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My first brand new car was a '68 Bug. I eventually rebuilt the engine and put the next larger size pistons and cylinders on: It could pass any other bug on a hill after that! Dropping the engine is easy but you'd need a couple of jack stands and large floor jack to do it. You'd have to first disconnect the battery, disconnect the throttle cable, the fuel line (be prepared to stick a bolt into the fuel line to keep it from running gasoline), the cables to the heater flappers, the nut off the upper starter bolt, the electrical wires to the ignition coil and generator, pull both heater ducts. To be honest, I only use to drop Bug engines by use of a shop high lift so you'll find it much harder to do as a home mechanic. I think that what you'll have to do is find a smooth surface on which to do the removal...such as a level concrete floor. I believe that what I would have done in the absents of a high lift is to position the floor jack under the center of the engine right at the oil drain plate. Using a helper, alternatingly jack both sides of the car body up gradually while your helper raises the floor jack under the engine. You would have to jack the left and right sides up a bit at a time while stepping the jack stands one click at a time: right side...left side...right side...left side, etc. Eventually, the rear of the car will be high enough to where the engine would have enough room to pass under the rear body/bumper area. When the car body is high enough, ease the jack to where all the body weight is resting on the jack stands only, and no weight being supported by the stock VW jack what-so-ever. Your helper should have the floor jack slightly suppporting the engine as well. Only then is it safe to slide yourself under the car to disconnect what you what you have to. When everything is disconnected, including the three engine mounting stud nuts, all you have to do then is raise the floor jack slightly to hold all the engine weight and jiggle the engine enough to back it out of the transmission. Lower the floor jack to lower the engine to ground level. It's that easy. Using a shop high lift and a floor jack, I could have a Bug engine removed in 10 minutes flat! When it comes time to reinstall the engine, get some type of putty to temporarily maintain the starter bolt in position while you carefully thread the nut back on. You'll see why I said that when you go to do it yourself.
I haven't been to that Tech Talk site, but suspect that their version of pulling a Bug engine is similar to what I mention. Think the whole procedure out before hand before you start. Go visit that Tech Talk site for more ideas. It isn't difficult if you know or have a good idea of what you need to do. I should also mention that some people may tell you leave out the thermostat and associated flappers for the engine cooling so as to have a cooler runner engine. Don't do that! You will shorten the life of the engine by having it running too cool all the time.
Last edited by Doug Rodrigues; 08-07-2004 at 12:05 PM.
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08-05-2004, 08:07 PM
