1968 Volkswagen Beetle Questions

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mrdctaylor

mrdctaylor

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Jun 5, 2003
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Guys,

I just got a 1968 Beetle from my dad that my daughter is going to drive. I've never messed with Beetles before so I have a few questions.

1) Should I clean the screen every time I change the oil or can I just drain the oil out and maybe clean the screen every other time?

2) How often should I change the oil? It is going to be in-town only and maybe 2K miles per year.

3) I noticed that it has some sort of aftermarket air cleaner on it instead of the original oil air filter (or whatever it is called). My dad says he has the original. Which is better? Should I convert back to the original? Or should I stick with the aftermarket thing? It looks like a conventional air filter.

4) I noticed that the ignition sticks. Meaning, when I start it, it wants to keep "starting" the engine. I have to back it off myself. Any suggestions on lubing/fixing this?

5) Are there any "gotchas" on these older Beetles? Anything I should look out for?

Thanks in advance!
 
Change oil at 1,500 or so. [no filter and they run hot and dirty]

The screen should be changed every other time - maybe every third time. Nowadays, oils are much better and sludge is not a big problem. But check to make sure!

Try spraying WD40 or similar into the ignition switch. Or get a new one - they are not expensive.

The after market air cleaner has advantages, but make sure it it high on the carb - not low and flat. There is a fuel 'fog' above the Solex carb when running and it needs to be accomodated.

I was an old VW expert , but dive into the forums for general advice.
 
I loved the old oil bath filters. IMO they clean better, though they are messy, and frankly, they filter the air more effectively than that engine will need... air cooled motors have a lot of tolerance in them. echo mechtech2's advice.

They do dirty up fast. dino oil every 1500 miles. 10-40 or 20-50 if it's tired. 20-50 will not hurt it, and may help it this time of year.

Gotchas?
1. rust
2. leaky heater exchangers put exhaust fumes into the cabin if they've rusted.
3. they don't accelerate, turn, or stop like a modern car
4. may handle better with bricks in the front
5. depending on the year, they can be prone to roll in snap turns based on rear suspension design, so if the rear sags, consider new springs/shocks.
6. it's a 68, so it wants leaded gas. It will run hotter internally on unleaded. Not sure what today's best practices are-- run higher octane if it runs rough once warm, retard the timing a bit, find a "no-lead" additive.

This is a cult car and a rare find. I hope you both have fun with it. They are very easy to work on-- even complete engine removal!! one man job, no lift needed... can be rebuilt with jugs rings, heads, etc in a weekend.

Mikey
 
Some fuel additive companies sell MMT based additives to replace lead, because it can raise octane and leave an ash on valve seats that protect them.

Also, if that engine was rebuilt at one time, I'm sure it would have modern valve seats added for unleaded gasoline.
 
And I forgot the biggest maintenance thing besides oil changes...
You have to check/set your valve lash often! Esp with unleaded fuels.
This is important! And run #3 cyl exhaust a bit loose, as the airflow is blocked by the oil cooler.
 
I stayed with a family driving an old beetle back in 94, and from my understand this is how things work:

1) that ignition stick is a manual air fuel ratio adjuster, you have to adjust it to rich when starting cold and lean it out when it runs, not the best thing to do for a 1st car.

2) oil change is 1k-1.5k due to the air cool nature of the car and the lack of oil filter. I'd use synthetic if possible and if you care about the engine life.

3) engine rebuild every 100k due to air cool engine and oil sludge

4) heat doesn't happen until you drive for 10-15 mins in the cold morning, not recommended in very cold climate, also remember to keep the window open or a CO monitor because it is an air/air heat exchanger and a leak from exhaust can kill. Not a problem in texas I think.

5) death trap compare to even the Chinese death trap today.

6) hard to find parts, but you already know about it.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear


1) that ignition stick is a manual air fuel ratio adjuster, you have to adjust it to rich when starting cold and lean it out when it runs, not the best thing to do for a 1st car.

6) hard to find parts, but you already know about it.


My comments

1) Change the ignition switch. It's spring loaded just like any car today, and should return to the ON position when you release it after the car starts. Your ignition switch comes in 2 parts: the spring-loaded electrical part (the one you should change) and the mechanical part where the key inserts into (which you won't need to change). If it is broken, you may end up with a bad starter, broken flywheel teeth, or even a short of the ignition bus to ground (happened to me).

What PandaBear described is a manual choke for the carb. But it's a manual cable-actuated adjustment found only in much older Beetles, and certainly not connected to the ignition switch assembly. Original Solex carbs for my 1968 Beetle had automatic electrically-operated chokes that did not need any user intervention.

6)There are still a lot of parts out there. A quick look at thesamba.com will bear this out.
 
ALSO--- consider carb rebuild/replace if there is any sign of flooding. As they age they can dump excess fuel, which can be a problem. I lost a 73 bus to a car fire that started with the carbs.

the diaphram type fuel pump, if old, can weep fuel into the crankcase. if you don't know its history, replace it.
 
Also check the thermostat for the airflow flap [it's a bellows].
You can live with full cooling, but NOT if it is closed or partially closed.
 
Had one of these way back when. No oil filter just a [censored] screen, I believe recommended OCI was around 1500-2000 but with better oils should be able to increase that. the valve adjustment was a pain, I think that was ever 6000 miles, contrary to what people thought of these bugs they were high maintenance, easy to rebuild etc but high maintenance. Besides frequent oil changes, valve adjustments they went through mufflers like clock work, every two years!!!!!!
 
I had a 1968 Square Back that I raised my family in. From ILL we when to the Rocky Mountains, Florida Keys, Canada and the outer Islands on the east coast. The family cried when we had to sell KABUBIE (Magic Flying Camel was it name). We still reminisce about that vehicle and the trips. Yes it got 1,500 mile oil changes with 30 wt in summer and 10 wt below 30F. Valve adjustments every 4-5,000 miles was a must or burn valve would get you. In addition; the cooling/heater flaps seemed to always need adjustment if you wanted any winter heat. We loved that vehicle.
 
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other gotchas:

A common cause of fire is the fuel line pulling out from the carb body. It's only a press fit and you'd be better off having a shop ream the gas inlet port in the carb and tapping it to install threads. That way you can secure the gas inlet tube without having to worry about fires. And never install a fuel filter between the fuel pump and carb. With that filter vibrating the fuel lines, it's almost guaranteed to yank out the fuel line out of the carb in short order!

Speaking of fires, put a rubber sheet over the battery under the rear seat. Some fires have been known to start with the metal springs in the seat rubbing against the battery posts especially when you have passengers with big posteriors.

Good idea too to the install a flat plate under the carb to keep any fuel that might leak from the carb away from the distributor.
 
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I had 2 1970 bugs.
They were fun but high maintenance.
I used the handbrake to stop because the master cylinder went bad.
It was fun watching the road through the rusted out floorboards.
They gave out next to no heat in the winter so I had to dress warm.
 
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