Book Review: How to Rebuild Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine By: Tom Wilson

The How to Rebuild your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine by Tom Wilson is the book for a great rebuild of a Volkswagen air-cooled engine. I can't speak for the other rebuild engines guide books, but this book covers everything to properly diy rebuild your air-cooled engine. I used this book to effectively rebuild a 1980 vanagon 2.0 air-cooled Type IV engine when I had low compression and bucking issues. It breaks it down into such simple steps that you really feel like Wilson is right beside you handing you the tools.

I have a few points to note that I felt could be emphasized in the book. If you are rebuilding a Type IV engine, be sure the book is referencing instructions for that. At times it appears that the Type IV is left as an after thought and mentioned at the end of a section. Read through the entire steps to avoid this. Case in point: Hydraulic lifters don't need calibration like the mechanical lifters calibration step so well described.

A general Tip: Check torque specs at the end of the section to be sure your not over torquing anything. Again the Type IV has different torque specs then the other engines mentioned so make sure you double check these!

Also, Permatex 3H has been re-labeled to Aviation Formula-A Gasket Sealant #3. It should be widely available under this name. The 3H is just the size of the bottle.

Overall, a wonderful book. The information is well worth the 16 bucks you pay for it. While I didn't crack the case of my 2.0 air-cooled, I rebuilt everything out from there, including the connecting rod bearings. I won't be selling this book back as it will be handy to hold on to and reminisce the rebuilding of my engine project and a good reference for future engine failures that may arise.

Costs of Engine Rebuild

As a Side note, What was the cost of this engine rebuild? Short Answer: $1,500. The long answer, here are the items replaced with their costs.

• Engine Head Rebuild from HeadFlow Masters ($850)
• Oil Check Valve Upgrade ($95)
• Pistons and Cylinders from Bus Depot ($450)
• Gasket Seal Kit ($60)
• Connecting Rod Bearings ($43)

Again I did not crack the case, so the total came to: ~$1,498 and about 3 weeks of working evenings totaling about ~80 (estimated) hours of work.

P.s. The current adventures of this 1980 Vanagon can be found on Twitter @OrangeSlugRide!