Hi All! I am formulating a maintenance achedule for my aircooled VW Beetle. Special thanks to Howard Rose and Rob Bordman (Aussibug) for the excerps I took from their data or website.
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Maintenance Schedule Complete
Index Key Checks Weekly Front End Inspection Tune-Up Brakes Electrical Cables, Belt, Hoses 30,000 Mile Check Other Parts Replaced Routinely Part In Car
Key Checks Valve Adjustment
Oil Change
-Oil
-Filter
-Strainer
V-belt -adjusted -replaced
Spark Plugs
Fuel Filter Fuel Pump Tested Carb Adjustment
Brake Inspection-Adjustment
Weekly
Check v-belt tension
Check oil level Check brake fluid level Check windshield reservoir level
Check fuel line grommet
Check intake manifold boots
Check dash indicator lights
Check tire pressure
Check condition of tires
Clean windows
Clean interior
Front End Inspection
Lube front axle
Check front bearings free play Check dust seals on tie-rod ends and ball joints Check tie rod ends for looseness Check operation of steering gear box Check torque of axle bolts Check torque of steering gear box
Check horn connections Horn replaced last
Inspect fuel hose Check steering coupler disc
Adjust front wheel bearings
Adjust front brakes
Check torque of lug nuts or lug bolts
Rotate the tires
Remove flints, nails, etc.
Remove grease, oil, and dirt from tires
Front-wheel alignment checked by garage
Tune-Up
Transaxle gear oil, check level Transaxle gear oil replace
Air cleaner, inspect filter or sludge level Air cleaner, replace filter or oil Note: rinse top with gas. Turn it over. Fill big center hole until it comes out the small holes. Rinse with kerosene. Fill lower part up to the baffle shelf with 10 w30 oil.
v-belt adjust v-belt replace
Lubricate distributor cam lobes Drop of oil on distributor wick
Inspect dist. cap contacts Inspect dist. cap center spring tension
Valve adjustment
Replace points Replace condensor Adjust points to .016 inch gap Adjust dwell to 49 to 53 degrees Note: this does not apply to you since you have an electronic ignition.
Practice replacing the distributor Practice setting the timing with a static timing light
Inspect tightness of carb nuts Inspect carb drain plug tightness Inspect carb idle cut off valve tightness Inspect carb fuel inlet tightness Lube all moving parts on the carburetor
Inspect fuel filter Replace fuel filter
Check fuel pump pressure
Check thermostat, cold Check distributor vac advance Check distributor centrifugal advance
Carb choke setting adjustment Turn the choke element clockwise (viewed from the right) until the butterfly is standing straight up, then turn the choke counterclockwise (viewed from the right) until the choke butterfly fully closes (barely -- not too tightly), then tighten the three screws that hold the choke in place. Note: This is important; the automatic choke may be assembled wrong and not catching the hook on the coil spring at all. Start the engine with the air cleaner off. As the engine warms up, make sure that the butterfly opens until it is standing straight up (full open) when the engine is fully warm. If it doesn't, readjust the choke until you get it right. (Aussiebug) Battery
-Clean battery top
-Clean terminal posts
-Inspect electrolyte level
-Electrolyte 4 ball test with hydrometer
-Charge battery
-Test starter cranking voltage at coil, should be 9 volts
-Replace battery
Coil
-test spark
-blue ok
-orange, replace coil
Check spark plug air seals
Compression test
Spark plugs -replace and inspect electrode deposits Note: If you drive only 6,000 miles or less a year, change the plugs every two years. Note: Use Marvel Mystery Oil in the fuel tank a month before changing the plugs.
Check rubber valve for crankcase ventilation Check c.v. boots Drive shafts, check for looseness Check big engine compartment seal
Oil Change
-Oil
-Oil filter
-Strainer replace
Check timing
Carburetor adjustment
-Unscrew the Fast Idle Adjuster (sits on the stepped cam), until it is clear of the stepped cam. Now screw it in until it JUST touches the very bottom of the stepped cam - NOT on any of the steps themselves. Now screw it in another 1/4 turn - no more
-set idle speed to 900 rpm
-set air: fuel mixture screw to 3 turns out. Then turn it very slowly IN until the revs drop by about 30rpm. It might be about 2.5 turns out now. Now turn it ¼ turn out. (Aussiebug)
-reset idle speed
-recheck timing 7.5 btdc
Check thermostat, warm
Brakes
Inspect front brake shoes Replace front brake shoes Adjust front brakes
Replace front wheel cylinders
Replace front wheel bearings
Repack front wheel bearings
Adjust front wheel bearings
Replace e-brake cables
Inspect rear brakes
-Remove drum inspection. Sometimes a spring will come loose.
Replace rear wheel cylinders
Replace rear brake shoes
Adjust rear brakes
Adjust e-brake
Replace master cylinder
Replace brake light switches
Inspect brake lines
Replace center brake line
Inspect brake hoses
Bleed brakes
-pressurize power bleeder to not more than 10 to 15 psi. Electrical
Battery
-Clean terminal posts
-Inspect electrolyte level
-Electrolyte 4 ball test with hydrometer
-charge battery
-test starter cranking voltage at coil, should be 9 volts
-Replace battery
Clean electrical ground connections
Clean charging circuit connection
Clean fuse box connections Inspect fuses Replace fuses
Inspect horn connections
Check starter connections
Check hard start relay connections
Check firewall grommets
Cables, Belt, Hoses Check cables:
Check throttle cable
Check clutch cable
Check emergency brake cables
Inspect heater cables
Replace heater cables
Lube trunk latch and cable
Replace trunk latch cable
Inspect battery cables
Replace battery cables
Check v-belt
Adjust v-belt
Replace v-belt
Every 30,000 miles or 50,000 kilometres As 6,000 mile or 10,000 kilometre service, plus the following:
Clean out front-hub bearings and repack with grease.
Clean out rear -hub bearings and repack with grease
Clean out c.v. joints and repack with grease Replace c.v. joint boots
Change transmission case oil.
Replace brake light switches
Replace brake fluid Note: pressurize Power Bleeder to only 15psi
Adjust brakes and e-brake
Other Lube all moving parts on the carburetor
Apply petroleum jelly to the door catches
Apply LockEase or graphite powder inside the key slots
Lube door hinges
Lube the hood latch and cable
Fill wiper washer reservoir
Adjust choke in Spring
Adjust choke for cold weather
Remove deck lid louver covers in Spring Install 3 deck lid louver covers for late Fall weather
Clean windows and interior
Check for water after it rains or after washing
Wash
Wax
Check for body rust Note: cut, fiberglass cloth, POR15, and primer
Parts replaced routinely: Battery - replace at half life or carry a portable jump start kit with you
Fuel hoses and tank outlet and finger shaped filter strainer Note: get the fuel hoses from C.B. Performance
Horn
Lights: Note: use bulb grease, silicone grease, or dialectric tune up grease Headlights
All turn signal lights
Front side marker lights
Stop/tail lights
Liscense tag light
Back Up Lights
Indicator warning lights
Courtesy light
Courtesy light door jam switches
Wiper blades
Parts In Car: Dist cap Rotor Accelerator cable Bulbs Fuses v-belt
Distributor Static timing light