Newbie question:
How do you actually get access into the valves on my 1.8L? I 've set valves on other cars many times before, but I can't figure out how you get into the (heavily obscured) valve covers!

it is tight but doable, i used a long screwdriver to assist pry pop back the bales as the cramped area does not allow for much more than finger strength. Once you adj. your valves a couple times you will get comfortable with the limited space, sometimes I loosed the j pipes (heater pieces going up through the engine tin) so I can do a reach around when adj. the appropriate valves that side closet to the pipes. I would get up in there once before you buy any "special" tools as not all valve adj. tools are going to have room in that limited space. Pelican Parts. com has a tech article there but I personally do not use the drive it up on ramps then wait to get cold again, I just jack up in the dirty driveway the side I am doing, patience is the key as your saving some money anyways, have some coffee down there or even a burrito resting above you on your heat exchanger and do it slow w/ low frustration. Ipod what ever it takes..

Pull out all the heater stuff and install headers. Then you have plenty of room.

First time I went to do valves on a car that still had all the heater stuff, I thought it was near impossible. Turns out, its just frusterating.

Zach

Hey zach, on the heater stuff, I kept overheating my oil temp~250 or so and could not find any issues. One morning I decided i had enough rattling from the pass side heater ducting that wasn't hooked up anyway, so I stripped everything off except the actual heat exchanger. I blocked the output hole on the fan shroud, then drove the car around. Drove 300+ miles since and my oil temp stays at 190, never over 210 now. Sound logical to you ?

I use a stubby screwdriver for the adjusters. I picked up a deep-offset box end wrench for the jam nuts. For some valves, I reach one arm in from the back of the car with my arm along the heat exchanger. For some, I reach one arm in from the front side of the engine. For a few, I reach directly in from the side. I always remove the road-wheel from the side I am working on at the time, for more room to reach in.

--DD

Once you have found and practiced the proper contortionists positions...

it's a piece of cake!

......b

Save your knuckles. Put a shop rag thru the bail and jerk downwards. The rest is easy.

And remember, proper orientation of the rocker box cover is that they are installed with the VW symbol upside down.

.........and with the tab on the bottom ............

BTW, now's a good time to tell you that MY WAY to adjust valves is available in the classic threads. It's the real way to do it, far easier than any other way you've ever heard about. Try it, and use a 1/4" screwdriver at least a foot long.

The Cap'n