Valve Job?

No oil leaks, good compression? I'd leave it alone.

Good idea. And since the heads will be apart anyway, get new valves.

It could happen, but it's not very likely. The amount of torque applied to the head-stud nuts corresponds to a certain amount of tention on the studs. At operating temps there is far more tension on the studs than when we torque them to 23 ft/lbs cold. If they're going to pull out, it will happen when the engine is hot. Be sure not to over-torque when you put themm back on.

Also, when removing the nuts, the stud sometimes backs out of the case. Use vice-grips as shown to help avoid this.

http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-0410.JPG

There is no reason to retorque that I know of.

BTW, how accurate is your torque-wrench?

Max

Thanks for the advice. RIMCO's valve job includes new exhaust valves so that will be done, I'm having them do the intakes as well. I've seen several people who's opinions I respect recommend the retorque, including Bob Hoover. That's a good idea on the torque wrench, my grandpa had the click-style and stripped out a spark-plug thread with it, I purchased the beam-style so I'm not as concerned. But I'll check. Thanks again.

-Chip

'66 beetle, '56 ghia

I always retorque the heads at ~500 miles. And have never found an instance when they didn't need this. Although once they are torqued after having acquired some miles they seem to be able to run through the rest of their active miles without this needing be done again.

The 1300 is by far my favorite engine. If you upgrade it to the off-set oil cooler and dog house ducting you will have the most reliable and maintenance free ACVW engine on the road.

Are you retorquing heads that are on a complete rebuild or on an engine that has only headwork done. I was thinking of using a doghouse shroud but first I need to find a late distributor shaft as well so I can swap it with the one in the car now (to eliminate #3 retard). Anyone done this conversion?

-Chip

'66 beetle, '56 ghia

The distributor shaft is the same and has nothing to do with the retard on #3. The cam lobes in the distibutor are causing the retard to #3. So, you would have to change the distributor to eliminate the retard on #3, but this is not a good idea if you have the original distributor and carb, cause the distributor must match the carb and engine displacement and compression. Having #3 retarded by 2 degrees, will not harm your engine if #3 runs a bit cooler in case you install the doghouse cooling system.

Bill, '67 bug.

Bill, Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the cam lobes are part of the shaft itself. Replacing the shaft involves removing a keeper and driving out a pin, which I've already done to replace the shims for endplay adjustment. Since it's an easy job, I'd like to eliminate the

3 degrees that are now unnecessary. Anyone know if the shafts are interchangeable?

-Chip

Sorry, I thought you were talking about the shaft inside the case that drives the distributor. If you have the old vacum only distributor, originally put on 1300 single port with internal oil cooler engines, then I believe that there isn't an interchangeable shaft without the retard.

Bill, '67 Bug.

You might check to see if you actually have a distributor with the #3 retard. Use a timing light to compare timing of #1 to #3. If there's no retard, they will be 180º apart.

Max

I've checked, it's there.

-Chip

Going to an electronic points-replacement system, like Compufire, will get rid of the #3 retard.

I was able to fit my Compufire to my 205J DVDA, only needing to shorten the rotor.

http://63.230.74.177/baja/MVC-095F.JPGhttp://63.230.74.177/baja/MVC-096F.JPG Max