Recently purchased, I believe it was built in 2017 by Vintage Speedsters in Hawaiian Gardens, CA, but have zero maintenance or owners information - tire pressures, oil type, even buttons/controls - any help is great?
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I hope you're enjoying your car! For tire pressures I would start with 20-22 lbs front and 26-28 in back- you could chalk across the treads, drive leisurely around the block and see if the pressures need adjusting. Engine oil- I'm recommending 5 or 10w-30. Does the engine have 1 carburetor or 2? Can you see any markings on them if they're dual carbs? A pic would be handy here. I'm going to guess that the engine is pretty mild, being a 1600, and if it has only single valve springs, while you should be looking for a high zinc oil (Brad Penn, Valvoline VR1 are a couple), in a pinch you'll probably get away with almost any top brand oil that's on sale. If it has dual valve springs then definitely stay exclusively with a high zinc formulation. Oil changes should happen every 1500 (no full flow oil filter) to 2,000 or 2500 miles (oil filter equipped). Rocker arm/valve stem clearance should be set every couple thousand miles as well. Shift most of the time at 3-4,000 rpm. How high does it rev with power?
As I recommended in the brake thread, adjust the rear drums often. Al
How many buttons are on the dash? Other than wipers and headlights I can't help you...
On a vintage air cooled engine, are the build tolerances tight as in current modern era engines? Can a air cooled motor even be built as tight (tolerances) as a modern water cooled motor? Not to debate oil, but I would run a straight high zinc 30 weight oil, or a 20-50 in hot weather or performance use. Not a 5w or 10w anything. I would think big air cooled tolerances would require 30 weight plus oil for proper oil pressure. Hmmm...
MaxMartens posted:On a vintage air cooled engine, are the build tolerances tight as in current modern era engines? Can a air cooled motor even be built as tight (tolerances) as a modern water cooled motor? Not to debate oil, but I would run a straight high zinc 30 weight oil, or a 20-50 in hot weather or performance use. Not a 5w or 10w anything. I would think big air cooled tolerances would require 30 weight plus oil for proper oil pressure. Hmmm...
This is a subject of much debate, Max, not only here but on the Samba- 224 pages- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/fo...ewtopic.php?t=220755 as well as the other VW forums. I'll tell you what I think/have learned-
The VW aircooled engine was designed for 30w oil. It provides proper pressure at cold start up without blowing up the cooler but not so much pressure as to trick the cooler circuit into shutting off at higher cruising highway speeds and overheating. VW recommended straight 30w oil in the 1950's and '60's because at the time multi grade oil was much more expensive, the aircooled engine survived on and got reasonable life out of the single weight oil, as operating costs were important. By the very late '60's or early '70's the factory was recommending multi-grade, as the cost difference between single weight and multi-grade oils had come down and the engineers at Wolfsburg recognized multi-grade's superior lubrication capabilities.
That said- with the tremendous advances in oil chemistry and technology today, why would anyone not use a multi-grade oil? It flows through the bearings sooner at start up, which keeps parts cooled and lubricated, and is a superior product to any single weight oil available. Too much pressure, at any rpm (especially at cold start up) is not your friend, as the oil is not flowing through the bearings fast enough to remove the heat generated, and this scuffs rod bearings.
I've read that is generally accepted in the automotive world that oil pressure should be in the neighborhood of 10 lbs per 1,000 rpm and 30 weight oil delivers this. A lot of people (including me) found that 20w-50 pushed the pressure high enough that at highway speeds the oil cooler circuit will shut down- anything above 45-48 lbs pressure, the engine thinks it's in cold start mode and the engine now runs hot, as very little oil is flowing through the cooler. Some guys put another cooler on the engine. That's fine on a big stroker when even after all the details are taken care of it still develops too much heat, but on some engines it's treating the symptom and not the cause.
Gene Berg ran/recommended 30w oils in all the engines they built and sold parts for, even in their 10,000 rpm (in first and 2nd gear) drag car. He briefly tried 40w in the drag car engine and found they had to change the rod bearings after every 8-10 runs (after every race weekend) instead of them lasting the whole season with the lighter weight oil. 10w-30 was his favorite for the street, even in low 12 and high 11 second cars. With the advances in technology, today even the 0w and 5w-30 oils are phenomenal!
The last thing- the trend these days (even with the manufacturers) is to run the same weight oil year-round. If you think about it, whether somewhere cold or really hot, the engine's operating parameters really don't change and there's no benefit to switching oil weights according to the season.
I don't say this here very often, but- as usual, just my 2 1/2 cents (I'm Canadian, eh). Al
There is a short VS Owner's Manual available to SOC Donors at the Resources/Library. Some also say the engine size on VS is marked on the back (front of car end) of the engine shroud. A mirror can be used to see if yours if marked. A common displacement upgrade from VS was a 1915 cc engine (it is 1600 cc internals but with 94 mm pistons and cylinders (with case and heads cut to accommodate)). Many VS cars only have one front beam adjuster (2 is better) and no front sway bar - not sure if this was carried as far as 2017 builds.
Gary, All the above applies, but first, you need to do a few things:
1. The 10W-30 or straight 30W oil will work perfectly for you in Palm Springs where you really don't get "winter" like, say, New England. If it is a stock, 1,600cc engine you can get by with just about any brand of oil but it's cheap enough to get a good brand like Valvoline or Mobile (non-synthetic). Personally, I would change oil and check the valve settings every 3,000 miles or every Spring, whichever comes first. If you forget and go 4,000 miles and kept it topped off down to half a quart low, no worries.
2. Identify what you have for an engine, basically, 1 carburetor in the middle, or separate ones on each side (left/right) and let us know so we can give better advice. Get a bathroom hand mirror and a flashlight and look at the top rear (cockpit side) of the fan shroud (that big metal thing sitting on top of the engine). VS often wrote the size of the engines in CC's on the back of the engine shroud with grease pencil. That might help you/us a lot if they did on your engine. There will be a huge hole (fan inlet) back there, and they wrote on either side of that fan inlet.
3. The third thing to do is buy a Bentley VW Service Manual for around year 1970. THAT will answer most of your basic maintenance questions and even tell you how to do that maintenance the way the VW techs did it, like setting the valve clearance, changing the oil and a regular maintenance schedule. They're pretty simple little cars but they DO need some regular attention to keep them happy.
https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/...vEjmY0BoCXDQQAvD_BwE
4. Lastly, don't overthink this. Little old ladies drove VW Beetles for two decades (some with "Flower Power" stick-on flowers all over them, like my Aunt Thelia ) and they never worried about oil viscosity or oil pressure (Hell, they didn't even HAVE an oil pressure gauge!). Get a book that edumacates you about how to take care of it and it'll treat you right. Here's another popular one:
https://www.themotorbookstore....3qVtuYBoCBjAQAvD_BwE
Good luck, and keep those questions coming!
Find a used copy of this book - around $8.
There you go ,Gary. Got all that? Welcome to the madness.
Thanks all - to answer Gordon's questions, it's twin carb and definitely 1600 (as written in hand on back).
...or ask questions here and experience thread drift that'll range from Al's hole fetish to Gordon's shoe size.
and I just ordered the book - thanks Wolfgang!
Gary Mitchell posted:Thanks all - to answer Gordon's questions, it's twin carb and definitely 1600 (as written in hand on back).
Well at least this confirms that Vintage Speedsters ( When Kirk had it), the engine size was written on the case of the fan cover on the side facing the front of the car. This is often mentioned here but we never heard that someone actually saw it. We know now for sure (on Gary's car at least.)
Terry Nuckels posted:...or ask questions here and experience thread drift that'll range from Al's hole fetish to Gordon's shoe size.
What'chu talkin' about! it's just a healthy ahh... interest, in ahh... drilling things; yeah, that's it...
Jack Crosby posted:Gary Mitchell posted:Thanks all - to answer Gordon's questions, it's twin carb and definitely 1600 (as written in hand on back).
Well at least this confirms that Vintage Speedsters ( When Kirk had it), the engine size was written on the case of the fan cover on the side facing the front of the car. This is often mentioned here but we never heard that someone actually saw it. We know now for sure (on Gary's car at least.)
I've seen it many times Jack. It isn't uncommon at all.
Just remember, everyone who lives where it’s getting cold about now, that Gary lives in Palm Springs, where it will be in the low 70’s this week. If we all do a good job of getting him educated on his new little car, you all know the next step:
Party at Gary’s House!
(just kidding, Gary....)
We were in Orlando the week before Xmas, 70's and 80's awesome temperatures! We are now back at freezing temp and a storm is on the way.
Guys- missed a little tidbit in my piece above-
"I've read that is generally accepted in the automotive world that oil pressure should be in the neighborhood of 10 lbs per 1,000 rpm when at normal operating temps"
That’s OK, Yoda.
Have oil pressure gauges, most of us do not.
WOLFGANG posted:Find a used copy of this book - around $8.
Wolfgang, never heard of this manual, but I sure had a great laugh reading the title- . . . . for the Idiot.
@Michael B (aka bluespeedster SoCal)- Although I also consider the appropriate Bentley manual essential, the Idiot book simplifies some of the more complicated procedures, makes them easier to follow, and the inside is as good as the title!
Thank you Al. Ill have to look that manual up. When I get stumped on the the Bentley, which I have, I'll look up another source say the Keep Your VW Alive to fill in my dump founded stage.
Consider it bedtime reading 
My preference is the 66-69 Bug Bentley manual. It encompasses link-pin and ball-joint front ends, also swing-axle and IRS transmissions and rear suspensions. Basically covers whatever you'd need as a Speedster/Spyder owner. And the heck with 6 volt electrics, it only covers 12v(I think). But generator only, alternators didn't come out until the 70s.