People Say Removing a VW Beetle Engine is Super Easy: Is It Actually?

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In this video we remove the air-cooled engine from my 1971 Beetle!
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#VW #vwbeetle #volkswagen

[@DrKinesin]

I applaud your humility Tommy. I also know so very little about working on Vehicles and it can be so intimidating. There are too many “car guys” that just laugh at you and think your stupid when you don’t know stuff about engine work. Nice work. Stepping out of your comfort zone and willing to learn something new.

[@markcoopers1930]

For most folks if they win the lotto, they're going to run out and buy a fancy car. Me, I'm buying a lift.

[@jimmy-buffett]

Hi everybody, James (from the video) here. Total elapsed time was about 2 hours. None of the 2-3 videos I watched to prepare for this mentioned that there is definitely an order to doing the bolts: front lower two, front upper driver side (these 3 have to be done from underneath) then rear upper passenger side bolt that can be done from above / behind the car. So we did spend a few times raising / lowering before figuring out that the top driver side bolt had to be done from underneath. Between that and moving the distributor out of the way, I feel like if we had to do it again we could get it down to 45 minutes or less. The lift made a big difference, as always. We were both definitely learning as we went, but it was a lot of fun :)

[@tfm1449]

The cart was giving you the problem. With a floor jack, it is easier to manipulate the motor. Put the plate of the jack under the oil strainer plate, the motor will balance on it. Keep it simple, keep it fun!!! Good job.

[@jamesedmonds1350]

😎😎😎 My first car was a $150 , 66 VW BUG My dad and I removed the motor, carried it to the basement, rebuilt it ,reinstalled it ,and drove it away in just one day . With only 36 HP, it would struggle to do 70 MPH But ,for a 16 year old it was freedom .

[@IrishRooster86]

Please let’s go back to a time of those prices for these cars. The “peoples car” shouldn’t cost outrageous and ridiculous prices. I got my 72 super for $2k. So thankful I could finally find in my price range and get something I’ve always dreamt about. Stock 36hp is plenty of power for classic owner in my opinion. Driving a piece of history shouldn’t be about how fast you can go it’s all about the journey sights and people you meet on that journey. Peace out and VW on!!

[@prigs750]

This brings back memories. Back in the late 60s, I was stationed at Naval Air Station Boca Chica, Key West. My shop supervisor owned an early 60 Bug. He drove it home to Jacksonville FL. every weekend. It would burn exhaust valves and start skipping after a few trips. He bought a spare engine, which we rebuilt and used as a spare. We modified the rear of the vw so we could remove the rear sheet metal to facilitate engine swapping. The fenders were attached with Dzuse fasteners and could be removed in seconds. This made the swap easier, and we could R/R old engine for new in under 30 minutes. Great memories

[@christopherruff4001]

I also made a removable rear apron on my 62VW as a modification. It helps facilitate engine removal. I’ve used this feature a few times to remove the engine with ease! Despite the great engineering, things can always be improved!

[@jameshanna7914]

As 14 and 16 year old teens, my friend and I did this job in his 73 bug. With no prior experience it took us 45 minutes. After doing it a few times it takes about 15-20 minutes. This has to be the easiest car to pull a motor from, and is therefore the perfect car to learn on...super easy and uncomplicated!

[@GuitarGuyATX]

Exactly the same story as me ! Lol 45 min first time. 15-20 after that.

[@patriley9449]

That book has been around forever. I had one in 1969 when I was working on my 1958 VW. The book is brilliant. Several years later I had a Meyers Manx that had an extractor exhaust (basically headers ) on it and we could take that engine out in about 15 minutes. Once everything was disconnected, two guys just grabbed onto the headers and pulled the engine out. I then tore the engine down completely and put a big-bore kit and different cam in it. I think it gave me all of maybe 80 hp, but that was fine in a car that couldn't have weighed 1200 lbs. Great fun. I wish I had both of those cars today. Great video. Brought back lots of memories.

[@jwolfeshelton4360]

In 2 hous??. in 1986 I pulled 2 engines from 2 beetles and swapped in order to have rolling storage for the blown engine in 2 hours. without a lift. of course I was only 23 yrs old and already had been seasoned with high school auto multiple engine rebuilds and cross brand engine swaps.

[@DuaneCaldwell]

The first time attempting a new type of task always takes longer than it will after you do it a few times. Besides, we learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes! That said, you tackled that challenge head on and both eyes open. Kudos for doing so. Too many people never even try. I remember that Idiot's guide well from childhood. My Dad had a copy for working on our '67 Type 3 fastback (I loved that car!) and our '68 Bug. I learned as his helper, and those are some of my fondest memories of childhood, getting greasy, grimy, and listening to him cuss like the former sailor he was. Such DIY work can be frustrating, but nothing feels better after you figure it all out and fire her up the first time.

[@vwpirate]

I have had that book since the late 80's. It has a lot of good info and it is fun to read. I think my quickest time to pull a vw engine is about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that it didn't have the heater boxes or some of the tin that goes between the engine and the rest of the car.

[@325xitgrocgetter]

back in the late 70s...I was probably in 6th or 7th grade...neighbor around the corner was a talented mechanic...and would swap clutches on VW Beetles in his driveway...in an afternoon. I remember watching and helping out...he would teach the neighborhood kids about car maintenance...I recall being fairly impressed with this being done in a driveway and with minimal tools..other than jack stands to lift the rear of the car.

[@ArthurSperotto]

Love the cardboard on battery terminals idea. I'm sure it must be a well known old-school trick, but that was my first time seeing it, and I'll be doing that right away! Have always been scared of starting a fire there.

[@dalejones4322]

Fantastic video. I'm glad you decided to do this project and make a series out of it. Super interesting. Great job guys

[@tfm1449]

With the few proper tools needed, yes it comes out very easy. When I was a line mechanic at VW, I would do a clutch in about 30 to 45 mins. The one tool absolutely needed is a floor jack along with the car on the lift. While the motor is out, I would replace the clutch disc. And the throw out bearing looks a little worn. The rusted part you pointed out under the running boards, are there because this is a convertible. Those are not heater tunnels. The convertible body is fortified and gusseted at critical points since the roof is not there to give the body it's strength. On a hard top, you would not find those. Compare the doors also on a hard top. Hey good job though. I started out with that very same book you have. Have fun!!!

[@stephenmiller6690]

Rebuilt a 65 VW bug using that book! No lift. Just a jack. Did a lot of it laying on the ground under the car.

[@aaronbritt2025]

Yes, it is. I did it on my '69 in my garage with no lift. Dropped the engine on the ground and my buddy and I lifted the car up and off the engine.

[@cardinalRG]

When we were young and owned no jack, my brother and I had to pull the engine from our shared VW Bug a couple of times, in a more brutish way. We pushed the back end up on homemade ramps, and then a coin flip sent the legs of one of us under the engine, with a piece of plywood on top, onto which the unhooked engine would be lowered. Then the lucky brother and a friend would grab the shoulders of the human jack, and yank him and the engine together out from underneath. It wasn't really that hard, but putting the engine back in was tough. We only tried that once, and the cuts and bruise took a while to go away.

[@Thomas63r2]

I first earned my mechanics stripes with the idiot book keeping a 15 year old 1962 small rear window standard VW Bus fixed and running. That Bus was my ticket to freedom for about three years. I did engine out work several times to replace clutches. My Bus had no rear bumper, and the lower rear body panel was a bolt in piece that made engine R&R a breeze - 15 to 20 minutes after the first time. An old air cooled VW is just about the ideal vehicle to learn mechanics, simple and straightforward. I’m on my 26th vehicle now after a couple of VWs beginning in 1977.

[@justbuggin67]

Old John Muir had a lot of good tips in that book. For those who do not have a lift and a cart, you remove the back wheels and jack the car up off the jack-stands via the wishbone, slide the engine out of the side, and lower it back down. I use an ATV jack from Harbor Freight to drop the engine on. Great video though. My 69 VWs engine is just a grimy btw and still runs like a champ

[@all-flat-engines]

FYI rebuilding a beetle engine is easy and a gateway drug to bigger jobs

[@johncollins5552]

It's always a lot easier if you have help and an engine lift, most of us guys don't have that at home!

[@Kristian_Saile]

Heidi and Franny are legends, I was half expecting to see them helping out here. I tell you what, having a couple of VW Things, that upper right engine bolt is so ridiculously hard to get to, you need dislocating elbows to get at it practically. 😆 The Beetle has 1000x better access to it. I also have to pull the belt pulley off the front of the motor to get enough clearance. Nice job though for your first attempt. Looks a hell of a lot easier with a real lift 😆

[@rik999]

Pulled a lot of these. Should take 30-40 min after you've done a few. A floor jack works much better than that cart and you don't have to jiggle the lift up and down. The whole engine weighs 180 lbs max. Never had to remove or rotate the distributor to clear the engine, so I wonder if that car was rear ended.

[@henrysboy2]

Nice project guys. Really enjoyed it.

[@greentomt]

Claean looking garage and usefull gear you have there. Good job if you haven't done it yet. At the moment I am now, taking the standard type1 engine out is lets say 15 minuter + 2 flore jacks 1 person and coffe mug. But... it can evolve to 1 day of throwing loads of "F's" around beacause of few rusted bolts, nuts etc.

[@kcp7042]

Awesome video guys. Gonna be fun to watch you rebuild it. But Tommy, did you say lower the car up?

[@edwardvanwinkle7356]

Best book ever. Everything I know about cars started there. Cool reading if nothing else

[@hahaadventures4838]

Easiest and quickest engine swaps that I’ve ever done were on VW beetles! Jackstands, floor jack and a few hand tools. Usually takes 1-2 hours max!

[@VintageWanderer]

Only thing easier is a split bus as the motor rolls out the back on a jack. So much easier

[@daveylee4677]

I used to pull the rear tin, gas line, wires, remove the 4 bolts, throw an old tire (no rim), under the car, and with a might yank, drop the engine onto the tire. A good floor jack is recommended

[@VintageWanderer]

Usually take off the upper bolts off first as the lower ones are the easiest to get to at the last min.

[@jwolfeshelton4360]

without a lift this job should only take 45 mins to an hour.

[@VintageWanderer]

If you get the chance to make the motor run out side the car it’s so much fun and educational.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

Please try to find a Wartburg. I think you would like one.

[@VintageWanderer]

Need to do this soon on my 64 Bug.

[@thebigguy8306]

Thanks, Tommy, informative video. You should spend a day with 2Vintage channel, and watch him tinker. Anybody working with me on an engine often got frustrated and took over. I remember working at a Porsche dealership and the master mechanic dropped an engine in 15-20 minutes - I was astounded.

[@suomenpresidentti]

Would never be legal for road use here in Finland. Would immediatly flop the yearly mandatory inspection because of rust. Man it is Easy for you car guys in U. S.

[@stefanfalldorf6573]

Same in Germany. The rust and the oily engine. That wouldn't pass the HU every two years.

[@IKnewMickey]

The vehicle Cleetus drove in todays video would have MANY countries inspection departments having fits! 😂

[@pablojones5613]

I'm at the early stages of doing a 6 cylinder to V8 swap in an early 80's Toyota. Safe to say that pulling the engine out of a VW is much easier than what I had to do!

[@lcheaton1130]

Cool video totally out of TFL fashion. I like this kind of content. Only thing easier to remove an engine on, is a VW Bus, due to access is better. Great video Tommy.

[@jamesbeaman6337]

Dropped the engine on a 1974 bus a couple of times back in the day and was pretty easy. Would love for TFL to spring for that generation bus someday.

[@J.W.W.]

That John Muir book is the best of the best

[@kevinbarry71]

Great video; but what happened to those two ladies who worked on Volkswagens and such? Their KZbin channel has also gone silent

[@stefanfalldorf6573]

Didn't Sarah 'n tuned worked once for TFL? I thought about her in that video.

[@IKnewMickey]

We can fault Roman for many things (I'm Messing with him now) but the first time many of us were introduced to Sarah was on TFL and we have Roman to thank for that. Thank you Roman. 👍

[@milesbartlett]

Considering you have no heater pipes installed (and rusted out heater channels) you might want to close off the holes in the engine tin.

[@joelbuff3254]

Hey wait a minute- that’s not a Toyota! Great video as always guys!

[@RyansuBike]

I have a copy of the complete Idiots guide, love the illustrations. Used it when I did my own maintenance on my first car, a 1974 Bug. Also I think the word you want is Simple, the engine removal is simple, not to be confused wtih "easy" ;-)

[@robervin9107]

I’m proud of you tommy your crushing life

[@igreven87]

Opinions are like elbows but here's mine. If you're going to rebuild consider increasing the piston/cylinder size to 90.5 and make it a 1776 with dual carbs (maybe kadrons) and equal length headers. Isn't an over the top upgrade but it'll add enough power that getting on the highway won't feel like such an adventure where a semi might kill you. If you keep the compression around 7.5 to 1 it won't overheat. Ran my 71 super in college in Southern California like that for 4 years without a problem. Also use quality parts. Don't get suckered by some of these companies that sell you things for a song.

[@groupbmotors]

i dont know if you want that in colorado, dual carbs dont choke as well and can be seriously hard to keep the intakes from icing over.

[@igreven87]

@groupbmotors if he was building a fire breathing 2332 monster with 48idas I'd agree. However a pair of single barrel carbs with the right jetting for the altitude should be fine. It might take slightly longer to warm up but the gain in power for daily driving would be worth it. Plus it seems like Tommy isn't doing a lot of winter driving with it.

[@tfm1449]

I built the same size motor using 90.5, dual webers, some head work, and finally balanced the engine. After blowing the 1835 with 92's. You're right, everything ran great and cool without a problem. It was in a 66 stock looking bug, slightly dumped in the front.

[@davemchugh7187]

If you rebuild it have it align bored. The engine case where the crankshaft bearings go. Otherwise you may get oil leakage from the pulley end of the crankshaft.

[@3.2Carrera]

I didn't do a beetle, but I did my own drop and rebuild of a Porsche Carrera 3.2. Once you get your head around how Porsche designed cars work, it's not bad at all. Anyway since your car is not a show car, you can get some good results with POR15 on those rust areas.

[@3.2Carrera]

Oh, one more thing- A lift table from Harbor Freight helps a lot over a cart. Franny is 1000% right about that engine bay seal. The fan is pissing in the wind without it and so many people forget that small detail when working on the car.

[@vxnova1]

Battery conversion?

[@carlov.3017]

Hey look, It Kyle Gas!

[@walter68bug98]

While engine is out get German seals for engine bay,get the engine bay tar board from classic vws and replace your fuel lines with ones that can hold ethanol but is still braided like German

[@jaytee1086]

My personal record is 21mins. (By myself).

[@Silverback_GMT410]

Great video!

[@lou6816pat]

My brother once did this without a lift, by himself.

[@rik999]

You don't need a lift. Jack stands and a floor jack will do the job.

[@wilmarbarrick3194]

Good job. FWIW, I think you should overhaul it yourself. One, it would make interesting content. Two, it will pay countless dividends in the future. Even if you FUBAR it, that's OK too. No shame in learning new things. You can always bring it someone to get it right. It looks like you have the room to do it. Keep your parts organized and label things you think you'll forget. Good Luck!

[@C10sRule]

Well said. The VW engine is practically modular so when you get to the 3rd cylinder you are comfortable getting everything apart!! Be specific on getting the right torque for every bolt/nut and you almost can’t go wrong. Lots of break in lube putting it together. Like you say, mark things and away ya go. I always surprise myself when I get putting things back and I don’t need references. I have 40 + years of working on vehicles myself so there’s a good background, but OHC V8s scare the crap out of me. Did my first set of cam phasers and timing chain assembly etc on a 2008 F150 for/with a friend and it was not really that hard. Tedious,,, but not truly hard. Maybe I will do an LS conversion yet!! 😂😂. I’m much more likely to do an EV conversion before I succumb to the LS fad. Anyways,,,,, Tommy is definitely smart enough to figure it out if only he could be more confident. It takes time.

[@xail1047]

And the 2CV engine is even easier to disassemble!

[@dog01b52]

Well, It's really not that hard to pull the engine. The book you referred to will have you do a bunch of unnecessary stuff to remove the engine. My option, it is not the best over manual. The VW shop manual gave me more information. I guess that book was not in print also when I started working on Bugs. I used to time my self pulling the engine by playing Peter Frampton's Do you feel like I do or Iron Butterfly's - IN A GADDA DA VIDA, they are about the length of your Video, that dates me. Lol. So 15 - 20 minutes once you have done your prep-work. I never removed the distributor or clocked it. Removing it can lead you down the rabbit hole if you rotate the engine with it out. I used four jack stands and a floor jack with a 2x4 on the jack. The two in front were lower than the back stands to give clearance. For the fuel line, I would stick a bolt in the line and tighten the hose clamp. No clamping to ruin the hose integrity. As for the battery, Yes, disconnected it, but mine had a cover on top to protect it from shorting also. I had several 1964 Beetles which were the easiest to pull, My 1972 was not too bad also. Fortunately, never had to pull my 1974 Super Beetle's engine. It had A/C installed when I purchased it, which that could have been a pain. Never had any oil leaks or fires, ill running symptoms. Just kept it maintained and oil changed, it was good to go. Heater also worked great.

[@yorkchris10]

I see you found some VW portal axles....

[@thecuss6817]

Next time replace the rear transmission mounts.

[@shamevonn1164]

Yeah that little heater will heat up that size room real toasty.

[@dirtroadsailing6418]

If you want to learn about an engine, rebuild it yourself.

[@frankschwartz7405]

>>People Say Removing a VW Beetle Engine is Super Easy

[@davesnodgrass2074]

Well tell me once you know what you doing you can pull a motor and if you have another motor ready to go have it back in and running in less than an hour

[@xugio]

I replaced the seal without taking the engine out. But I wouldn’t again.

[@Ramblin_Rob]

Waiting for you guys to draw blood cuz you didn't take the ramps off after the car was loaded on the lift. Be careful. Fun project.

[@capachin]

You think you are funny Roman......however.....to my understanding the VW Beetle rear seat was the FIRST heated seat in the automotive world!

[@seanhershey3390]

My old friend could do a clutch in about 30 mins...he had done hundreds.

[@notwutuc]

Go ahead and replace your fuel line while your at it..

[@Reese300NK]

It's the easiest to remove. My dad used to have it out in less than 15 minutes

[@samfish6938]

dont bend drive shaft

[@generalvoltage1821]

Now you are ready to EV swap that with a Tesla Small Drive Unit from EV West or even a Large Drive Unit if you don't like your eyeballs being in the front of your face.

[@renamamiya158]

neat

[@marciogbotelho]

I don’t think the Bible was self-published…

[@samfish6938]

put electric engine in theres a youtube channal puts in electric engines into v w

[@therealgaragegirls]

0:39 Just a suggestion: Keep the religious stuff out of your videos. Most people aren't into it.

[@SoFriTo93]

Speak for yourself man, oh and god bless 🙏

[@therealgaragegirls]

@@SoFriTo93 Praise Satan!

[@ubacow7109]

​@@SoFriTo93Nah it's true, religion really isn't for the entertainment world. That's how cults are formed. But imo this one was fairly insignificant.

[@infernoking7504]

Its not hard at all

[@davidgiles9751]

Looks like a great candidate for an EV swap.

[@Coordinator61]

Old Beetles are junk haha. Awfull to work on.