Service manuals
- Bonemaro
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:45 am
Service manuals
I'm about to buy the Bentley service manual for the Ghia. Is it advantageous to get the Haynes manual as well? Any other books that will help me in my custom performance endeavors?
Jim
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
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Re: Service manuals
Mmmm. Haynes is ok chiltons is ok. Haynes seems to have more bench testing specs.
Realistically "how to keep your vw alive" aka the idiots guide by John Muir is an awesome book.
I keep it for the troubleshooting section alone.
If you can find one, search through ebay for a spiral wound version.
Between the idiots guide and the Haynes official manual, you can cover everything for any level of your own expertise.
Realistically "how to keep your vw alive" aka the idiots guide by John Muir is an awesome book.
I keep it for the troubleshooting section alone.
If you can find one, search through ebay for a spiral wound version.
Between the idiots guide and the Haynes official manual, you can cover everything for any level of your own expertise.
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Re: Service manuals
Keep the HAynes at home and the idiots guide in the car along with the tool kit from section one and you are pretty much good to go
- Bonemaro
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:45 am
Re: Service manuals
Ah... So no need for the Bentley?
Jim
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
- sideshow
- Posts: 3428
- Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 11:00 am
Re: Service manuals
The Bently is the official book, best of the bunch, you are doomed with out it.
Saint Muir, is ok, great for getting your mind around stuff, not all ways sound advice.
The rest are ok, worth having around as a second opinion.
Anything by Saint Hoover is a gem, all ways sound advice, enjoy as he is also out of print.
Saint Muir, is ok, great for getting your mind around stuff, not all ways sound advice.
The rest are ok, worth having around as a second opinion.
Anything by Saint Hoover is a gem, all ways sound advice, enjoy as he is also out of print.
Yeah some may call it overkill, but you can't have too much overkill.
- Marc
- Moderator
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Re: Service manuals
The current printings of the "orange" Bentley Type I manual all come with black & white electrical diagrams which are a bitch to follow compared to the original full-color ones. It's such a liability that I'd encourage you to look around for a second-hand earlier printing rather than buy a new one.
However, all of the color diagrams are still available online, you can view them at vintagebus.com
On that subject, the last Karmann-Ghia diagram published by Bentley was for the 1973 model, which also was the first year of the "current-track" schematics. 1972 was virtually identical and the semi-pictorial diagrams are much easier to follow. Use the `73 as the final authority, but the `72 will help you "get your bearings" when you're trying to identify a circuit.
The John Muir book "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive (A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot)" isn't much help at all with electrical (Muir admitted that he wasn't particularly knowledgeable on the subject) but it's an excellent introduction to VWs and a fun read, great to keep by the throne until you've read it through a few times.
Muir first wrote the book when 36HP engines and split-box transaxles dominated the VW scene, but did update the material as changes came along. If you don't need information about Type III and IVs, you'll be better served by the oldest edition that covers your car. With the newer editions it's easy to read half a paragraph or more into text that's inapplicable to a Type I before you realize it, or worse yet to inadvertently use the wrong torque on something.
As for Clymer and Haynes, they're better than NO manual, I guess. Take one of those on the road along with the "Idiot book", and you'll always have something to use to wipe the dipstick when you check the oil.
However, all of the color diagrams are still available online, you can view them at vintagebus.com
On that subject, the last Karmann-Ghia diagram published by Bentley was for the 1973 model, which also was the first year of the "current-track" schematics. 1972 was virtually identical and the semi-pictorial diagrams are much easier to follow. Use the `73 as the final authority, but the `72 will help you "get your bearings" when you're trying to identify a circuit.
The John Muir book "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive (A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot)" isn't much help at all with electrical (Muir admitted that he wasn't particularly knowledgeable on the subject) but it's an excellent introduction to VWs and a fun read, great to keep by the throne until you've read it through a few times.
Muir first wrote the book when 36HP engines and split-box transaxles dominated the VW scene, but did update the material as changes came along. If you don't need information about Type III and IVs, you'll be better served by the oldest edition that covers your car. With the newer editions it's easy to read half a paragraph or more into text that's inapplicable to a Type I before you realize it, or worse yet to inadvertently use the wrong torque on something.
As for Clymer and Haynes, they're better than NO manual, I guess. Take one of those on the road along with the "Idiot book", and you'll always have something to use to wipe the dipstick when you check the oil.
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- Posts: 1925
- Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 6:20 am
Re: Service manuals
Thank you guys for correcting me.
Yes. Bently is the one to have at home.
But, the troubleshooting guide in the back of the idiots guide is damn good.
The Idiots guide is alearning tool, and has awonderful explanation built into each section.
I know of one place where Muir was dead wrong, cost me two days of pain, before I read Bently and got the flywheel oil seal seated all the way in.
I think there is another place or two, but I started using Bently for the more in depth stuff, and never had another problem.
Yes. Bently is the one to have at home.
But, the troubleshooting guide in the back of the idiots guide is damn good.
The Idiots guide is alearning tool, and has awonderful explanation built into each section.
I know of one place where Muir was dead wrong, cost me two days of pain, before I read Bently and got the flywheel oil seal seated all the way in.
I think there is another place or two, but I started using Bently for the more in depth stuff, and never had another problem.
- Bonemaro
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:45 am
Re: Service manuals
Thanks for all the advise, fellers. I think I know better where to look now.
Jim
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
My 1973 Karmann Ghia---> http://www.73ghia.com
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Re: Service manuals
John Muir's book is why I'm able to work on VW's at all - way back in the days whine dinosaurs ruled the Earth, my folks got me a 1970 Beetle, some tools - and that book. I love it, but I have the Bentley as well. I keep a Muir book in each and every VW I own, along with the tool kit he recommends, but I have the Bentley for each and every VW I own as well - and I keep those at home.
Get both - the Orange Bentley manual is cheap (compared to the Bentley for my split bus, especially!) and the Muir book is only about $25. You'll never regret having the option of "simple and friendly" AND "thorough and in depth".
Get both - the Orange Bentley manual is cheap (compared to the Bentley for my split bus, especially!) and the Muir book is only about $25. You'll never regret having the option of "simple and friendly" AND "thorough and in depth".
- Bonemaro
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:45 am
Re: Service manuals
Yeah, I was going to get the Bentley manual, the idiot book and perhaps the How to Hot Rod Volkswagen Engines by Bill Fisher.
What do you think of this 1980 release of the idiot book? http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-A ... ia+manuals
What do you think of this 1980 release of the idiot book? http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-A ... ia+manuals
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Re: Service manuals
I have the Muir book, and it is a good read, but there are places in it I have to read with a LARGE grain of salt. Muir thought it was good to clean your generator commutator with emery paper, did not like the very reliable automatic choke on Solex carbs, and thought that the 009 distributor was better than any vacuum distributor, so he wasn't always right. But his trouble shooting section is certainly useful.
I have a Bentleys, Haynes and also an Aussie Gregories (formerly Scientific Publications) manuals. The Bentley is the most comprehensive, even though it's still an abridged version of the real VW workshop manual (which runs to 4 volumes I think). The Haynes is OK as it sometimes takes a different tack to the Bentley, and the Aussie Gregories (now out of print but still available on Ebay etc) is similar - a bit brief in some areas, but covers the semi-auto very well, and it doesn't always talk about "driver's side" and "passenger's side" (a pet hate of mine), but says Left and Right, as it should. So even though it's pics are of RHD cars, it's still perfectly usable by the LHD owners.
I had a chat with the editor of Bentleys Manuals few years ago and asked him why the Bentley manuals all say "driver's side" and "passenger's side" and he said "it avoids confusion". I pointed out the Bentley manuals are sold world wide, and that about 1.5 billion people in about 30 countries have right hand drive, with the driver sitting on the other side of the car to the USA, so he's ADDED to the confusion for all those folks who then have to continually "translate". I mused (with tongue in cheek) that maybe the real reason was that some good folks in the USA might have trouble telling their left from their right hand. He didn't give me an answer on that one!
I have a Bentleys, Haynes and also an Aussie Gregories (formerly Scientific Publications) manuals. The Bentley is the most comprehensive, even though it's still an abridged version of the real VW workshop manual (which runs to 4 volumes I think). The Haynes is OK as it sometimes takes a different tack to the Bentley, and the Aussie Gregories (now out of print but still available on Ebay etc) is similar - a bit brief in some areas, but covers the semi-auto very well, and it doesn't always talk about "driver's side" and "passenger's side" (a pet hate of mine), but says Left and Right, as it should. So even though it's pics are of RHD cars, it's still perfectly usable by the LHD owners.
I had a chat with the editor of Bentleys Manuals few years ago and asked him why the Bentley manuals all say "driver's side" and "passenger's side" and he said "it avoids confusion". I pointed out the Bentley manuals are sold world wide, and that about 1.5 billion people in about 30 countries have right hand drive, with the driver sitting on the other side of the car to the USA, so he's ADDED to the confusion for all those folks who then have to continually "translate". I mused (with tongue in cheek) that maybe the real reason was that some good folks in the USA might have trouble telling their left from their right hand. He didn't give me an answer on that one!
Regards
Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and Maintenance for the home mechanic
www.vw-resource.com
Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and Maintenance for the home mechanic
www.vw-resource.com