No love for the 1.9?

[regis101]

Greetings. I just do not see many 1.9 build ups. I did a search.

I'm sure that 100 hp can be coaxed out of one of these. I think they are good little engines with the capability to rpm right where and when I need it. Remove the cat, put in a good air filter, some timing tweaks and blueprinting will be close.
Some compression and a torque cam should put me right there.

I'm an 'ol car guy, motor head, gear head from back a few and have learned to appreciate what's at hand.
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Peace, Regis

[danfromsyr]

Hmmm I wonder why there aren't any posts on that..
Hmmm maybe you can get 100hp outta one.. but for how long.

I believe there was a turbo'd version once.
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[rubbachicken]

it should be possible, and reliable at the same time
i've seen it done in 1776 bug and bus engines, there's an early bay in the UK with that and maybe more, being raced on a regular basis
the engine was built right, and has been from what i've seen very reliable
so it should be doable from a 1915cc wbx
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[regis101]

The stock FI is the limiting factor,

I'm barking up the wrong tree.
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Peace, Regis

[ThorAlex]

it's not uncommon to turbo those here in europe, with carbs or megasquirt people pull 200+++ hp out of these on a regular basis.

Also, youtube the Skinne beetle, 900hp turbo wbx built by a blind man
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1990 syncro 1.6TD "Smily"

Ex-vans:
1990 Caravelle coach 1.6TD
1986 Transporter Double cab syncro 2.1 112hp

"I'm wrong so often... It's great!" - Adam Savage

[RGS Paul]

Nothing wrong with the 1.9. Actually, in some ways it is more interesting starting point than the 2.1 since you can drop a Type I air cooled crank in it. Well over 100 hp is easily attainable. The FI is a little bit of a pain but there are ways around that. There should be some good info out there if you look a bit.

Paul
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'87 Syncro 7-Pass. Adventure Touring Vehicle
"Simplicate, then add lightness." Colin Chapman

[hdenter]

I don't think the limiing factor to breaking 100hp in a 1.9 is the fuel injection, it is "bang for the buck" and available kits. I love my 1.9 and have no plan go up unless I can't get what I need from a turbo when I get to it. The reality is that if someone wants to get more horsies out of thier engine, the only readily available kits are for going up in cc's and compression. There is no turbo kit or stroking kit for the stock 1.9 that can be bought off the shelf. Meanwhile, if you go to Go Westy and buy one of thier kits or longblock for 2.3 or higher or have 10c build you a 2.2 with his tuned exhaust , you can have 100+hp in a reliable package. It just won't be a 1.9 anymore. Go Westy is getting well over 100hp on thier 2.5 with stock FI. Like I said, I love my 1.9 and will be MacGyvering a turbo kit from a volvo 740 turbo and either the stock ignition, the volvo ignition or possibly the programable distributor from CBPerformance.

Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender

[ThorAlex]

Hows this for an idea: Get the compression up to something sutable for E85 (screw gas) and ad an LPG conversion. No use for you americans i guess, but over here both E85 and LPG are cheaper than gas (LPG is half the price), both are pretty easely available, and at least in the case of LPG common enough to be relied on. Wouldent the higher compression allowed by these fuels combined with an engine tuned for them give a pretty good power boost on an otherwize stock engine? Just an idea, sorry for going off topic
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1990 syncro 1.6TD "Smily"

Ex-vans:
1990 Caravelle coach 1.6TD
1986 Transporter Double cab syncro 2.1 112hp

"I'm wrong so often... It's great!" - Adam Savage

[regis101]

There is no replacement for displacement, so goes the saying.

GW's 2.2 for the <85 has the same numbers as the 2.2 for the >86 so must be the same parts.

I totally admire what tencentlife does for the industry. He seems to hang on the 2.1 side of the fence, I think. I could contact him to see if he will do a blueprinted 1.9 with an FI friendly cam. Money ahead, there.

I have mechanic from the 'old country and he prefers the 1.9's over the 2.1's for general cruising about. To each their own.

Just using a larger bore would add some Cc's and help unshroud the valves a bit. Add some chamber massaging with the gratuitous port match will help.

Not trying to reinvent anything but getting back to basic's has its merits.

Dunno much about the flex fuels, E85, Thor. If they allow higher compression, it may have a slower burn rate? Much like our leaded high octane fuels up until the early 70's. Back then a 12:1 CR engine could be used on the street with fuel from the petrol stations.

More stuff that makes ya go, Hmmm.
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Peace, Regis

[solarguy]

I had a shop rebuild my 1.9 and tried to get more power out of it but it was still a dog so I ripped it out only had 300 miles on it and put in a zetec 2.0 I have the power and speed now very happy

[regis101]

I read decent things about other engines. I'm all over it. I'd love to have a couple hun hp and tq.

I don't think that the Bostig is Cali compliant. The 1.8T is on the burner

This is about the 1.9, though.
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Peace, Regis

[Crankey]

I wonder if people on the vintage speed board would have some tricks for the 1.9

[16CVs]

I built a 1.9 for my Doka a few years ago . Used the 2.1 heads (little difference ) did a complete balance and had the crank counter weighted . That thing ran real smooth and was just easier to drive . Didn't really do any better on the highway but was dead smooth at idle .

Stacy
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[regis101]

One good aspect of the boxer style engines is inherent torque.

Any dyno graph will show more tq than hp. The in-line four will usually show more hp than tq. Power adders may change this but I'm talking NA engines.

Most V8's will have more hp than tq.

Plus hp is the math part of the equation. Once this is understood, imo, an appreciation can be had for the boxer or five cylinder designs.

So I guess I am a bit misleading with the 100 hp statement. When I said that and knowing that I can get more tq than hp, having 100 hp should yield ~120 on the tq side. Sorry.
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Peace, Regis

[OhChit]

Awhile back I had bought a Van with a 1.9 in it and although it ran dependably well, it just seemed to lack something. A friend had a fresh factory rebuilt very low milage 2.1 that he wasn't happy with the performance of, so he decided to go with a Big GoWesty engine. I bought his 2.1 and installed it into my 85 Westy. I was like night and day more noticable power, and seemed like quicker RPM's etc. Same gearbox, same ECU and electronis, same cooling system, etc. Just the 2.1 long block was swapped, much better performance.

I still buy and own 1.9's and although some water hoses etc are harder to come by I beleive that they are good engines. Heck even driven one cross country with little complaints. Cruise all day on flat interstates at 65-70mph once you work your way to it..

[regis101]

Thanks for the real time experience. It seems that the 2.1 has a ten more hp and tq.
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Peace, Regis