A Long Life For Air-Cooled Engines

Warm Up

All VW engines need to be warmed up gently, especially if they have been standing overnight. Moreover, air-cooled engines do not have a water jacket to promote even and rapid warm up to operating temperature. So, allow your motor to idle for at least a couple of minutes before driving off. Even then, drive off gently. Do not subject the engine to high revs and heavy loads when still cold. To roar off down the road in a hurry to get to work in the morning is one of the fastest ways to a premature engine rebuild.

Cool Down

If you have been driving hard and fast on the open road and then stop, do not switch off your engine straight away. Allow it to idle for at least 2 or 3 minutes. Unlike water-cooled motors, air-cooled motors run coolest at idle. If a hot air-cooled motor is allowed to idle, it will steadily come down in temperature at its own pace. Switching off a hot air-cooled engine will have the opposite effect. Stationary hot air around the motor and hot oil inside the motor will actually cause the engine temperature to increase before it cools. So, on that trip to Cornwall, when you pull into Burger King after the fast run up the freeway, let the engine idle for a few minutes before switching off. Your motor will thank you for your courtesy with a longer life.

Gear Changes

Do not allow the engine to labour in a high gear going up a hill or when pulling a load. This places undue stress on the crankshaft. Likewise, do not forget to change up into a top gear once you've reached the top of a hill. Remaining in a low gear at high speed may cause overheating, early valve failure and excessive noise.

Check Tappets, Timing, Contact Breaker Points and Spark Plugs

Tappets or valve clearances should be checked and, if necessary, adjusted every 3,00Okm. This will promote long valve and valve guide life. It may also let you know when something is going wrong with a valve before it causes major damage. Of course, if your VW has hydraulic tappets the valves should look after themselves.

Timing and points should be checked every 3,00Okm at the same time as the tappets to ensure that your motor does not overheat or unduly stress itself, or use too much fuel. For the same reasons, fit new spark plugs every 15,000 km.

Oil Changes

Change engine oil every 5,000 km and the oil filter (if your motor has one-if not, seriously think about fitting one) every 10,000 km at least. Better still, be generous and change oil AND filter every 5,000 km. The extra expense is small insurance. Doing a lubrication service more often can only benefit your motor.

Air Cleaner

Make sure your air cleaner is clean and operating effectively. Not to do so will allow dust into the combustion chamber and cause rapid valve and piston ring wear.

Engine Lid

Beetles can benefit from rear engine lid standoffs, which leave a gap at the top of the engine lid to allow more cooling air into the engine bay. However, with Kombis do NOT drive with the rear engine lid open. This sucks in both dust and hot air which has already been expelled by your motor. It does not promote cooler operating.

Oil Leaks

A leaky air-cooled engine runs hotter. Oil spread around an engine's cooling fins reduces their ability to transmit heat into the air. It also attracts dust which cakes itself around the cooling fins, reducing the cooling process even more. Frequently check the back of the vehicle (such as the engine lid) for spots of oil thrown up into the airflow vacuum at the rear. This is the quickest and simplest way to see the degree to which your engine is leaking.

And Finally... Keep Your Motor Standard!!

(Or just uprate your Veedub and keep an eye on that oil temp gauge you fitted - ed)

Simon Glen