If your heating is not working you may have bits missing from your heating linkages or air gaps in the pipe system read the heating system set up linked here - once again it is a VERY simple set up and so long as you have all the components there you should be able to sort it without too much bother. If you require parts for your system they are readily available both secondhand and new from vw suppliers such has those advertised on this site. If in doubt ask. click on the link below for a complete heating set up explanation - https://ratwell.com/technical/Heating.html
If you have engine performance problems people will often refer to air leaks, these are not air leaks as we know them but bad air seals on the rubber piping that connects to and from your carb and air cleaner, more of a sucking in of extra air where it is not needed. Carbs also suffer from air seal problems around the gaskets and linkages. On VW aircooled as with most vehicles a regulated air intake is required for smooth burning of fuel. On our type 2's along with thicker breather pipes there are small air pipes in the top of the engine bay these carry excess fumes from the fuel tank to the air cleaner and should be intact, it will pay you to familiarise yourself with the rubber pipework set up and insure they are correctly sealed and free of splits this is not difficult just fiddly.
Do not throw anything away when you get your van and start working on it - it may be a vital part that is hard to get and you may have to pay a lot of money to replace it ( if you can ) this includes interior parts too.
There are different types of factory fitted engines in a bay these are commonly 1600 upright as pictured in this thread these are commonly uprated to higher cc and can be called a 1641 or higher. There is a type 4 engine that came in various sizes from 1700 to 2100cc you can more or less recognise a type 4 from the flatter uncluttered area above the tinware, they are referred to as a pancake and type four. Some later type fours have a injection system as apposed to a carb, this means fuel is pumped directly to the cylinders via a fuel pump and improves efficiency. it will pay to familiarise yourself with your system before asking tech questions as this can mislead the reader , ask what engine you have or post up a picture if you can. a type four engine - if your engine looks like this you have a type 4 or pancake engine and should research accordingly, they are no more difficult to service than a type 1 or upright engine just different .
Your local garage is not always the best place to take your classic vehicle unless the owner is familiar with them. The problem is vehicles have changed significantly and new trainees are not taught or quickly forget how older vehicle's operate, consequently they have a lack of experience or knowledge re our buses or older vehicle's in general. There are specialist VW garages about and it will pay you to source one locally to you or query your local garage as to their ability's.
Ok Tekenders This is a vw campover that some members on here have helped organise and keep running. it is basically a chilled out camp out at a camp site near Hinkley in leicestershire where you pay to stay and camp. The idea is that people with vw experience will be on hand to help you do certain jobs on your van. they are friendly and knowledgeable. it is held one weekend in April and sept each year and everyone is welcome. Rickyrooo1, zed or tuesdaywidchild can help you re details if you send them a pm. Please be polite when you pm them and they will respond in kind.
Only just found this thread...excellent idea poptop... When I began driving a Bus 20 or so years ago the previous owner gave me some advice which I found useful at the first roundabout I came to... ...just like driving many 4x4's the stlye of driving is different to a car, few Bus's allow you to throw them into a corner like modern cars do, they are top heavy and can lean at scary angles if you are too quick. Brake gently and feed the bus round rather than try one quick movement of the wheel as you may do in a car! As you begin to relax and take things easy the driving style becomes smoother - but slower!! Cheers B
Good point Bry - I always remind people the steering wheel is in front of the road wheels so it feels like you go around the corner before the van
first thing they need to know is some of us have vans a long time so we're not all bankers, solicitors and doctors on six figure salaries so if you new bay owners could stop paying ridiculous prices for parts just because you can afford them that'd be lovely thanks
Yes indeed , although some items are expensive due to rarity or production costs vans can be worked on relatively cheaply particurlarly if you shop around and use the network of vw resources available through site's like this or meets
Be cautious of well meaning friends and aquantances that advise you that you need a new carburetter, a deep sump or a Porche fan.......you don't unless your carburetter is very broken or you wish to tune up your engine, for normal running the original equipment does the job.
Here are a few links to trusted vw suppliers - click on the link http://www.justkampers.com/ http://www.vwheritage.com/ http://www.coolairvw.co.uk/ http://www.ahschofield.co.uk/ http://www.customandcommercial.com/ They are in no particular order and are all very helpful.
This is a very good point - hearsay, you will hear all sorts of myth's and misquotes from non VW people if in doubt ask again because they can cost you lots of money --in my experience everyone's an expert when you say you have an old beetle or bus!