Club 80-90 Forums

OK so I have been given my 1981 T25 Air-Cooled 1600cc camper as a gift from a friend, and have no idea on how these things work...I know as much as to do a service on an engine but that's as far as I know.

The last owner says that he started the engine one very cold morning only to hear a blowing sound coming from the engine bay, and also he noticed there was a loss of power, so with all good intention he parked her up so to do the repairs it may need only he didn't get round to doing them and the camper has not moved since.
Now I have managed to hand turn the engine so I do know she not seized, so that's a good sign im told.

Now as a student with 4 kids and a wife I need to have this fixed on a small budget, so was sort of planning to do this all by myself. However I have never worked on an engine like this before and have no idea where to begin.
Is it best to connect the battery and see if she runs first or should I be looking at taking the engine out and taking her to bits to replace the gaskets and stuff first?

Also if I do need the engine out, what tools will I need and how easy of a job is it for a complete novice to do on there own?
Also im told it might not be the gaskets, but I have no what else it could be...like I said im a complete novice to mechanics..

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone?

its a big ask to go through a full engine take out
with you being a novice
if you look in the wiki there is lots of info
just type in engine removal.

.and welcome to the club

Indeed..
Have you bought a manual?

Its explained fully in there.

Firstly though I cannot understand why you think a major mechanical exercise is needed.
When you can't determine if there's even a problem
This is where we help best...not holding your hand walking you through an engine removal, but determining the best route to take to fix a defined issue.

These vans are very hands on. They require a lot of maintainance. Without it they become driveway ornaments..and then storage sheds, kennel or a coop.
Or just a thing you wish had never come into your life.
They are most definatley not cheap to run and maintain.
There is a steep learning curve ahead or a lot of money coming to a mechanic nesr you

One step at a time..
Good luck

Welcome to T25 ownership... you will get to know your van very well in the next few months.
I agree with kevtherev, they do need constant tinkering/fettling and the occasional smack with a hammer.
I assume that you do possess a few basic tools? Socket set spanners and screwdrivers essential.

Now as a student with 4 kids and a wife I need to have this fixed on a small budget,

Sell the van and buy a tent. There isn't really a safe way to transport 4 kids in a van with at best two rear seat-belts. If you've only got a small budget will you be able to afford the £220 a year road tax and 20mpg fuel consumption.

Charge the battery, see if it'll start, place ad on E-bay.

Hello, contact Sarran1955 who posts on here, hes a bit of an old timer air cooled man he will put you right on the ct engine, posts some very good how to videos on youtube.

Being as its an Aircooled, and you have limited knowledge, get yourself a copy of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" - a great no-nonsense book that will help you understand in simple terms, how the Aircooled engine works. This is meccano for big boys and you don't need to be an expert to begin - that aspect comes with time. The book will give you the confidence to start and enable you to do things yourself without the high fees commanded by garages. Everyone has to start somewhere.

The book, whilst primarily aimed at the bug/bay, will apply to yours - with things slightly modified or located in different places, but essentially the same beast. Have fun - thats how I started!!

BOXY wrote:

Now as a student with 4 kids and a wife I need to have this fixed on a small budget,

Sell the van and buy a tent. There isn't really a safe way to transport 4 kids in a van with at best two rear seat-belts. If you've only got a small budget will you be able to afford the £220 a year road tax and 20mpg fuel consumption.

Charge the battery, see if it'll start, place ad on E-bay.

Well I own a tent and plan on using it while out with the van, my eldest son is near 18 and has no plans on being seen in the bus (Dead or Alive) and I have 2 seats in the back on the bench seat and also plan on getting the folding buddy seat that sits behind the passenger or forgetting the passenger swivel seat and changing it out for a bench seat.
And when I said small budget, I meant I don't have the 100s of pounds to spend out for labour costs at garages. Mad as this may seem but the insurance is almost £400 cheaper than my 12 plate astra, and the tax is no different also. So its not going to be too bad to keep going. Also why would I sell a gift?

nobbyfox wrote:Welcome to T25 ownership... you will get to know your van very well in the next few months.
I agree with kevtherev, they do need constant tinkering/fettling and the occasional smack with a hammer.
I assume that you do possess a few basic tools? Socket set spanners and screwdrivers essential.

Thankyou for the welcome, Im hoping to get to know this van very well..i like a challenge.
I have most the tools available to me due to my old man, he has a large workshop on the farm I can use...also its got the ramp lift I need to get right on under the van.
Hes a tight bugger being a farmer and is reluctant to lend me the hoist, and has told me I need the engine running before it goes anywhere near the ramp. So im hoping to get this van working or at least moving so I can use the ramp, I have installed a new battery and the engine is turning but its not firing up. Even if I get it running im not sure if this van will drive and if I was to drive it how much more damage would I do to the existing problem.

I do have my old boss who is the owner of Telford VW Centre for parts i need, and he just sold me an full exhaust for £25 so I can get the parts at low cost... I could send the van to him to sort out, but I don't really want to pay labour costs on jobs I might be able to sort out myself.. And where would the fun be if I had him do the work for me?
Also yes I have asked him this same question, but im told he would need to hear the engine running first before he could let me know. Again I understand he has a business to run and having him come and just listen will cost me on call out as he 25 miles away from where I live.
He has said to me it could be a number of things that's wrong, the blowing could be a gasket or a cracked cylinder head.. which is why im thinking I might need the engine out, so I can get to the bolts I need.
As I was there he did have a very nice type 2 in the shop and he showed me the bolts I need to undo in order to remove the engine, although there might be the odd difference between the two.

I have my copy of the Haynes manual, and im reading it like mad each day. the most help I have on this is myself and the manual and the odd phone call to my old boss if I need new parts.
My next job on this is to buy some vacuum hose that goes to the carburettor as that as cracked and split, gonna replace that and put a little more fuel in the tank as have also noticed there is no fuel in the fuel filter by the engine. the one under the van is full. so I might have a fuel pump issue too. but I can only see.

Thank you for the reply's guys, all the responses are greatly appreciated

CovKid wrote:Being as its an Aircooled, and you have limited knowledge, get yourself a copy of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" - a great no-nonsense book that will help you understand in simple terms, how the Aircooled engine works. This is meccano for big boys and you don't need to be an expert to begin - that aspect comes with time. The book will give you the confidence to start and enable you to do things yourself without the high fees commanded by garages. Everyone has to start somewhere.

The book, whilst primarily aimed at the bug/bay, will apply to yours - with things slightly modified or located in different places, but essentially the same beast. Have fun - thats how I started!!

Thank you I will look into getting this.

BigD26 wrote: I have my copy of the Haynes manual, and im reading it like mad each day. the most help I have on this is myself and the manual and the odd phone call to my old boss if I need new parts.
My next job on this is to buy some vacuum hose that goes to the carburettor as that as cracked and split, gonna replace that and put a little more fuel in the tank as have also noticed there is no fuel in the fuel filter by the engine. the one under the van is full. so I might have a fuel pump issue too. but I can only see.

filter in the engine bay is not required

turn the engine over with the plugs removed, until the oil light goes out.
remove king lead from the distributor and place near engine and check for spark
then
replace new plugs and leads
get fuel to the engine by the pump. you can speed this up by squirting neat fuel into the carb throat or suck it through. check pump is delivering fuel.

when engine fires up find out where the exhaust leak is.
no damage will occur from a leaky exhaust

I should add, that the Aircooled engine is a wonderfully simple piece of engineering, that actually can be a lot of fun to work with. I tend to feel that you never really get to understand it until you've stripped one down and built it up again but they don't require much to get running. Long as it has a spark and fuel, it should run. As Kev suggests, if its reluctant, try a capful of petrol down the carb throat and see if it tries to fire then. It should.

What you have there is a Beetle engine without the fan housing. Check out the animation and you'll see why they call them boxer engines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9zPw_VTl_A&noredirect=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In fact, to show good will, if you're struggling and the farm could accommodate my camper for a few days, I'll happily give you a hand. You're not THAT far away.

So this filter is not needed? I guess I can remove it and replace the pipe.

I can see the dizzy in new and im sure the leads are too, but I do have some spare leads and dizzy that came with the bus.

Also you seem to think the exhaust might be my issue? Maybe the exhaust gasket, if it is then happy days...

Look up

The farm would not but I have a place local who I could arrange a few days that's local to the van. So thank you.

Ill give it another go tomorrow with some fuel direct to the carb and see if she fires up....ill do a dance if she does..