Engine Tins & Type IV questions

[Westy Steve]

Hey all,

Sooner or later I'm going to get a Westy. I think I have located a 1974 model. Because of the size of my family, I need a 1974 or later Westy if we're going to camp.

But, I have no experience with the Type IV motor.

How are they? Problematic? Expensive? I know they cost more, so I'm asking about the cost relative to reliability. Have folks purposefully moved from Type IVs back to the 1600 dual port engines due to the cost effectiveness issue? And if a guy was to do that, how much would you expect to pay for tins to convert late model buses back to the early engine?

This is more curiousity than a plan of action. I'm just trying to figure out the pros and cons of the larger engine.

Steve

[kevin77westy]

Hey Steve.. Saw your posting on TV2 as well.. The T4 is a stronger beast and you will appreciate it with the weight of a fully loaded westy with family.. Reliable? They certainly can be if you do your part.. If you go thru, check it all out and make it all right, you should be good to go for longer than a T1 motor, especially a T1 motor pushing a late westy around. If its sketchy, rebuild. Expensive? That is a relative term, they cost more to do a rebuild and even more to do it right. Worth it? Absolutely. I learned the hard way and used rebuild heads and I will not likely ever do it again, at least to one of my busses (unless the heads were close to new). I will not use a 30 yr old head ever again and I think that is just the way trend is going if you want a reliable bus.. Read up on the head threads, there are many to be found..
I know a couple volks that put a T1 in a later bus. They seem happy with them but they had to do some tin mods and get a mustache bar. I personally would not go that route but hey, to each his own.

Good Luck..

[dtrumbo]

Stay with the Type 4, you won't be sorry. I'm sure some folks have gone backward from a Type 4 to a Type 1, but probably only because they didn't do what you're doing which is asking questions to overcome the fear of the unknown. Owning both, I feel the Type 4 is just as easy to maintain and is just as reliable (if not more) as the Type 1. Bottom line, you won't be sorry staying with the type of engine that came in your bus originally.
_________________
1970 Transporter. 2074cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1971 Super Sedan.
1973 Squareback.
1976 Transporter.
1978 Riviera Camper.
1979 Transporter.
1979 Beetle.

[kevin11]

Ditto...I have a 72 that has a t1 single port in it.(Got it like that) I just ran across a 2.0 motor,and have a 1.8 in the garage which I plan on rebuilding as soon as I get the new bearings. (Standard). I can't wait to put it in.

[Wildthings]

I bought and installed a used engine out of a T4 when I bought my 74 Bay twenty years ago. It had 150K on it then and now has 350K. It has been resealed twice over the years and reringed and recammed once. The heads have never been touched. How many T1 motors would that have taken? Even if you pay for Adrian or Hoffman head work, T4 run cheap.

[josh]

Long term a well built type4 should be more economical do to longevity and reliability.

The type 4 had two achilles heels from the factory. Poor valve seat intsallation and oil galley plug failures.

Todays type4 head specialists have techniques that eliminate the valve seat problem. And the oil galley plugs should be replaced with threaded plugs at rebuild time.

With these fixes a well built type 4 will likely do over 200k in a bus though a valve job is often needed within that time.
_________________

[Blaubus]

now lets discuss the expense. $1500 for new heads that wont drop a valve seat? WTF????!!!!!??????!!!!?????

[Bleyseng]

[Jeff Geisen]

... the Type IV is for American buses, most of the rest of the world enjoys their late bays with the Type I. Americans typically have more disposable income than people in most other nations. It is a personal choice for sure, but nobody can argue with the fact that the suitcase engine's parts are significantly more expensive across the board. Check head prices, gasket prices, alternator prices, cam, piston/cylinder etc.

Having owned both, wrenched on both, and bought parts for both, I vastly prefer the low operating costs of the upright engine. I may be the only one, but I am never going back.
_________________
I Corinthians 4: 1 thru 5

‘63 ragtop - ‘68 single cab

[busman78]

RIMCO will install the new style valve seats and valves for around $300 to $350 per head. SST valves would cost a little bit more. $1,500, yea for new heads, but a good core set of 1.8L heads are ideal for rebuilding and can be had for around $100 in rebuidable condition.