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Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:14 pm

My Vanagon camper has the VW 2.0L ABA. Runs like a Swiss clock, but I want it to have a bit more grunt (low end torque). So I can climb the hills, here in the Bay Area, without shifting down. I find it can hold its own as long as the rpm's are kept above 3500 in 4th gear. That's around 60 mph. That's hard to do when someone gets in the way and you loose momendum.
So what Cam should I use? I was thinking the 260 or 268, but not sure.

I also posted over on Fouritude 2.0L site to see what they had to say. So some of you may see this question asked twice.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:34 pm

I'm in to learn a thing or two... I have my 15* ABA all stock 95 jetta engine running tip-top but noticed on my recent trip thru the Ozarks that it climbs, but seems to lose momentum quickly.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:29 pm

268 cam with a Techtonics Tuning chip is nice. Smaller tires would also do a lot to help, but I don't know what you are running. Usually a cam and chip cost much less than tires! Make sure you have the proper valve springs installed in your head already, they work best with dual springs.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:33 pm

Will the tectonics tuning chip work without the cam upgrade?

Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:53 pm

VWinVT wrote: Will the tectonics tuning chip work without the cam upgrade?

Yeah but I don't think it's going to do much. With the cams, you can probably even do a 272, but I don't know how it's going to be in a heavy vanagon. You can also get an adjustable cam gear and advance the gear 4* for a little more torque. The adjustable cam gear would even work on a stock cam.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 5:59 pm

This unfortunately is going to be an issue with all the small displacement NA gas engines being installed in these vans. Forced induction or increased displacement are the tricks, but even the latter can't always overcome steep inclines or high altitudes.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 6:00 pm

I am running 215/65/15.
I tried a chip from Germany, but saw no improvements. Maybe with a cam it will wake up.
I have dual springs already. So that's the easy part.
Does the 272 have a smooth idle?
I'll do the adjustable cam gear first and go from there. The motor is easy to work on as it's at a 15 degree angle.

Mon Feb 22, 2016 6:19 pm

I am running bone stock tires and wheels, so this will certainly make life a bit easier for forthcoming ABA. I have been enjoying the 67hp of the type4....so the ABA motor will feel like an absolute rocket ship to me! :D

Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:20 pm

Nothing wrong with downshifting. My indestructible 1.9 (damn it ) will cruise all day at 70+ with 3-4%grades. 6% or more has me in third cresting at 55. It is what it is. I cruise in third, a lot.
Every vehicle I have ever owned ever has downshifted at some point heading up grades. My ford e150 is pathetic regarding

Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:21 pm

I'm voting for a 268 cam and a chip, look at TT or even UM motor sports for your software. The 272 is very aggressive! A cam gear is a good idea but minimal gains by the seat dyno.

Head work....larger intake valves and porting. Deck the head for higher compression"?"

A tri-Y header...

A turbo is going to be the best though. I'd be glad to help you out with this....I've invested a lot of time figuring out what works.

Tue Feb 23, 2016 2:44 am

If you put in an Audi 3A bottom end it has shorter rods (17mm shorter) and brings the torque down lower. Lots of work I know but you could still use the ABA head and engine management. It's my personal dream setup for a Vanagon I4. This is all from what I've read never tested it myself.

-Rob

Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:07 am

Tectonics tuning website says just the chip ($100) will add some RPMs and 7 horsepower. It does not mention any torque numbers...but 7 hp for $100 seems a good deal.

Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:53 am

I do really like the flat torque of the short rod blocks! But the 3A and 9A don't have provisions for the factory crank sensor, so it's a little more difficult to use Motronic (which I love even more!).

The 272 isn't smooth at idle at all! The 268 is even a tiny bit lumpy, but very driveable.

Tue Feb 23, 2016 7:01 am

The aba is a fairly torquey engine, but either the 260 or 268 will wake it up with a matching chip.
OBD2 (96+) abas will require a full dual spring valve set-up with the 268, which will require new retainers at the same time. save your money and don't be tempted by Ti retainers, they are a waste in this application.

The 260 would be ideal in a vanagon, the 268 moves the powerband up a little too much for torque in comparison.

Also, a good custom performance exhaust would help tremendously!

With a chip, cam, and exhaust, your looking at roughly 110 whp and around 120 lbft torque at the wheels, which is pretty darn good! If you need more from this engine torque-wise its time for forced induction. a small ko3 or ko4 found cheaply would be ideal and give amazing torque.

Any 4 speed is gonna require downshifting every now and then in a vehicle this heavy with soo little power, it's inevitable!

Thu Mar 17, 2016 5:27 pm

This cam?
http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_pa...ts_id=1613

Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:27 pm

at 60 drop it into 3rd,
it'll run all day like a swiss clock in 3rd gear. don't fret 5,000 rpms,
it's worse to lug/bog the motor wishing for more torque than it is to let it rev in a lower gear.
I've run ~1,000mi with a 1.8digifant in 3rd gear max. 55-65mph towing another broken van.
I've run 300mi (5+) hrs straight home after losing 4th gear in a trans.
both times it was hard to keep the speed and rpms are a decent level, the motor wanted to take more.. and would.

but yeah more low end grunt.. woudl be nice but is more $$ than just down shifting.. the VW I4s can handle it just fine.

Fri Mar 18, 2016 10:21 am

http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_pa...ts_id=1615

That seems interesting?

"Euro Caddy (pick up) Econo Camshaft M-grind Hydraulic Lifter
109 07M
This cam is for low end power and torque (from idle to 4000 max rpm). OEM cam for Euro spec Caddy (pick up), Golf Variant. Better fuel mileage than US spec cams..338" lift, duration 196° @ .050". Hydraulic Lifter 10907M...

A real "truck" cam?

Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:16 am

nemobuscaptain wrote: http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_pa...ts_id=1615

That seems interesting?

"Euro Caddy (pick up) Econo Camshaft M-grind Hydraulic Lifter
109 07M
This cam is for low end power and torque (from idle to 4000 max rpm). OEM cam for Euro spec Caddy (pick up), Golf Variant. Better fuel mileage than US spec cams..338" lift, duration 196° @ .050". Hydraulic Lifter 10907M...

A real "truck" cam?

I looked into this cam for my I4 conversion. While it will improve low end torque, your peak horspower will drop noticeably. In a vanagon this means cruising at higher speeds will be more difficult. When you need that peak HP to climb grades in 2nd or 3rd you may not have enough.

Other than the other mild cams mentioned above, a tuned exhaust is about the only bolt on method for adding extra low end torque. You could go to forced induction. However, it would be easier to install a 1.8T than to turbocharge/supercharge an ABA.

The ABA already has very good mid range torque for its displacement.

The vanagon could really use a 5 speed transmission with smaller gaps between gears. OEM 5 speeds are tough to find though. The only other common option is the subarugears reversed 5 speeds.

Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:33 am

A bigger cam will wake up any motor, but it may effect the emissions output. It will "dirty up" the exhaust, especially at idle.

Do you have a printout of your last smog check?

Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:22 pm

I found this browsing around for cam info.

OBD I
Part Number: 048 109 101 D
Camshaft measured @ .050"
Advertised Duration: None
Duration @ .050": 211*/212*
Valve Lift: .400"
Lift @ TDC: $
Centerlines: 113.2* / 113.8*
Lobe Center: 113.5*
Valve Timing: -7.7/38.7 - 39.8/-7.8
Valve Overlap: -15.5*
In open @ .050": 7.7° BTDC

OBD II
Part Number: 050 109 101 A
Camshaft measured @ .050"
Advertised Duration: None
Duration @ .050": 210*/210*
Valve Lift: .417"
Lift @ TDC: ($$)
Centerlines: 110.8* / 109.2*
Lobe Center: 110*
Valve Timing: -5.8/35.8 - 34.2/-4.2
Valve Overlap: -10*
In open @ .050": 7.7° BTDC