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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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 Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject: Engine dating. |
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Yes fellas, I'm that desperate. I don't have anything better to do on a Saturday afternoon than date my engine.
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It's "AE 099098", which is weird because I thought all "Hecho in Mexico" Things had AM codes. What's the deal here -- is my engine a replacement?
Thanks,
- Scott
P.S. My Thing's VIN # is: 184 2542 182, if that helps. |
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suntour
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2004
Posts: 443
Location: Woodinville, WA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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AE engine codes are for 1600cc dual ports made between 1971-1972 bugs. And yes Thing cases were AM. Looks like you got your self a replacement engine.
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| suntour wrote: |
| AE engine codes are for 1600cc dual ports made between 1971-1972 bugs. And yes Thing cases were AM. Looks like you got your self a replacement engine. |
The AE and AM engines are functionally equivalent, right? My Thing is so far from Perfect shape that I don't care if something is original, but it would be a bummer if it were an inferior replacement. Would the AE be a good engine to mod into an 1835?
Thanks, suntour!
- Scott |
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bljones
Resident Wit
Joined: February 08, 2002
Posts: 2377
Location: ontario canada
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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the AE case engine is a good base to build from, but i wouldn't build an 1835, due to cylinder egging. either build a 1776 or a 1915.
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OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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| bljones wrote: |
| the AE case engine is a good base to build from, but i wouldn't build an 1835, due to cylinder egging. either build a 1776 or a 1915. |
What is "cylinder egging"? I thought 1915s had the thinnest cylinder walls. |
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suntour
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2004
Posts: 443
Location: Woodinville, WA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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Bljones is referring to the super thin walls of the 92mm deforming from the heat (i.e. egging). The cylinder wall thickness of a 1915 I believe (don’t quote me on this) is very close to stock 1600 wall thickness.
I think there is a small difference between an AM case and an AE case. I know the AM case has a place to bolt up the Thing skid plates and the Universal replacement cases (like mine) also have those. I don’t know if yours has that extra little gizmo on it though..??..
There are two schools of though on rebuilding engines. The Gene Berg mentality is that you always use a fresh case when you rebuilt but others seem to think that just an align-bore it fine to rebuild. Read up on this and make your own educated decision.
Personally I have a 1776 with an align-bore on a Universal case. It has lasted 10 years but I have always noticed the oil pressure light flickers when I have driven it hard for a long time and dropped it down to idle. It has always driven me nuts, but so far it has lasted quite some time.
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| suntour wrote: |
| Bljones is referring to the super thin walls of the 92mm deforming from the heat (i.e. egging). The cylinder wall thickness of a 1915 I believe (don’t quote me on this) is very close to stock 1600 wall thickness. |
Okay... I did some reading elsewhere, and it seems that the 92mm cylinders have the thinnest walls of the lot.
| Quote: |
| I think there is a small difference between an AM case and an AE case. I know the AM case has a place to bolt up the Thing skid plates and the Universal replacement cases (like mine) also have those. I don’t know if yours has that extra little gizmo on it though..??.. |
That's a good question! I'll look for that.
| Quote: |
There are two schools of though on rebuilding engines. The Gene Berg mentality is that you always use a fresh case when you rebuilt but others seem to think that just an align-bore it fine to rebuild. Read up on this and make your own educated decision.
Personally I have a 1776 with an align-bore on a Universal case. It has lasted 10 years but I have always noticed the oil pressure light flickers when I have driven it hard for a long time and dropped it down to idle. It has always driven me nuts, but so far it has lasted quite some time. |
How has the 1776 done for you, performance-wise? I'm not looking to drag race, but I *would* like something that can keep up with traffic on the highway. 
- Scott |
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suntour
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2004
Posts: 443
Location: Woodinville, WA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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My 1776 is fairly mild. Stock crank with a aftermarket cam, street eliminator heads and dual 40 Webers. (I bought the heads with the idea that I would bump it up to a 2110 when I could afford a new case and a good crank. However I never got around to doing it.)
I would say the 1776 is definitely better that a 1600 but I am still the slow guy on the freeway. I don’t think I could ever go back to a stock engine though, I had the opportunity to go for a ride a while back in a completely stock 73’ Thing and kept thinking it would help if I got out and pushed. It was just too damn slow.
I am definitely going for a 2270 Type IV next. I can’t wait to be able to cruise at 80 and not have to down shift for a hill.
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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| suntour wrote: |
My 1776 is fairly mild. Stock crank with a aftermarket cam, street eliminator heads and dual 40 Webers. (I bought the heads with the idea that I would bump it up to a 2110 when I could afford a new case and a good crank. However I never got around to doing it.)
I would say the 1776 is definitely better that a 1600 but I am still the slow guy on the freeway. I don’t think I could ever go back to a stock engine though, I had the opportunity to go for a ride a while back in a completely stock 73’ Thing and kept thinking it would help if I got out and pushed. It was just too damn slow.
I am definitely going for a 2270 Type IV next. I can’t wait to be able to cruise at 80 and not have to down shift for a hill. |
Okay. I put the top down on my Thing yesterday and boldly drove onto I-380*. It was exhilarating driving a convertible on the freeway, which I'd never done before. Also a little scary because the wind was really pushing on me! And whenever I had to slow down for traffic, people passed me as I fought to accelerate back to speed. I topped out at 67 MPH per the speedometer**.
Great experience, but I'll need more oomph*** if I'm going to be as confident going on a freeway again. 
* Two-lane divided highway, 65 MPH limit, min 40 MPH
** Which I'm guessing is closer to 62 MPH in real life.
*** At this point, I'm pretty sure I won't build anything smaller than 2.0 L when I do.
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1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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