What is Reddit's opinion of How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen air-Cooled Engine (All models, 1961 and up)?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Definitely a good learning point. If you don't yet own Tom Wilson's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Rebuild-Your-Volkswagen-Air-Cooled-Engine/dp/0895862255 You don't need to read the whole thing, but definitely read the tear-down chapters, and read the assembly chapter. All the info on rebuilding individual components can be skipped...these days it's cheaper to buy new heads than rebuild your current ones, for instance.

Consider your oil cooler to be trash - replace it with the best quality one you can buy. Some people here will tell you it can be flushed, and I've certainly flushed them in the past, but if we presume your bearings are trashed (I can almost guarantee it)...We should presume you have bearing material in your oil cooler. It's difficult to flush out, and you don't want it taking out your new bearings.

The first priority needs to be getting your bare engine case checked for line-bore and thrust. You'll need to tear the engine down, and take the case to a competent VW machine shop (check with local clubs to find out who to use.) If your case is good and useable, your engine rebuild can begin. If not, you have to either find a good used case or pony up the bucks for an expensive used one. Good used cases are getting harder and harder to find.

You can still rebuild a VW motor relatively inexpensively, presuming your case is good. If you have the budget, however, for just a little bit more you can build a stock motor that has a much longer lifespan. I always upgrade my engine builds with counterweighted cranks, full balancing, full-flow oiling, and welded fans at a minimum...even in a "stock" build. The dollars spent means significantly more reliable / longer-lasting engines.

As others have said, your location dictates price for machine work and who is competent in the area on doing it. Check thesamba for recommended shops in your area, or at least for a decent list of them.

You're looking for a technical and useful book. That would be the Wilson book, nothing else really comes close.