Doing my own service - 2l Aircooled

[samk]

Hi All,


Hope you had a great christmas!

My van needs a service and i'm keen to do it myself. I've had a look on the wiki and have done a couple of searches but havent come across a detailed list of what should be done. My mechanical ability/knowledge is fairly none existent but i am willing to get stuck in and have a go. please could someone let me know what needs to be done? Below is a list of what I know

replace oil filter
replace air filter
change engine oil
change spark plugs (do I need to change the cap too?)

how much am i missing ( ) and is it failry easy to do these jobs yourself?

Thanks,

[armyphil]

Depends on how many miles the van has done, I am no air cooled expert but I personally would:

oil filter oil change
air filter
plugs
leads
dizzy
rotor arm
fan belt
gearbox oil
coolant

And while your there check cv's linkages suspension all that other good stuff and maybe invest in a haynes manual

hope that helps someone will prob be along with more and has an Aircooled yo help you out a bit more

[A KIRK]

Replace Oil, air fuel filters
Change oil, plugs, rotor arm, cap
Check condition of leads if old its worth changing them
Check timing, reset if needed
Check and adjust tappets, no need if it has hydrulic, replace rocker gaskets if checking the tappets gap
Check brakes for condition, best to remove wheels so you can have a damn good clean up while there
Also while jacked up checking brakes have a good look underneath, check for wear in bearings, suspension bushes, and steering bushes
Also check for rust while there
test shocks
Grease door hinges
Also worth a little squirt of oil in the door locks
Replace wipers
check light bulbs etc etc



One other thing I would suggest checking is from inside th cab, bottom of the steering collumn there is a hm what can be described as a circular rubber spacer as such, with 4 holes with bolts etc, check its condition, there are 2 more underneath to. I found mine to be dangerously crumbling, but that was the issue I had with really vague steering.

The list could be endless, just an oil change isn't really a service

[samk]

ok, thanks for the replies - Andrew, you're loosing me a bit there!

Last service was done when I bought the van a year ago ( just over 5000 miles ago) and all leads etc were replaced then. brakes etc have all been checked recently too. so, really im looking at plugs, filters etc.

i know this is ignorant but how many fuel filters are there? Just 1 going into the carbs?

recently the van has started playing up a little theres a lack of power/uneven acceleration once started up and for the first 10 mins or so. it gets better but acceleration is under what it used to be. I'm hoping replacing all filters etc will sort this out. i shouldnt really have a problem with my carbs as they were rebuilt less than a yer ago by Steve at Gasure

[A KIRK]

It depends how many filters someone has fitted to your van. I have 2 by the fuel tank, another inline jobby in the engine bay, and one inside my fuel pump.

The filters should all be in an obvious place, so you shouldn't miss any.

I'd also suggest putting in some fuel cleaner such as redex in the fuel, this will help clear the system.

Problem is carbs can and do go out of balance within a year, but hopefully its just a case of a filter change, and it will be back to normal

[samk]

ok, thanks - guess i'll have to have a snoop around the engine and work out what i need to do.

anyone else got a list of what they regularly do to service their Aircooled?

[mike the van]

I would make the oil filter and oil change the priority, i would go for an oil change at 3-4 k miles, on an Aircooled the oil gets a hammering as it does pretty much all the cooling, and oil is certainly cheaper than an new engine,
Can not emphasise enough get a Haynes manual, off e-bay or if you are really lucky in a charity shop .
If changing plugs watch out for cross threading as the head is ally and will quite happily take a cross threaded plug until it spits it out, the difficult one to get to is No 3 LHS nearest the bulkhead. If you do change the leads try and track down original NOS as pattern ones from JK or GSF are not so good, tight fit and too inflexible.
Mine has only a single in line fuel filter just after the fuel tank, if there are more, then they are not really doing much, except increase the possibility of fuel leaks, never good.
Whilst you are checking, get underneath check ALL rubber fuel pipes and unions particularly those pipes to and from the fuel pump to carbs and the ones that goes through a rubber grommet in the tinware through to the carbs, all can and do perish or get chafed.
Do all the normal checks you would on a car as listed in the other replies, brake pads thickness, hand brake grease cable at all joints and unions

Mike

1491 2.0 a/c

[Therunner]

Fuel filter ought to be close to the tank, you don't really want a filter in the engine bay

If changing plugs watch out for cross threading as the head is ally and will quite happily take a cross threaded plug until it spits it out, the difficult one to get to is No 3 LHS nearest the bulkhead

I'm right handed and often find no. 3 plug is easier to thread back in by turning my back on the engine and reaching backwards with my right hand. Sounds awkward and looks a bit funny, but I find it easier than fumbling around trying to catch the thread with my left hand.

Melvin

[samk]

I'm one step closer to doing my first self service on the van. have ordered an oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. Already have the oil and know which spark plug to get thanks to Kev the rev.

is there anything else i need to get for a basic service? i watched an oil change video on JK and they removed and replaced a oil drain filter with paper gaskets - will my engine need these too?

i know it's probably nothing to most of you all now but i'm still a bit confused by it all and am keen to get it right first time hence the endless questions!

[mike the van]

What you really need is the oil change kit, this includes the gaskets for the strainer and a new washer for the drain nut, try GSF or JK cost a couple of pounds, make sure it is for a Type 4 engine

Yes you will need to drain the oil, remove oil strainer cover, remove the strainer, clean it in petrol, replace it with some fresh paper/fibre gaskets, put all back in the order they came off in, tighten up , but not overtight as you can easily strip threads on the ally engine casing.

Unscrew oil filter, get arm covered in oil, get new filter, smear oil on the rubber gasket and fill filter with fresh engine oil,(remember how much, as this needs to be deducted taken from the total amount listed for an oil change, in the WIKI) then very carefully offer it up , tighten up to hand tightness,double check and make sure you have put the sump nut and new washer on, and the strainer cover then fill with the balance of the oil necessary. Slightly underfill if anything so that you let it all settle for 10 mins or so, check dipstick level , top up if necessary and then start the engine.

The Haynes manual is good for these types of things.

Mike

[samk]

thanks Mike - very useful info there. Does the oil filter unscrew fairly easily by hand or do I need some kind of tool? Also, is the air filter fairly easy to get to?

I have the Haynes manual but sometimes it assumes the reader has some sort of base mechanical knowledge - sadly I dont really but am hoping to change that!

[72BUG]

Air filter housing just unclips. Oil filters can be anything from easy to an absolute pig without a proper removal tool.

[samk]

thanks 72bug,

what tools do you need for the oil filter then and how doy ou remove it? dont think it's explained that well in the Haynes - will double check though!

[ermie571]

Samk,

good for you!!!

Go for it.....but in my experience, go for it slowly!! Pick a job, do it, and then bathe in the glow of doing it yourself. Then tackle the next one!

Oil filter removal tool is a useful tool to have with you - we got ours from halfords - it has three prongs that tighten on the filter as you unscrew it - think it fits onto a ratchet spanner.

To ne honest, I don't remember an oil strainer on my old 2l Aircooled....I am sure we simply undid the drain plug, the oil came out, then we did it up again. Oh - no-one has mentioned running the engine for a couple of minutes to warm the oil - makes it drain faster. Or go for a little run, then do the service 20-30 mins later! But maybe we never found a strainer You will obviously need something to collect the oil in.....if you look on e-bay you can buy a tub that the oil drains into, you can then seal, and empty at your local tip. Remember, it has to be disposed of properly.

Set aside a couple of hours for the first one. Make sure you have the right size spanner for the drain nut, and go gently with it.
When we put the new oil filters back on, we fill the filter first, wipe a smear of oil on the rubber sealing ring, then screw it in. Filling it first we were told helps with the initial ciruclation when you fire it up again after the oil change.

take care
Em
x

[samk]

thanks for the encouragement Em! I'm deffo going to take it slow and make sure I have everything in place first