Dare we PURSUE this classic VW BEETLE ??

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For sale I have found on FB a classic 1970 beetle. 1600cc. The guys "story" abouy moving and needing to sell does check out legit. He says the entire top end of the engine has been done and heat sheilds etc.... in his words..

"the heads are completely redone including valves and valve guides, pistons, rings and cylinders are brand new"

So I ask about compression values and he says he didn't test any but they are fine.

So I ask about LEAKS (I've never owned a beetle but probably a good question)... and he replies..

"it leaks some oil that I haven't gotten to yet, it's the silicone gasket where the block gets bolted together"

I wish I could link the ad but it is a close FB group and I no longer can post pics with my photobucket. Is a VW 1600cc leak easy to correct? Theres a million you tube leak detect and fix videos so I can't tell if this is as normal as a Ford steering pump groan or more fatal. Do I demand compression values?

Any tips? $2300 he wants.
 
$2300 sounds pretty good; there's no air-cooled tax there.

If the case needs split for a reseal, well, you're in for a fun weekend.
 
If it's leaking at the joint where the case halves mate, this can be easily fixed by dropping and disassembling the engine, literally. IIRC, there is no gasket but rather a gasket paste is used to seal this joint.
If it's really the pushrod tube oil O-rings, this can be more easily addressed.
What do they want for this VW?
What is its overall condition?
If this is a decent vehicle overall, it would be worth a look and you could always deal with the oil leak down the road assuming that it isn't catastrophic.
There can't be too many engines easier to take apart and then reassemble than an air-cooled VW flat four.
Been there, done that, although mine was a Type IV.
 
I had one of those years ago. As I recall, to fix a leak where the cases bolt together requires a complete engine teardown. The good part is that it isn't a huge job, but still a lot of work. Sounds like he plans on just smearing some silicone sealant around the outside of the leak. I'd say the leak is also an indication of the level of workmanship that went into the engine.

Always a good idea to get compression test results on a used car.

I don't know what they are selling for these days so can't comment on the price. I'd say go for it if you like it and are an automotive hobbyist and do your own work.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
If it's leaking at the joint where the case halves mate, this can be easily fixed by dropping and disassembling the engine, literally. IIRC, there is no gasket but rather a gasket paste is used to seal this joint.
If it's really the pushrod tube oil O-rings, this can be more easily addressed.
What do they want for this VW?
What is its overall condition?
If this is a decent vehicle overall, it would be worth a look and you could always deal with the oil leak down the road assuming that it isn't catastrophic.
There can't be too many engines easier to take apart and then reassemble than an air-cooled VW flat four.
Been there, done that, although mine was a Type IV.


It really can be "easily" addressed? These bugs are intriguing.

Any "tell tale" things to listen for on test drive? Any certain sound at a certain time that a Beetle officionado would listen for?
 
I bought a new 1970 type one in 1970.
The 1600 was a good engine as far as vw engines go.
Truthfully, VWs were not a high mileage engine.
I was a vw mechanic back then fwiw.

Mechanics who did not understand the little air cooled wonders could screw one up in a minute.

Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: Neely97
I bought a new 1970 type one in 1970.
The 1600 was a good engine as far as vw engines go.
Truthfully, VWs were not a high mileage engine.
I was a vw mechanic back then fwiw.

Mechanics who did not understand the little air cooled wonders could screw one up in a minute.

Good luck.




Yikes!!!!
 
If the engine was rebuilt, then the two halves have to be taken apart. If not, then the crank shaft and valve train where not worked on.

At best, he reconditioned the heads, valves and piston rings.

Telling half truths.
 
In the original post the OP quoted the seller saying that top end was rebuilt, not a full rebuild.
 
Originally Posted By: Neely97
...

Ithe jugs which have cooling fins on them like a motorcycle engine and create the cylinder walls for the pistons are brand new from jbugs (jbugs is a company from cali that only sells bug parts), the pistons are brand new and the piston rings are brand new from jbugs, the heads are refurbished, one of the valve guides was really bad so he put a new one in and reworked all the valves and seats and decked the face that meets the motor was a vw mechanic back then.


UPDATE: he says...
 
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
for a 1970, I would jack it up and check for rust. What good is a motor in great shape, if the body is ready to fall apart?.,,,


Agreed. I'd be more concerned about the body.
 
Originally Posted By: Neely97
I bought a new 1970 type one in 1970.
The 1600 was a good engine as far as vw engines go.
Truthfully, VWs were not a high mileage engine.
I was a vw mechanic back then fwiw.

Mechanics who did not understand the little air cooled wonders could screw one up in a minute.

Good luck.


my dad had a 70 and a 74 super. Both went well over 100k with normal maintenance. Heads never removed.

Both were running well when crashed. 120k on the 70 and 145k on the 74.
 
This is the "econo car" where you can't carry on a conversation because the motor is so loud? Right?
 
My dad bought one in the late 1950's when he was stationed in Berlin.

Stlll has the original VW keychain with some other old school stuff from that era.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
$2300 sounds pretty good; there's no air-cooled tax there.

If the case needs split for a reseal, well, you're in for a fun weekend.


UPDATE: he says..

"Every seal other than that one has been replaced, every single one"

"it only leaks when it runs and if I leave it running for like 10 minutes there will be like a 3" spot on the ground"
 
All VW Beetles leak oil. No biggie. Driven mine on Peking to Paris Rally in 2013 (8,500 miles) and just finished The Great Race (5,136 miles round trip).

Stop procrastinating! Just buy it!
 
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If you’re worried about an oil leak a classic bug might not be for you.

Also it is in fact a Beetle and not a Super Beetle right?

If it isn’t a super beetle, a complete rust bucket or hacked up it sounds like a decent deal to me.
 
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
If you’re worried about an oil leak a classic bug might not be for you.

Also it is in fact a Beetle and not a Super Beetle right?

If it isn’t a super beetle, a complete rust bucket or hacked up it sounds like a decent deal to me.

If it is a '70 it won't be a Super Beetle - they started with the '71 model year as a model that was available alongside the standard Beetle. The Super Beetle had a MacPherson strut front suspension rather than the standard Beetle's torsion bar setup.

Andrew S.
 
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