TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:44 pm

Years ago before I started building my own water cooled VW engines, I had the misfortune of buying a head from GEX. Needless to say i got burnt. Then they got burnt worse.

I picked up a 72 camper and would like to slap a reman engine in it for this summer, but I don't know who out there in aircooled land makes a decent engine these days.
Any idea on who to use and who to avoid? There are no local VW shops around here except for mine, and I only deal in watercooled Rabbit era stuff.
I could build my own, but I've never messed with the aircooled engines and certainly not with a type 4.

Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:15 pm

There are not many good choices these days.

European Motorworks in Hawthorne, CA has a good reputation. I bought an align-bored Type IV engine case and rebuilt rods from them. They also reground my crank and supplied the bearings and camshaft. I assembled the engine. George is the owner.

They do not have turnkey engines ready to ship, but I'm sure he could build you one..... But I have heard he has a huge backlog right now, and parts availability is a problem.

http://www.europeanmotorworks.com/

Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:39 pm

I've rebuilt type 1 and type 4 engines with the only appreciable difference being that type 4 parts are much harder to come by. The rebuilding process is pretty much the same. Occasionally you can find a quality rebuilt type 4 on this website. Any shop that tells you they only deal in type 1 engines simply doesn't want to be bothered with the hassle of finding parts. They are out there. Patience is a virtue.

Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:46 pm

I just went through something similar... I bought my first bus over the summer and had the motor blow up shortly after, a 1973 transporter with a type 4. After talking to some of the people here, I came to the conclusion to do a Type 1 conversion. The reason mostly was that parts are more readily available, and there are still reputable builders out there building Type 1 motors. If it helps, it was by a very wide margin that people recommended to convert to a Type 1.

Feel free to ping me if you want to pick my brain about it, but the people that really convinced me were Aeromech, telforddorr, and airschooled (all very knowledgeable, awesome people that are part of the bay window community).

Cheers,
Ryan

Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:15 am

TheRustyRabbit wrote: Years ago before I started building my own water cooled VW engines, I had the misfortune of buying a head from GEX. Needless to say i got burnt. Then they got burnt worse.

I picked up a 72 camper and would like to slap a reman engine in it for this summer, but I don't know who out there in aircooled land makes a decent engine these days.
Any idea on who to use and who to avoid? There are no local VW shops around here except for mine, and I only deal in watercooled Rabbit era stuff.
I could build my own, but I've never messed with the aircooled engines and certainly not with a type 4.
Funny, and welcome. A 1972 bus is 50 years old this year. There are no such things as "quality" re-manufactured air cooled motors. The buses are antiques. No one makes 100% descent engines because everything depends on the quality of the core. It has only been rebuilt 5 times since new. And it was owned by 6 owners who cut every corner they could. Welcome to the world of the air cooled VW Bus. Tough Love but it is what it is.

Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:15 am

duplicate

Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:21 am

give MOFOCO a call and see what they are currently offering.

https://www.mofoco.com/category/Type_4_Longblocks/c163

Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:45 pm

Randy's VW Hobby Shop in Comfort Texas might also be another source to talk to.
210-209-3597 [email protected]

Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:14 pm

https://headflowmasters.com/vw-longblocks.html
http://steelbugin.com/

Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:32 pm

https://www.facebook.com/Midwestaircooled/

give these guys a call

Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:26 pm

If you are looking to buy a turnkey engine, this may not be the right choice. However, if you are willing to let someone rebuild your engine, I would highly recommend Rich Sedoris in Youngstown, OH. I sourced all of the parts (including Len Hoffman heads) and dis-assembled the engine. I live close(ish) enough that I drove everything to him, and picked up my completed long block.

He did absolutely phenomenal work.

PM me, and i can fwd his email address.

EDIT: I found his price to be very reasonable

Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:25 pm

Thanks to everyone that replied. I think I'm going attempt to get the existing 1.7 type 4 engine running to see just what is wrong with it. The P.O. said it ran, but smoked, they attempted to fix it, and now it will not start.

If that fails. I have 2 type 1 long blocks sitting here that would cost me a LOT less to install than a rebuilt type 4 will.
There is also the possibility that I cram a Subaru engine in there and end up way over budget, but with a really sweet reliable speedy camper.

It really depends on the costs of everything else I have to do to it. I've ordered 2/3rds of what I'll need to make it just right for my wife and I to camp in it and I'm OK on the budget for now, but that engine is the big mystery.

Those that have installed a type 1 into one of these. Just how bad is a 1600DP on the hills? What if I added dual carbs and an exhaust? Would it be OK for hills and maybe 65 on the highway, or is it a lost cause.

Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:39 pm

To the OP. If you want to know about doing the T4 to T1 conversion send me a PM

Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:55 pm

TheRustyRabbit wrote:
Those that have installed a type 1 into one of these. Just how bad is a 1600DP on the hills? What if I added dual carbs and an exhaust? Would it be OK for hills and maybe 65 on the highway, or is it a lost cause.

There is a long thread somewhere on here about putting T1 engines into formerly T4 buses.

Tue Jan 18, 2022 12:51 pm

Why would you ever even consider putting a T1 into a bus that already has a TIV?

I know that it CAN be done. But it shouldn't!

Zach

Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:56 pm

vacca_rabite wrote: Why would you ever even consider putting a T1 into a bus that already has a TIV?

I know that it CAN be done. But it shouldn't!

Zach

Why? The type 4 costs 3 times as much to rebuild, has no availability of parts should you need one while on the road, and seems to offer little in increased HP.
I'm honestly trying to find a reason not to trash it if it turns out it needs an total rebuild or replacement. What exactly am I missing here?

Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:14 pm

If you decide to get a rebuild, consider Tuttle Parts Exchange in Baldwin Park, CA. I bought a long block from him some years ago (13ish). It has 86k on it, and is running strong. Talked to him a coupla times. He knows Type IVs.

Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:16 pm

Never mind. Just saw your last post, and your location. Just trying to help. Good luck, if you do the conversion.

Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:46 pm

TheRustyRabbit wrote: vacca_rabite wrote: Why would you ever even consider putting a T1 into a bus that already has a TIV?

I know that it CAN be done. But it shouldn't!

Zach

Why? The type 4 costs 3 times as much to rebuild, has no availability of parts should you need one while on the road, and seems to offer little in increased HP.
I'm honestly trying to find a reason not to trash it if it turns out it needs an total rebuild or replacement. What exactly am I missing here?
The case and heads are more robust. Even quality Type 1 parts are getting more rare these days. Funny thing is that as more T4 engines have been put back in service, more T4 mechanical parts are being produced than 10 years ago. Roy at MoFoCo has a long waiting list on T4 engines. So do some other vendors.