Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 19:44:38 PST
Reply-To: vwvanman@EXCITE.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Lilley <vwvanman@EXCITE.COM>
Subject: I DID NOT SOUP UP MY 2.1L- BUT WHAT I DID DO WAS...
Content-Type: text/plain
I DID NOT SOUP UP MY ENGINE BUT WHAT I DID DO IS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY
OF THE ENGINE.
What happened along the way was that the power increased!
I built my engine the way I saw best with the needs that I have. I thought
long and hard and talked to a number of experts of the VW performance
automotive industry. I spent about a month of trying to figure out the best
combination of parts to rebuild my engine with to achieve my goals in
reliability, performance, economy, longevity and be able to accelerate
SAFELY onto a freeway with a load of people and stuff onboard.
I learned valuable lessons while rebuilding by 66, 70 Bug engines. At first
I followed philosophy "To do just enough to get by" When the third rebuild
failed (they lasted: last A day, three months, six months) I decided to "Do
it right " (within reason though) Well the fourth T1 engine lasted 3 years
until I sold it.
I choose the parts and the modifications to parts very carefully for my
Wasserboxer project. I put my 18 years experience of increasing the
performance of T1 and T2 engines into this project, I only plan to build my
engine once!
Each add on part over the years was chosen based on how it claimed to work
or I thought it work. I have tried MANY different performance parts over the
years. Some worked, some did not. If it worked I kept it, If it did not I
got rid of it. As my knowledge about engines and how various performance
parts work together I took that it this rebuild.
At first I was going to increase the stroke 2 mm to 4 mm. As I talked with
experts I soon discovered that I was moving into uncharted waters. It seems
as thought not many people have really tried hopping up a Wasserboxer with
T1 performance parts recently. (I do not know why the ones I chose simply
bolted on, one with a slight mod, some people did as I found in the
archives.)
As I further investigated, I realized that it would take too much time to
increase the stroke so that was out because the performance gain would not
be worth the cost to stroke it. But I was though going to have the crank
counter weighted. I talked with someone else who thought that it was a
waste of money. So now I was rethinking the counter-weighting idea. I
still had not taken my case apart yet. While I was thinking which way to
go, I started to tear my engine apart. When I took the case apart I SAW
that my center bearing journal had been MOVING. It had pounded the bearing
markings into the case journal. I made up my mind right then to have the
crank counterweighted based on what I SAW WITH MY EYES!
Consider WHY do bugs pound out the journals when they rarely turn 4 grand?
Softer metal or crank flexing into the softer metals, both bearing and case.
ALL T1 cases need LINE-BORING remember? In addition, all those Wasserboxer
that are having oil pressure problems? Could the bearings be pounding out
due to their thinness and softness when compared to the stronger case that
does not pound out???? And the clearance then causes a loss of oil
pressure...rebuild time...
I am going with advice from a company that has been in the crank business
for 27 years. Does he just want my money you say? Well, he talked my out of
a stroke increase $350, expensive racing rod bolt @$60 (I ended up getting a
set for $.20 each, that is right NO typo.) and turning my rods into stroker
rods $250. They were NOT after my money But what was best for my needs.
Other points:
When I saw the wire clips holding on the rockers, I went back to and
experience where I had a clip break so I went to solid rocker arms so now no
worries that one will break.
The Chromoly pushrods and Chromoly retainers lighten the valve train.
The racing spacer keeps the stock horseshoe ring from separating and
destroying the engine,
The racing valve keepers are stronger than stock to keep from pulling out,
the racing clutch bolts lock in place to keep from coming loose.
The ceramic coatings were to control heat and to protect other components
from the radiant heat: Exhaust valve.
(The Wasserboxer runs hotter due to emission requirements.)
Before the coatings when I went into the engine compartment immediately
after a long run, it was hot. Now it is warm after an hour run. The engine
does reach it running temp because my functioning temp gauge is slightly
above the red dot. The thermostat controls the water temp. the rest of the
components are now protected from the radiant heat.
I changed the cam lift and duration (I am looking for the spec sheet.)
slightly to improve performance.
The DFFI is based on airflow NOT MAPP, now my engine simply flows more air.
Well, as you can see I have thought out the purpose for each performance
part used in my engine was based on need and NO unnecessary part was used.
My main goal was to set out to build an engine that will last a long, long
time and have fun driving it along the way
(BTW I had some fun today. I went from 60 to 85 in a few moments to get
around some slow traffic to avoid being cutoff. RPMs were below 3650 @85
mph then dropped back to 70 mph. I like my five speed).
Robert
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