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That depends:  If you have a contact points ignition, then yes, a tune-up every year is prudent, checking points gap (re-burnishing the point contacts if you have a points file) and new spark plugs every 12,000 miles or so.

If you have an electronic ignition then you skip the points part forever and just replace the plugs every 12,000 miles

In addition, you should change the oil and check the pushrod to rocker arm clearance every 3,000 miles.

Much of this is spelled out in a Bentley's VW Service Manual for around 1970 or so.  If you don't have one, you can find them on Amazon or eBay and well worth the money.

Any weird things in your engine (like steel pushrods causing a change in adjustment) we can certainly coach you through adjusting, just ask.

And @MikeM you can certainly upgrade from carburetors to fuel injection, but doing some research on here will show that only two or three people on here have done that.  There is an EFI kit from CB Performance out there to install on your engine and "Bingo!", you've got fuel injection, but I don't know anyone running one.  Two people on here (Danny P and Michael Pickett) have gone the EFI route on air cooled engines and that's it for now.  Search around on the site and you'll see what they did.

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

In addition to the above, I include removing and cleaning (blowing out the passages) of my Dellortos and cleaning my fuel filters as part of my annual tuneup.

For those of us clinging to air cooled technology, this ritual is part of the joy of ownership. If you’re not mechanically inclined, this service is ~$200 where I live.

@dlearl476 posted:

I understand the difference between a T1 and a T-IV. I was asking how you tell the difference from the above photo.

The intake manifolds on a T4 are more H shaped, rather than the V shape you see on a T1: the ports into the heads are spread apart more.

So:

Instead of:



Also the exhaust comes out on the bottom instead of the sides so that's a tell if you can see the pipes.

If your car is well-tuned, with good ignition and carbs running well with good filtration, you shouldn't have any problems. Put Stabil in the tank in the fall. Put the car on a battery maintainer. Adjust the valves once a year and change the oil. That's about it.

I never had to touch my carbs, no taking the tops off needed.

@Carlos P posted:

For an oil change -> what is the best oil to use for this engine?

For the fuel ->what is the best Gasoline octane grade for this? 87 89 91?

Carlos, if you truly want to understand the madness, ask a question like "what is the best oil..." EVERYBODY has an opinion and it's slightly different than anyone else. Hundreds, nay thousands of posts have been made on this topic.

I'm willing to give you a short answer and a couple of links to a more complete discussion of the factors to consider. Just remember we're talking religion here.

My opinion if you aren't a super wrench and don't have an oil pressure gauge or oil filter added to the car:

- Use a known brand of 20-50 weight multigrade oil

- Change it every 3000 miles

- Buy regular oil or synthetic. Either one works well but regular is cheaper

- If you are feeling particularly over cautious, add a little bit of zinc oil additive at every oil change

There, simple isn't it.

By the way, the best gasoline grade depends on whether your car knocks or pings under acceleration or going up a hill. If you hear that pinging, knocking, chatter while the engine is under load, go up a grade in gas. 

As promised, here's the tip of the iceberg should you want to understand the oil question in more detail:

http://vw-resource.com/engine_oil.html

http://www.micapeak.com/info/oiled.html

Excuse me while I go find my asbestos leisure suit... DaffyOutrage

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  • DaffyOutrage

Before I retired, I spent 40 years working in universities and the last 30 years in the IT side of business. I ran across many, many obstreperous faculty members who had OPINIONS on how we should provide service.

In frustration at one point, I asked a tenured Professor of Biostatistics why every little point had to be argued until the cows came home (not in so many words). He replied "Michael, it is because the stakes are so small."

Yes, sometimes I feel like I'm right back at home at the university

@WOLFGANG posted:

Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil 20W50 contains needed Zinc and is readily available at Walmart.  Brad Penn is another good oil available from performance shop or online.

If you don't drive a lot and your car sits with gas in it, look around for non-ethanol gas.  It has a long sitting life (ethanol gas go bad in as short as 30 days!)  Often available near farm or marinas.

Great advice. I've been running the Valvoline VR1 20W50 for the last couple of years and it works well where I live.

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