesting fact (learned from my father who was a mechanic in the 50's and 60's) is that the engine only has 4 attachment points, and dealerships often found it quicker to service the engine by removing it and swapping it with a spare that had been serviced and stored. People often think that the engine was slow, owing to the low top speeds of the beetle and 2cv. However this is wrong, as being basically a motorbike engine it had a huge rev range, so although incredibly deafening and taking a while, both cars could reach 70mph and once there keep going all day.

[@DrakeN-ow1im]

The handbook in my '62 model: "Maximum and cruising speed = 68 m.p.h."

[@eugenepolan1750]

When you say that the Citroen 2CV used the same engine, you must mean they same type - an opposed, air-cooled engine. The 2CV surely didn't use the VW beetle air-cooled opposed 4 cylinder engine.

[@kusotare9559]

For the longest time, we were an all air-cooled family: 2 1962 VW Sedans (beetle/bug), 1 1968 VW bus, and three Porsche (TWO SYLLABLES PLEASE!) 356s ('58A, '61B, and '63BT6). I used to enjoy adjusting the valves - it was kind of a zen experience.

[@DEPORTER_SUPPORTER]

Hail Germany.

[@mystified1429]

@@DEPORTER_SUPPORTER Hail Por che

[@Counselor77]

I had a 1969 VW Beetle and a 1967 VW Beetle and I'm kicking myself for getting rid of them. What a great Video. The strangest thing about the ignition system was a little felt pad about the size of a pill located in the center of the ignition shaft in a little pocket underneath the rotor and required lubrication if you let it dry out, the engine cut out and left the car dead in its tracks.

[@minjiigo]

You know, even though most of this information weren't new to me (the beetle was the most common first car here in Brazil all the way up to the 90's), you presented it in such a nice way that even make me want to own one again (believe me, I know there's a lot of great things about this engine, but the Brazilian versions of it - with 1600 and 1700cc - were a nightmare!!). One more thing out of curiosity: what software(s) do you use?

[@jesusbencomo3495]

I can remember the day back in 1960 when my uncle appeared with his red beetle . It was a great excitement to all of us to see that different engineered and designed car. I'll never forget that whistling engine so reliable indeed.

[@klaasbil8459]

My first car back in the mid 1970's, how can I not love it

[@carlorocky]

I bought my first car in 1988, I was only 15 years old. I looked around for the best VW Beetle in town. I ended up with a 1973 model. What an incredibly well engineered machine! Modern cars have gotten bigger and bigger, especially the A, B, and C pillars, which equates to very poor driver visibility. They are also designed to separate the cars owners from their money!

[@bigears4014]

They were a good engine to some degree, but they weren't the best far from it, by the mid sixties their day was done

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Water cooled won out!

[@bigears4014]

@chrisdevalcourt648 water cooled one because to many hp isn't good for air-cooled engines

[@paulc9322]

@@bigears4014hmm. What about 911s

[@bigears4014]

@paulc9322 That's not a vw though , and even 356 was vastly modified compared to a standard vw engine

[@paulc9322]

@@bigears4014 a 356 is very similar to a vw. Basically a 36hp bottom end with 100hp heads. Air cooled can handle buku horsepower. They just went in a different direction. They are better than ever now. Round top cases that will take a 94mm stroke. Air cooled engines make power. Oh yeah how many aircraft use air cooled ?

[@juliancrooks3031]

I owned a 71 super bettle. One of the best cars I ever had. Easy to maintain and keep running and extremely reliable

[@williamturner1517]

Neighbor received a VW Beetle for high school graduation,1968. Drove the car around Tucson for 40 years. On its 3rd engine, interior and paint job. 2008, original dealer put car on showroom display. Gives owner pick of any car on the lot.

[@mikethespike7579]

My brother once bought one of these beetles, used from a farmer. It was ancient, I think a 1970 1200 model. It had been standing outside next to his barn for about 5 years and he was glad to get it out of the way. It was winter when we went to pick it up and was freezing cold weather. We had planned to tow it home since it had been standing for so long, but decided to try and start it, just for fun. My brother put some fuel in the tank and connected the Beetle's battery to my car and what do you know, after just a few turns of the motor the car started. I couldn't believe it. My brother actually drove it home under it own steam, which was a bit risky, not just because of the technical condition of the car, but because it wasn't insured. But I doubt any other car would have started like that after years of disuse.

[@Hector_Rico]

Once on Monster Garage. Jesse James and his team found a VW in a swamp. Just to challenge themselves. They made a total hot rod out of it. Everything about that freaked me the Hell out. Jesse kept the rust on the body and just painted the words "Sour Kraut" or something on it. But unfortunately because it wasnt registered they couldnt drive it in front of a big crowd, Jesse James got a ticket for that.

[@davidcottee2808]

The Type 3 engine had the fan on the crankshaft directly, so could be used without a "fan belt", as the belt only turned the generator. You could drive it without the belt. Until the battery went flat.

[@vicentedacosta]

As owner of a 1600 aircooled microbus and ex-owner of a 1500 and a 1300 beetle I think your's is one of the most complete and easy-to-understand videos about this motor I've seen so far. That's what KZbin should be all about. Tks for doing it and sharing with all of us! Liked and Subscribed

[@DenUitvreter]

Bit of shame it missed the huge advantage of aircooled, it's weight. Which allowed for putting it behind the rear axle, that did not only save space and let one leave the heat noise behind literallly, it also made them great for off road.

[@rotarydragon6834]

Awesome engine, Worked on them for a living for years. Incidentally that white bug has an alternator conversion kit on it.

[@MatiasZelaya-kv7ht]

I remember seeing lots of these where i used to live it was really popular i loved the VW Beetle, one of my favorite cars of all time, currently i own a model of a 1955 version and seeing this information of one of the best selling engines, the VW Beetle is truly a masterpiece of Engineering.

[@frosthoe]

My uncle was a Chrysler line worker, only bought Chryslers. He raced them circle track, and had Mopar drag cars too. One day early 1970's he shows up in a Volkswagen, and we are all shocked! Little did we know! Apparently he had been talking with VW guys, and was just getting stuff together. That was the first supercharged VW I ever saw! The first street car I ever saw pull wheelies with authority ! Ps He had that derpy Rolls Royce front end too...

[@tommacdonald6070]

I had two Beetles - a '69 and a '71 in the late '70s and early '80's. Great cars. I used to set the valves and change the oil every 3000 miles. The book "How to Keep your Volkswagen Alive, A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot" was very useful.

[@sciencegeekgrandpa8]

With current 0/5 W synthetic oils, these engines would undoubtedly have been even more efficient and powerful. Awesome video!

[@got2kittys]

They're nothing like modern engines, 0-05 viscosity would destroy the engine. They used to use 10 or 20 wt. In winter, 30 wt. in summer. Sometimes thicker in extreme heat. You did seasonal service for temperature.

[@tadonplane8265]

I had a ‘62 Baja bug. It had a huge canvas sunroof that all three people in the back seat could stand up through at the same time. It also had a 1600 dual port conversion.

[@darrellborland119]

Had a new 1972 super beetle...back in the day. Modifications, courtesy of Empi products, including handling improvements. Chasing faster European cars was fun. If one considers our modern industry, those times were much simpler...and enjoyable. Thanks for the memories. .

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

Many years ago a friend and I were at a friend's garage. He had mounted a vw motor into a BMW R60 bike frame. He said it went very well but needed better brakes.

[@bartsimpson6767]

I have a , '74 beetle that I modified into a "Baja" bug 17 years ago. Lots of miles and car shows, and everyone we meet has a VW story. One of my grand kids will get it when (if) I tip over..🐞

[@chrisdevalcourt648]

Tip slowly!

[@uncontrollabledogs3791]

Superb animation and video all around. Really shows how unique and brilliant this engine is... No surprise to those who have owned many of them. The only issue is inferior after- market parts when it's time to rebuild. Great video!

[@aspensulphate]

That's wild! The Beetle engine was put to a lot of uses, including small aircraft!

[@thedrunkendragon8118]

As someone who owns this motor in a ‘68 bug…I can easily say it’s a masterpiece of engineering, 55 years and going strong 💪

[@DogMad1200]

always loved the older beetles great little cars hard to kill em + that unforgettable sound they made, currently I drive a '64 Merc with a 390cid, but the beetles still hold a place in my heart

[@Stephan..M.]

*_Als ich 1985 mit 18 meinen ersten Käfer hatte waren sie eigentlich schon lange out. Alle Freunde hatten Autos mit mehr Comfort und Leistung. Mein Käfer hatte 1200 cm², 34 PS und einen Benzinhahn. Er war Bj. 1970. Aber am wichtigsten war: Er hatte Klasse und eine Seele. Insgesamt hatte ich in meiner Jugendzeit fünf dieser Prachtstücke. Alle alt und vergammelt aber treu und liebevoll. Ich werde mein ganzes Leben lang der größte Käferfan bleiben, denn ihm gehört mein Herz. Beautifull Video._* Greetings from Bavaria/Germany.*_

[@Gator-357]

I've had a '68 Beetle, '71 Camper Van and a '73 Thing over the years. They were all great vehicles, if not freezers on wheels in the winter. Very simple and easy to work on. My '68 Beetle had an aftermarket gasoline heater which, did ok except for defrosting the windows. My favorite was the Thing. It was fun to drive and would go just about anywhere. I wish I still had any of them.

[@kaveerman]

Thank you for creating this video. The VW air-cooled boxer was further developed beyond 1600 cc limit for the Beetle. In 1969 the VW 411 was released with a new casting displacing 1.7L, and with the later renaming c1972 the VW412 came with a 1.8L. Most export models were fuel-injected. They were pancake engines (like the Type 3) with the engine fan at the end of the crankshaft, instead of mounting overhead as was done with the Beetle configuration. The 411/412 air cooled engine was also used in the Porsche 914, and in the Type 2 Bus and subsequent Transporter (Vanagon in North America) until c1983 when the wasserboxer (water cooled) version was introduced. The boxer configuration was kept until the end of the Vanagon run in 1991. On another note the Beetle came with 12V electrics in 1967, at least in Canada. My brother had a '66 Beetle with 6V that required a lot more push starts due to the weaker electrics. Mine cost Cdn$300 when bought used in 1979. Unfortunately the floor caved in within a year or so, due to rusting, and I bought the (then) luxurious VW412 station wagon (variant). In 2003 we rented a brand-new classic Beetle on a family trip to Mexico. I was soon aware of the limitations of the vehicle design in regards to acceleration, cornering and braking - but much of that could be blamed on the lousy tires. However when we rescued a family from a nearby town, I drove back to our hotel with four adults and five children in the rental Beetle. Crammed but amazing.

[@67daltonknox]

In '68, I bought a '59 Beetle. The engine was clapped out, so I got a factory exchange complete with clutch, carburetor and dynamo for the equivalent of $200 and put it in myself. It ran well for years until totaled when a car pulled out at night without lights and did a Uie in front of me.

[@timmotel5804]

I have owned 2 beetles. A 1965 and a 1966. Loved them both. Simple and reliable. Thank You.

[@1aicrag]

Learned to drive in a '66 model. My first road accident on the same (small fender bender). My first highway drive to a different city was on a '69 model. Lost my virginity in the same one. The very first brand-new vehicle I actually paid myself was a '72 model. Had a second hand '70 Safari (Kubelwagen) for a while. Took it off roading and got stuck plenty of times. Dozens of adventures and memories through my teenage years. Too many to list here.

[@hhyhhy]

Great video! The change to 12V was generally in 1967, some „Sparkäfer“ until 1971 or 1973

[@ralphlong8371]

As someone who worked on cars and maintained my own vehicles, I hated that engine. Getting the rear spark plug out was an absolute pain in the neck. Crankcase leaks where a major problem with that engine too. They may have been okay for Europe with their aircooling but in a hot country in Africa they didn't fare too well. My uncle in Namibia told me when he drove his Beetle hard, he often could hear the oil boiling in the sump upon stopping. With that big fan dragging, they were hardly fuel efficient and frikken noisy. I learnt to drive on my dad's Beetle and hated the driving position. As soon as I could afford a car I bought a Renault R8 and it was in all ways a superior car with a superior engine in every way. A dream to work on, the Beetle was a nightmare.

[@paulwiegerinck528]

Litterly could re and re the engine faster then replacing the spark plugs.

[@ralphlong8371]

@@paulwiegerinck528 who wants to do that? That's why I loved my Renault R8, dream to work on and even if you had to take the engine out to do a clutch job, 8 bolts and it was out. In the unlikely event of having to replace rings and pistons, simple, it had wet sleeves, just pop them out, put new sleeves with new pistons and you have a good as new engine, no reboring to do. Vastly superior engines that lasted forever.

[@pseudopetrus]

Great engines, I think the only weakness was the oil cooler would reduce the air cooling on cylinder no 3, and sometimes the head would crack there if you were driving your bug really hard. Also an aftermarket oil sump baffle help reduce oil starvation in hard cornering. I know I raced my bug. But if you drive normal, they are the best! I wish I could buy one now!

[@davidkettell6236]

You are correct ,my Karmann Ghia dropped a valve seat on cylinder 3 on a warm summer night ,so i went to the junk yard bought another motor for 30 bucks and was back on the road two days later.

[@pseudopetrus]

@@davidkettell6236 Yup, I too bought new used engines for $50.00 Canadian. The VW's of those days were great!

[@denizkilic6022]

Vw actually fixed the oil cooler issue in early 70's, both my old 1303s and current 1302s have doghouse oil coolers that sit behind the fan shroud and get air seperately. My friends 67 bug has the old type oil cooler, but we are not touching it until it needs a rebuild one day, that thing still has the original engine case from factory. The oil starvation when cornering really is a big problem tho, i end up cornering slower than i could just to avoid the oil light from coming on.

[@mitchellminer9597]

My dad was helping me pull the engine out of my Beetle, and he said he used to be able to drive his Beetle to the engine repair shop, and drive out with a loaner engine while they worked on his.

[@jockellis]

My grandfather Ware had a 1948 Beetle that was brought over sometime later. My father had a Karmann Ghia. I’ve had a VW Squareback and eight Porsches of which seven have been air cooled.

[@johnrideout7124]

I cut the rear panel out of my first beetle, and drilled two holes behind the rear seat to get the two top bolts holding the engine in, enabling engine removal without jacks.! I also had the flywheel lightened, and did away with the bottom tin panel to assist with cooling, and it worked fine. The engine is of excellent design, especially how the camshaft is meshed with the crankshaft. No bike chains or rubber bands needed there. ! The most difficult job on the early models was replacing the clutch cable, even Houdini would have had back-ache doing that. ! The most interesting incident I ever saw, was a VW van crankshaft broken at an angle in the center main bearing, down the oil drilling. I suspected it was the result of being driven with the engine labouring in the wrong gear over time. The double clank noise it made was so mysterious when running that I bought the van and couldn't wait to claw the engine apart to find out what was doing it. ! I have never heard of that problem happening either before, or since, has anyone else ?.

[@Strada62]

The engines were also used in industrial applications, air compressors, refrigeration, generators, and aircraft.

[@MichaelOlivera-pn9sb]

Remember using Mazda rx7 oil cooler. In back mounted under vents & rear window for extra cooling this set up required slight modifications to bottom front to allow oil to pass up to oil cooler worked great !

[@douglasmaccullagh7865]

My first car was a 1966 VW Beetle. 1300 cc engine with 6 volt electrical system. Great car. Sure, the headlights were a bit dim, but it was a great car.

[@gergemall]

I LOVE ALL THESE WONDERFUL MACHINES AND FUN . I HAD THEM ALL. LOVED THE ENGINES AND USED TO TIME MYSELF TAKING A BUG ENGINES OUT BY MYSELF AND PUTTING THEM BACK IN BY MYSELF. I STILL REGRET TRASHING MY 73 camper bus , I paid to keep in in storage for ten years. Should have kept it . I Love this VIDEO.

[@SilverSergeant]

My favorite car was a 1971 Super Beetle. The engine purred like a kitten. A perfectly tuned engine has a special sound.

[@larrybaker5316]

we had a 1959 VW in Alaska 1968-1970 (USAF), ran great, had to have a plug-in oil warmer to keep the oil flowing, and had a gasoline powered car heater in the trunk to keep us warm!

[@lh5943]

I think 12v system started in 1968. I helped rebuild a 1962 engine that was locked up because the engine was full of water. All we really had to do was disassemble it, clean everything and use new gaskets. All the internal parts were in the original specs!

[@marcob4630]

Ferdinand Porsche was a genius engineer who designed also lot of military vehicles for the Wehrmacht

[@mkollander99]

I spent 19 years working on them. Perfect life career I still have a 1973 type 2 transporter I put a 1973 porche mechanically injected 2.4 (6) cylinder Runs great.

[@ralfbaechle]

It wasn't just a car engine; it was also a commonly used industrial engine, for example being used for portable fire pumps some of which are still in use today. A friend of mine (rip ...) once had an engine failure of the VW mini bus which is using a very similar engine. He removed it, disassembled and repaired it in the kitchen. Obviously no girl friend or wife to protest nearby ;-) Anyway, you couldn't do that with a bigger, heavier or more complex engine. These days beetles are rare but the special sound of the air cooled boxer engine is still special, stand out of the choire of pistons.

[@michaelathens953]

I rebuilt one of these in my second year auto shop class for my buddy who was building a Baja bug. Easily the most simple, reliable machine I have ever worked on.

[@kingkappa9916]

Thanks for your great video. I had a 1973 Twin Port 1300 Beetle, which had cracked heads between the exhaust and inlet valves. It ran without problems. The only real issue I had was with a blocked spray jet in the carbie. If you accelerated too hard, the engine would not accelerate and would want to stop. An old work colleague who has since passed on (Michael Delaney - Newcastle NSW) passed this information onto me, so I thought I would pass it on to other VW fans, if they don't know it already. All the best. 😄😄😄

[@richlijacanacua]

Awesome Engine design. The proven and tested car in the History of Automobile. Even now a lot of Beetle running. I have one of those Super Beetle 1971 model 1600 engine and 4 shift-gears Very comfortable to ride in any kinds of roads and terrains and weathers. The best car in all seasons!

[@outersketcher]

There were several designs.. The classic "Beetle", the "Squareback Wagon" and "Notchback" the "Fastback" (witch was a kind of hatchback-squareback) and then there were MY favorites. The Karman-Ghia. A beautiful, curvy little coupe. Sexy in a way that has never been duplicated in my opinion. My favorite year being the 1968. The last year for the over-rider bumpers and the tear-drop tail lights. But the first year that had a collapsible steering wheel column.

[@samernajia]

I have a Type 1 motor converted for aviation use producing 80hp. It is an incredibly simple and reliable engine!

[@NoahSpurrier]

I had a ‘66 1300cc Beetle. Great car - last year of the tear drop headlights. One time I was driving my ‘66 Beetle in San Francisco and I hear a loud bang. The engine was still running, but it was shaking and running rough. I managed to get the Beetle off the street and into a parking spot. Later, I had the Beetle towed to my favorite mechanic, Nick. He’s taking it apart and looking at it. He says in a fake German accent, “Yah! Here it’s zee problem! One of zee valves has broken off and punched straight through zee piston!” We tried to find a replacement piston and one parts dealer just laughed and said “You’ll never find pistons for a 1300cc Volkswagen engine. They only made that engine for one year.” So what are my options? Not much. Custom pistons were more expensive than a new engine. So, I bought a new 1600cc engine. Nick and I installed that engine. It was a nice upgrade, though it would have been cooler to keep the ‘66 Beetle stock, but since we were going to alter it anyway I had him lower the suspension and install disc brakes. The disc brakes were actually the best upgrade. The new brakes were way better than the stock drum brakes. The lower suspension made handling better, but rough. Later, I was driving around with my girlfriend - one with big boobs. She complained that she needed to wear a sports bra to ride in my car. Ha!

[@benjaminbeebe6555]

My first car was a '74 non-Super Beetle, & the second a '72 Squareback with the original EFI replaced with dual Solexes. What I drive now is infinitely faster, smoother, & quieter, but I will always miss those cars 😔

[@davidyoung8521]

During WW2, General Rommel credited the kubblewagen with saving his life. His driver accidentally drove into a minefield. The light weight didnt set off any mines.

[@jr.classics6190]

This is an Awesome Video.. Beetle Engines are Amazing. I like the Diagram of the Engine in this Video. Breaks it down to see every moving part within the engine..

[@Doc1855]

My parents bought a VW Bug new in 1971. That car was super reliable and went Everywhere ! We lived in CO, USA at the time and all the snow never never slowed it down. As I got older, it became the car that us kids used. When the lakes froze over, I’d take a chainsaw, cut a hole in the ice and sit in the Bug while I fished. I’d Love to own a 74 Super Beatle Convertible, but they’re just not around anymore

[@Lanes-Explorer5733]

Nice graphics. A labour of love I think? My '72 Beetle is in use every day and very reliable (with maintenance!)

[@richlijacanacua]

Awesome Demonstrations. Great job! I have one of this car. The Super Beetle "1302"S -1971" model. Until now she is running fast and in good condition. Thanks to late Engr. Ferdinand Porsche!

[@donschneider7252]

Had a 64, a 65, and a 69 bus. loved them. got to keep the valves adjusted with out fail though.😁

[@waxingchandler3895]

1974 914 Porsche flat 4 air cooled 2.0 LT D-Jet FI. Basically a VW engine. Love this car.

[@georgewashington687]

1969 Beetle and 1968 Bus. I rebuilt both engines for less than $200 with new jugs, pistons and a valve job. I wish I still had them.

[@goodness-mercy]

My lady friend's early VW (35 HP) threw a rod, totally destroying a piston and cylinder. I rummaged through a VW dealer's trash and found a rod and cylinder from a 40 HP VW. I had to drill the 4 bolt holes in the head out a bit (the cylinder is larger), but I replaced the blown head. It worked beautifully (in fact, she used it to run away back to Florida)

[@colinchung9722]

what a legendary little motor!