Can anybody help me identify this engine? All help welcome!

[monstertriker]

Hi all,
I've got a trike with a VW beetle engine. It needs a fair bit of work to get the engine A1, and I'm having trouble identifying the engine type/age/etc
It's not the original engine, and was put in just before I picked the trike up, so I can't trust that what I paid for was actually what I got.
I'm TOLD it's a 1303 1600cc engine. The trike was made in 1987.
Trouble is, it has a dynamo, not an alternator which makes me think it must be older than I was expecting.
Also, the engine number doesn't make sense........
One says 2BRVWBrazil
The other just below it says 23 043101102A
Basically, if there are any details you can see from this (Age, size,
type, etc) then I would REALLY appreciate it. I just want to get this
bug powered trike back on the open road, but the engine needs lots of
new parts before I can get her going, and I can't get them all until I
know what block I have.
Also, I need a bit of expert advice here.........2 batteries now have been splashing acid all over the place when running, and I need to know what you would do. Do I go cheap and replace the regulator, go for a new dynamo as well, or go for the safe option of an alternator conversion kit?
The volt readings are
12.68 engine off
12.5 idling
14.1 slight revs
14.7 high revs
Dynamo has no cover, so may be water damaged.
Sent a couple of pics so you can see what I've got.
MANY MANY MANY thanks. You're my last hope!

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[glutamodo]

Well, that's an engine that was built on a replacement Brazillian engine case, so as to what is inside it is hard to say. A 1600DP is a good bet though (that's what would have been in a 1303) But with an engine that was built up like that, having stuff like a generator instead of an alternator is not unusual at all. The only way to know what you got inside the engine for sure is to pull a head off and measure the bore and stroke. Hard to tell much else from the picture, except for the typical 009 distributor and a 34PICT-3 carburetor (often a poor combination)

Generators (dynamos) can run OK without a brush cover on them. When you buy a new one they come with just one cover, for the top one, anyway. Although I did go and put them on both brush openings on the generator in my Baja bug. However it's pretty common for people to just throw those covers out. If the commutator looks decent then it's probably ok. You can polish the commutator with some extra fine garnet sandpaper (brushes removed) by the way if it looks dirty - and then use a sharp pick to clean out all the gaps between commutator sections afterwards.

Your overcharging issue that is causing the battery to mist out - I had problems with the generator on my Baja doing that, I kept trying diferent regulators but the problem kept coming back. That is, until those new Solid-State voltage regulators came out. I put one of those on - and all of my charging issues went away instantly. And the generator brushes last longer too! You can go with the whole alternator route if you want to, but if your generator(dynamo) looks decent, then you might just try one of those Mexican solid state regulators first. Cheaper for sure. I don't even know if you can get the old style reguators anymore, actually. This is what the new style looks like:

The only concern about that type regulator is that you never let anything that could potentially ground it out touch the "cover" of it when the engine is running. That "cover" is actually D+, the generator's unregulated output.

Oh speaking of "up" on the generator/dynamo - yours is installed improperly. You need to have those connection studs pointing to the top right, not top left as it is now. The reason why you want it mounted that way is explained here: (it's not a bad idea to make sure they have it set up this way, not upside down, if you go to reposition it. Right now, yours is set sideways.)

[monstertriker]

Hi Glutamodo,
Thanks very much for your help..........I'll get myself a solid state regulator and try that as my first option.
Is it just a straight swap, nothing else needed?

So, what you're saying Re my regulator is that I need to basically reposition it by rotating it approx 90 degrees to the right?
Cheers.

[glutamodo]

The generator needs to be rotated. And not a bad idea to pull it out of the fan shroud far enough to verify that that slot is facing up or down.

The regulator, yeah straight swap. The angle of the terminals is different than the old style regulator, you might have to bend them with some duckbill pliers to reach your wires better, depending on where you have the regulator mounted on your buggy. There's no dedicated ground wire connection on the new regulator, so run one under one of the two mounting holes.

-Andy

[monstertriker]

Hi Glutamodo,
Having probs finding these solid state regulators....
Looked on big boys toys, just air cooled, GSF, machine 7, etc...they just had ones like my exisiting duff one (Pic)

My questions....
A-Do you know where I can get one?
B-Whether I do go for a solid state one, or one of the originals, what volts/amps regulator would I need for a 1600cc 1303 running it alongside a dynamo, rather than an alternator?

Sorry to keep hassling you!
Cheers,
Dom

[glutamodo]

[monstertriker]

Hi Glutamodo,
Now that the regulator is getting sorted (weekend) my overcharging is hopefully over.
But, it would definitely benefit from a good tune up. I've been looking at the carb/air filter/distributor set up, seeing what would be a good combination.
On your helpful response to my first query, you said
"Hard to tell much else from the picture, except for the typical 009 distributor and a 34PICT-3 carburetor (often a poor combination) "

What would you say is a good combination? Now is the time for me to swap things about and get it right!

[glutamodo]

[monstertriker]

Cheers mate