VW Engine Theory

Aircooled Volkswagen Engine Identification

VW Engine Letter Codes and Serial Number Information  Type 1 Engine Information  Type 1 Vehicle Models: Beetle, Super Beetle, Karmann Ghia, THING Code                          

VW Engine Calculator

Use this VW Engine Calculator (calibrated for a Four Cylinder VW Engine) to check or predict the specs for your engine combo.

VW Distributor Options

How to Choose the Right Distributor for your VW Aircooled VW owners have an assortment of options when choosing a distributor for their engine. On the surface it seems simple: The “obvious”

Running Nitrous Oxide in a VW

Nitrous oxide can be used in your VW engine to create more horsepower. All engines operate under the same principles: better breathing, plus more fuel in a denser vapor equals more power. Using nitrous

Synthetic Oil Explained

7/13/14 IMPORTANT UPDATE! Since this article was written, there have been a lot of changes with oils which we use in our beloved vintage aircooled engines. For a long time, one “insider trick”

VW Piston & Cylinder Operation

Increase your VW Engine Power with Proper Piston, Cylinder, and Ring Operation The way that pistons, cylinders, and rings work together to support engine power is often misunderstood or mysterious to

VW Engine Break In Procedure

Many people do not understand the importance of performing the appropriate steps to prepare an engine to run for the first time. Following proper VW Engine Break In Procedure is the first step toward

VW Performance Engine Building Considerations

Building a ‘Big’ Aircooled VW Engine (Type 1) This article is a guide to the theory and choices involved in building performance engines for Aircooled VWs (Type 1). There are careful decisions

VW Carb Tech 101: How to Select the right Carburetor Model and Linkage Style for your Aircooled VW

Aircooled Volkswagen enthusiasts have quite a few carburetor options. Performance increases that can be gained by going with aftermarket carburetion are a common consideration, but without a little

VW Carb Tech 102: Carburetor Jetting Theory & Procedure

After springing for a set of carburetors, some people bolt them on, and are “pleased” with the results. Others are upset by a backfiring, or smoke belching monster. In either case, spending