TheSamba.com :: View topic - 40 HP engine build with a 1385 ccm big bore kit

Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:01 pm

Hi guys,

I am planning to build a vintage speed engine from my '64 engine case. I would like to keep my stock 64 mm crankshaft. I would like to put an Engle W110 camshaft. Then install the AA performance big bore kit, using the square boss stock 1200 cylinder heads. The rocker arms will be from a stock 1600 engine. I am going to build a double carb system with two pieces of NOS 28 PCI carbs. Also I am planning to put a bigger oil pump and a thin line oil sump. Also I will put a NOS Fram oil filter.
Do you think if the Engle W110 camshaft will be good for this engine?? I have no bearings for the camshaft, but my engine case is a NOS one.

Thanks for your help!

Wed Jul 01, 2015 10:21 pm

I'm also building a 1385, plan on Using can bearings. Good luck w yours

Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:13 am

Engle 110 is to much for those small valves. I have built a 1385 with Engle 100 cam and dual 28 pci carbs with 9.1 compression. Beetle is really peppy and has improved torque.
I suggest after spending countless hours on making intakes and linkages, replace your heads with 1300 single port as these will increase valve size slightly and give you heaps of options when it comes to carbs and intakes.

Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:49 pm

So, do you think if it would be better to leave the stock camshaft inside the case??
I am not going to use the single port 1300 heads, because I already bought the NOS pair of "Riechert" intake manifolds and I have the NOS 28 PCI carbs as well....so I will keep my stock 1200 heads. But, the sizes of the valves are the same as in the 1300 single port heads.

Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:35 pm

As soon as you put 1300 heads on, it looks like a 1500, not a 40hp. :cry:

Fri Jul 03, 2015 1:36 pm

I'm running my 1385 (40hp with big bore kit) with a W100 and 1.1 rockers on square boss heads and dual Stromberg carbs. Nice combination.

Fri Jul 03, 2015 2:06 pm

That's cam what I would like to use! I am planning to buy a W100 and sell my W110. Thanks for the info!!

Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:44 pm

You can get a custom grind on your stock cam from webcamshafts and also have your stock original lifters reground and they are very reasonably priced too. I had a little lift added to mine but stock duration. They have a grind number for it but i can't remember it. They will help you out.

Sun Jul 12, 2015 8:53 pm

1385 big bore, 100 cam 1300 heads , 1.11 rockers, 34ICTs. Can you say, purrrrr

Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:11 pm

1960vw wrote: 1385 big bore, 100 cam 1300 heads , 1.11 rockers, 34ICTs. Can you say, purrrrr Does anyone here besides me think that this engine looks like it has nothing to do with 40 hp/vintage speed? :?

Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:52 am

1385 with W100 cam, stock ratio rockers, ported square boss heads.

Tue Jul 14, 2015 12:49 am

What have you done with oil cooler on this setup?

1960vw wrote: 1385 big bore, 100 cam 1300 heads , 1.11 rockers, 34ICTs. Can you say, purrrrr

Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:43 am

Envious wrote: 1385 with W100 cam, stock ratio rockers, ported square boss heads.

Thanks for posting this, I was wondering what that muffler sounded like.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:45 am

akomjathy wrote: So, do you think if it would be better to leave the stock camshaft inside the case??
I am not going to use the single port 1300 heads, because I already bought the NOS pair of "Riechert" intake manifolds and I have the NOS 28 PCI carbs as well....so I will keep my stock 1200 heads. But, the sizes of the valves are the same as in the 1300 single port heads.

You have saved half your time by having good nos 28pci and manifolds. My 1385 has 28pci running 23.5 Venturis but unfortunately my carbs are weeping fuel from the shaft and need re bushing. But it has been running really well.

I am located in Australia and the only problem I have had with 1385 is over heating in summer. temps here average 95-105 and on the highway for long trips @ constant 65mph my oil temp gets to 250. My beetle has a doghouse fan and shroud with oil cooler and I have added an external oil cooler with oil thermostat and now runs at 210-220. Around town no problems runs at 180.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:49 am

Here is my 1385

Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:30 am

bug_65 wrote:
Here is my 1385

Thanks very much to show me your engine! I started to put my engine case together. I bought a new W100 Engle cam finally. Yes, I am lucky with the new 28 PCI carbs, but I still have to work a lot with them. They still have the choke, but on Riechert system, there was no choke at all. I have to change the venturis,too and also rejetting the carbs. The manifolds are nrand new, came from Germany from Riechert factory :-)

One question: what kind of engine case are you using? How did you put the newer type of oil cooler to the engine case??

Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:17 am

my engine is a 40hp with cam bearings, I m not sure what year as this motor was originally a Formula Vee 1200 so rods, crank and flywheel have been balanced and lightened.

I m using a doghouse 36hp shroud with dog house cooler and wider fan. It was a kit, I had to enlarge holes for new oil cooler on the engine case from i think 6mm to 8mm. My case is also full flowed with oil filter and external 72plate oil cooler.

My 28pci carbys I have removed chokes and plugged holes. The engine takes a little longer to warm up but I could not be bothered running 2 cables to run chokes.

With your AA 83mm pistons you may have interference with the piston hitting the case. I had this same problem piston was hitting case webbing on 3rd and 2nd, all i did was removed small amount from areas in case.

Also I found with my case when the cam was at full lift there was not enough clearance and the cam was unable to turn. I fixed this by grinding down lifter bores. See link
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...rance+40hp

Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:36 am

bug_65 wrote: my engine is a 40hp with cam bearings, I m not sure what year as this motor was originally a Formula Vee 1200 so rods, crank and flywheel have been balanced and lightened.

I m using a doghouse 36hp shroud with dog house cooler and wider fan. It was a kit, I had to enlarge holes for new oil cooler on the engine case from i think 6mm to 8mm. My case is also full flowed with oil filter and external 72plate oil cooler.

My 28pci carbys I have removed chokes and plugged holes. The engine takes a little longer to warm up but I could not be bothered running 2 cables to run chokes.

With your AA 83mm pistons you may have interference with the piston hitting the case. I had this same problem piston was hitting case webbing on 3rd and 2nd, all i did was removed small amount from areas in case.

Also I found with my case when the cam was at full lift there was not enough clearance and the cam was unable to turn. I fixed this by grinding down lifter bores. See link
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...rance+40hp

Thanks very much for the info and the forum....
I think you have a newer engine case than mine. Mine is a '64 model. Before, I split the case I put the 3rd piston and cylinder to its place to see, if it hits the case or not. It seems, there was no problem with it!! I measured the place of the 2nd piston today. I am sure that the piston will be far from the engine case.
This engine what I am going to build is a waterpump industrial engine with very low mile. Everything seems brand new inside. Today, I tried the new W100 cam into the case and also the HD oil pump. Seems very nice, can turn it around easily. My engine case has no camshaft bearings. But, seems like a new one, so I will leave it as is.
I also measured the distance between the crankcase joining face and the upper edge of the cam follower guides. The smallest distance is 31 mm all others are more than 31 mm. So, I hope they will work good! I will also leave the original cam followers of this engine case, because they are almost brand new. I attached a pic from my crankshaft, which is ready to install. And one pic with the new camshaft and HD oil pump.
I will use a FRAM oil filter system (like in the 356 Porsche) and will put an extra oil sump. Will use the stock oil cooler. I have never had problems before this old system, so let me see what is going to be happen :-)

Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:03 am

do not reuse your old cam followers

Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:29 am

Your engine is very clean.
Cam followers should only be reused when using the same cam and if used d will cause uneven wear on your cam or failure of the followers. I suggest you replace cam followers with the suggested ones Engle specify.