Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 18:16:37 -0600
Reply-To: "Smola, Tony" <TSmola@TRIBUNE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Smola, Tony" <TSmola@TRIBUNE.COM>
Subject: performance and reliability
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I've been getting conflicting info regarding performance cams, stroker
cranks, heads, rod bolts, etc.
Here are a few topics for the gearheads to discuss:
1) What cams are best for a perofrmance 2.1L? what are the lifts and
durations for the 1.9L vs 2.1L......vs the engle 100( 278" lift w/ 420
duration)
I was told that the engle 100 is the most agressive cam that will work in a
fuel injected WBX
I found a list of the engle cams here http://www.gex.com/12lbopt.htm
2) stroker cranks: I've read that the 2.1L case has more clearance than the
1.9L and can take up to a 90mm
stroke......although strokes more than 82mm are not reccommended for
longevity.
So, 82mm is the stroke to strive for........$500 for Demello.......$1500
for Gene Berg forged
3) question: using 1.9L heads have less cc's in them and therefore raise the
compression ratio if used on a 2.1L
4) 1.9L rod bolts are stronger than 2.1L rod bolts?
5) 1.9L mains are more difficult to find than 2.1L main bearings?
6) waterboxer cases rarely need allign boring?
7) bottom ends on the waterboxer are almost bulletproof.....it's the heads
and headgaskets that usually fail
8) custom pistons for the 82 x 94mm bore run around 350-500 for the set
9) ratio rockers are good for top end, but put excessive sideload on the
valveguides
10) porting is a useful tool for more breathability
11) counterweighted cranks are not necessary for a daily driver waterboxer
that is used as basic transport
12) chromemolly spring retainers and race keepers?
13) fake full flow using the oil pump plate?
14) sandwhich plates for external oil coolers?
15) euro DH pistons are 10:1 compression, but what sort of fuel must be
used?
16) how much material can be removed from the top of a piston safely if
stroking a motor?
17) what sort of benefits does the 2.1L have in cooling than the 1.9L?
18) what mileage is expected from a 1.9L digijet vs 2.1L
digifant?......both w/ manual trans.....is the fant better?
19) heavy duty oil pump?....waste of time and hardware?
20) are German rebuilt heads actually better than AMC's w/ good valves?
I think we should go through all of these issues and come up with a set of
posted criteria that vanagonites use when rebuilding to stock or up to 2.1L
or beyond.......
Malibu Tony