'73 VW Beetle hasn't been started in 9 years. What should I do before starting it? (or at least trying)?

Question 1
'73 VW Beetle hasn't been started in 9 years. What should I do before starting it? (or at least trying)?...  I have a 1973 Super Beetle that I used as my primary car when I was in college. I got a job out of town and have had new cars since but kept this around because I always wanted it as a hobby car for my father and I. I have now moved it into my own garage and I'm not sure where to begin. It ran well but needs a lot of cosmetic work. I'd like to get it running well again before I get going on the cosmetics. The battery was all corroded so I have already removed that and will need to get a new one. I'm assuming gaskets, spark plugs and an oil change is needed but again, not sure where to start. Thank you.

Answers
1)   change all fluids (coolant, trans, oil), clean out gas tank, fuel lines and the fuel filter. put a new battery on it and go for it.

carbs are probably gummed up and it wont run very well, but you never know - Justin

2)   drain all the fuel lines and clean out the carb bowl and all the jets in the carb. change oil, adjust valves (.006 inches with engine cold) and ponts (, spark plugs. once you start it check the timing with a timing light. - Air-Cooled (o\ ! /o)

3)   For any gasoline or diesel - powered engine that's been setting for that long, it's important to
get lubrication to every part of the engine as soon as possible before it fires up. Pull the spark
plugs out and shoot a little light weight oil in each cylinder, don't put the plug wires back on and
pull the valve covers and flood everything under it with motor oil and then crank it over more than
a few revs to lube as much of the engine as you can before starting. You may have seized rings,
so put a can of top oil in the gas tank-it'll probably smoke for a awhile, but after a hundred miles or
so it will run clean. Don't assume all the gaskets are bad; it's best to wait and see where the leaks
are first after everything heats up. If there's still a lot of gasoline in the tank, you'll need an additive
to get it's octane back to 87 but mixing in a little 92 will do just as good. Good Luck! - Lysander

4)   First you need to put the shifter in neutral and tray to move the bottom (crankshaft) wheel on the engine-the wheel who move alternator belt and alternator. If its move-turnaround, you are OK just change all your fluids (oil, brake fluid, and transmission oil, drain the fuel tank), change sparks plugs... If crankshaft wheel won't move-turnaround thats a little problem- piston rings have corrosion and they stock in the cylinders. you wheel need to remove the engine and remove the cylinders( they a separable from block - beetle have flat-BOXER engine) and change the piston rings and maybe cylinders if they are damaged.
Somme mechanic tray to release the cylinders and pistons rings with WD-40 and same, but that is just wasting of time, that engine after that is burning oil because the ring is released from cylinders and steel stock on the piston and trash from corrosion make when engine is running to broke the piston rings.
---If the car gonna stay long time with years non driven the best way to protect the engine from corrosion is to remove sparks plug and put the oil try the sparks plug holes inside cylinders.---
I wish you luck. - Goran

5)   Drain the gas, flush/clean the tank, replace the fuel lines.
Plan to replace soft brake lines and possibly the MC and wheel cylinders.
After oil change, roll the engine over manually with the flywheel slowly before cranking.
Run through full tuneup procedures and I'll bet you get it running pretty fast. - Jay S


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Question 2
what looks better, a scion xD or a vw Golf?...  Based on looks, what do you think looks better? And which do you think is more customizable?

Answers
1)   Well I would say the Golf as I prefer "understated" looks. The Golf can have all sorts done to it in an effort to ruin that understated appearance ! - L G

2)   I heard that Ray Charles had a Scion xD drive by once and he was overheard saying "DAMN that thing is ugly!"

Seriously though, an xD is a toaster on wheels. There's nothing attractive about any Scion. They are just gussied up Corollas and Yaris'. - Sean

3)   Lol Sean DEFINITELY. Anybody who knows cars and even most who don't realize that Scion is crap. The Golf is 100x nicer and better looking, performs better stock, and is much easier to customize. Nothing like German handling. - nick u

4)   Scions don't have shit! Especially since the engines suck! There's a reason scions are only sold in america, it's because americans are the only ones dumb enough to buy them. Go golf I bought the base model versus the GTI and its amazing. And even if your going all looks just look up some done up mk6 golfs and you'll see why people love v-dubs so much. And if your going to be a tuner go v-dub for the community. The japanese scene isn't very friendly and its alot about racing. Try going to a euro meet and then a JDM meet. You'll see the difference in not only the people but the cars too. I'm not saying all JDM people are bad or the cars are ugly but there are alot of ricers out there that ruin the scene and give honda and other japanese brands a bad name. Go golf in my opinion I almost choose a tc and thank god I did my research first! - Crash


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Question 3
My 2002 VW Golf 2.0L is over heating, I have put in a new water pump, thermostat, radiator fans! Help please?...  Have also put on a new radiator switch. If I drive it with the heat blasting it will not over heat as bad, but still gets above normal. The water pump was broken. So was one of the radiator fans. What else could this be?
If it was a head gasket wouldn't there be oil in the coolant? I never experienced any smoking or anything like that. I am flushing the radiator to see if there is a blockage.

Answers
1)   Check for head gasket failure as it has already overheated. - Acka

2)   As above, check for head gasket problems. You should also recheck the thermostat is the correct type & fitted correctly, check for blockages and air locks in the cooling system & make sure it's not down to something unforeseen like the car having been fitted with an incorrect radiator. - J G

3)   Not always a headgasket failure, it can be worse than that ! The Vauxhall "Low blow" diesel engine was prone to cracking within the head. The only solution is head removal and sent to a specialist for crack testing. Prior to this, although you touch on the subject of fan. have you wired your fan directly to a 12 volt supply to ensure it works. I had this problem within the last 12 months where a car actually boiled up and it was nothing more than the fan was shot . Good luck. - L G

4)   Where the thermostat in the plastic housing buts up against breaks of so when it worms up and expands it cant push it to open it. Try running it with the thermostat removed and see if it over heats if ok replace the thermostat housing. You will see the metal end of the thermostat fits into a plastic cup in the housing this breaks and pushes straight through. Hope this info helps. - Andrew Landy


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Question 4
Can I use heavy duty oil for VW Jetta?...  I have a gallon in the garage and I don't know what to do with it
Any problems with that ? Shell Rotella oil

Answers
1)   Only use it if it is the weight/type is recommended by the manufacturer. - Otto

2)   It depends on how cold your winters are . I wouldn't use it if you are in area that frequently goes below 35 degrees . - Thomas King

3)   Shell Rotella is actually a good oil for the 97-03 Jetta TDIs... Any other Jetta? No way. - Richard R


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Question 5
Clicking noise on drive side of a VW Passat?...  I have a 52 plate VW Passat and this morning noticed a clicking noise coming from the drivers side which gets louder as I accelerate. Any ideas what this could be? Have checked wheel and under the car and can see nothing hanging off or stuck in there! Kwik fit told me I needed 4 new tyres when I asked them to check it?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answers
1)   Probably a cv joint or possibly a nail in the tyre.

The classic test for a cv is to go to a wide apace eg an empty car park, put it on full lock and drive slowly with window open. repeat with lock other way. If sound is louder one way then probably cv joint.

get it checked out and fixed. - Johnka

2)   You need to get them to fix it no matter what - Jason Starship

3)   It could be a CV joint as your other answer suggests but it could be something as simple as a stone in the tread pattern. There is a saying, " You cant get thicker than a Kwik fit fitter! That company (like many others) are driven into making profit and are not always quite as up front as they ought to be, get a second opinion from a smaller tyre dealers or mechanic. - L G


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