Good to read some experienced Aircooled owner' recommendations... maybe a wee bit conservative but that's better than the ' go on, go for it & trust to luck' brigade, as we're coming up to 30 years old now.
Good to get the two usable plug grades squared away... colder 77 plug for hot, high and heavy
If an engine ever 'spits' when pushing on, like it has just 'sneezed', lift off and think Oops! something's white hot in there.. let it rest a good while at a slower speed. Change oil at next opportunity, check plug electrodes for erosion (or even missingness
)Learn which cylinder runs hottest, most engines have a favourite
Learn what your plugs should look like, exactly, when running right (not always what others or books say, that'll just be a guide initially for learning). Pull the hottest one first, or only that one for quick peace of mind.
As a few say, there's nothing as good as running it about day to day and opening that engine cover every time you get back... and using the Mk. 1 eyeball, the Mk. 2 olfactory device & the Mk. 3 lughole! These can save you ££££££££... so TURN OFF those panel shaking boom boxes, open the window a crack and listen to the tyres sizzling along the tarmc, the engine settling to its note and the bus cutting through the wind... IMO a lost art... why add anything extra or artificial to a flat four singing its way along
Oh! Maybe check the fuel tank can be properly brimmed without spilling or smelling of fuel for miles & miles & miles .... you need to know that all the breathers are working.
And keep reading and looking for Aircooled threads to keep one step ahead... don't forget the Tech Forum Archives as well as the Wiki - the links up there!
