Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:41:27 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Engine alternative (inline four) a bit long
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0904131119500.24678@rygar.gpcc.itd.umich.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 8:26 AM, Jonathan Farrugia <jfarrugi@umich.edu> wrote:
> Don
>
> i also run a 1.8 digifant II engine in my van. when i put the engine in
> the golf that it came out of had 152,000 on the clock :). i've been
> running it in the van for about 6 years now. another thing that you
> didn't mention if you had considered is moving into the VW factory 2.0
> liter ABA engine. while i haven't worked on this engine and fuel
> management system it is very close to the digifant II it seems. you want
> to put the ABA in with the cross flow head although others have fitted the
> ABA bottom end to a digifant II 1.8 liter head.
>
> beyond the ABA there is the 2.0 liter AEG engine series which is totally
> different from the digifant II 1.8 and the 2.0 ABA. i have the AEG in my
> golf and it seems to be a good engine however install would be more
> complicated and VW had a ring problem with those engines that caused them
> to burn oil from day one.
>
> jonathan
>
> O
I'm running the stock OBD1 ABA 2.0/Motronic. With a better designed
exhaust, it would likely perform better, but it performs just fine as
is albeit with a little lack of torque in low end. I suspect it gets
decent fuel efficiency. It ticks like a clock.
Don. If you go with the ABA/counter flow head setup, try to get an
OBD1 ABA block. I have read that there are subtle differences in the
head/springs. Check out this link for more details.
(some neat pics of head cut in half and shots of intake ports)
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3875757
And if possible, get one with oil squirters. It's a myth AFAIK, that
all OBD1 have this. You actually have to drop the pan and look, or
cross-reference numbers (off the block?) with a pro manual of some
kind. If you go with a stock ABA, again I'd suggest OBD1. It's simpler
in terms of wiring IF you stuck with the Motronic. (likely you
wouldn't)
My personal thought would be to stick with stock as much as possible.
I'm sure you'd have enough fun rebuilding whatever engine with stock
parts. Still, the SportTuned kit looks interesting. I imagine the cc
gain is in the head/piston combo.
Any chance the SportTuned head would be a different enough dimension
to interfere with the frame? (that has already been modified)
Neil.
--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
