Reliability with a little more power

[Jakeman75]

Just bought a beetle with a pretty tight engine think the cam bearing is out so I'm going to build another engine but I don't want over kill and I don't want to lose the reliability as I am going to try to drive it down to dade city in November for bugjam. I have the stuff to build what I believe would be an 1800 74x88 but I do not want any harsh upgrades. I also have two single barrel weber carbs that I was thinking about putting on for a little better airflow along with porting and polishing heads but I am unsure on the valve size I would need. I've never built an 1800 before so I'm also not real sure on the little things like overheating and wear and tear. Any suggestions

[bugguy1967]

This post topic is is a very common one. Be prepared for suggestions from mild 1600cc to 2332cc.

Reality is, anything can be reliable. Very reliable. "Overkill" is relative to the owner. Actually, so is "reliable".

What will make an engine reliable is attention to detail, correct compression ratio, deck height, chamber size, bearings being spec'd, ring gaps measured and corrected, jetting dead-on, quality parts, and not going too far off the beaten path of what has already been done.

Now commence the size recommendations!

[[email protected]]

I suggest you post your budget IN DOLLARS, since that will be the prime issue guiding good answers.
_________________
It's just advice, do whatever you want with it!

Please do NOT send me Private Messages through the Samba PM System (I will not see them). Send me an e-mail to john at aircooled dot net

"Like" our Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/vwpartsaircoolednet
and get a 5% off code for use on one order for VW Parts ON OUR PARTS STORE WEBSITE, vwparts.aircooled.net

[raul arrese]

Post all the stuff you say you have ?? I wana hear the critics ?
_________________
" Hot vw feature , may 2014 issue "
" 2013 Bug Jam class winner "
" Bug Jam best motor and best paint "
" 2013 Lakeland Classic Best of Show "
" 2014 Show and Shine , First in class "
"
Like my facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raul-Arrese-custom-fabrication-and-performance/1832968110262608

[nsracing]

He wants to buy 300 acres but only want to plow 1 acre.

Why don't you just say...I want to build this and here is the money. Will be simpler.

[nextgen]

Your question is a bit vague. You have I guess a 1600 and you want a bit more power and reliability. On one end of the spectrum you can just put a cam in, balance every moving part, install the two single barrel carbs and a extractor exhaust. The cam with the other parts and balancing will make a difference and be reliable. Also inexpensive.

The rest we have no clue what you want -- Power How much, and how much are you willing to pay.

The more power the more money and you just can't stick parts in if you want reliability so to again more money.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[Cusser]

I recently had my case (case savers) and heads re-machined, and assembled a rebuilt 1600cc DP engine for my 1970; I'd say that cost me about $1200-$1500 for the engine as I bought new 85.5 pistons/cylinders, lifters, bearings, Maxi2 pump/filter, etc.

Now with about (estimate) $60 in extra machining, one could simply use 90.5mm or 92mm pistons/cylinders, would install the same, and you could keep everything else stock and get some extra hp without trying for even more with carburetion, head work, etc.

My own 1835cc DP engine in my other VW has used stock camshaft, stock heads (except opening for the 92mm stuff), and hasn't been apart since 1986. And in Arizona heat.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[mark tucker]

so... just how did you come up with tight cam bearing
FYI the reliability is the engine builder for the most part not the size/out put of the motor.

[Jakeman75]

I would like to spend between 1500 and 2000 that is the reason I was curious about my 74 mm crank and 88 mm pistons. I really just want to be able to cruise down the interstate at 80 with no issues and maybe be able to pass a car or two if I need to. The motor in the car was rebuilt when I bought it and I had no intentions of leaving it in there due to the shade tree job on it. I just took the case to the shop today and found it was line bored incorrectly there was also no relief spring in the case either when I was tearing it down. The motor in it was a 1641 I believe made from jb weld and bubble gum.

[raul arrese]

[vugbug68]

I've done a 1800 before and it was very reliable and fun to drive.

but there are a few things to keep in mind:

You need to clearance the piston skirts so they clear the crank counterweights and then balance them, also you need to add about .100" of shims below the cylinders to get the correct deck height.

A 1776 or 1835 is an easier build and all can be reliable
_________________
71 Super - Backroad Thrasher
66 Corvair - Weekend Cruiser
90 4 Runner - Muddin

[[email protected]]

a stock 1600 will go 85mph all day long, so wanting to go 80 and thinking you need a performance engine to do it doesn't make sense.
_________________
It's just advice, do whatever you want with it!

Please do NOT send me Private Messages through the Samba PM System (I will not see them). Send me an e-mail to john at aircooled dot net

"Like" our Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/vwpartsaircoolednet
and get a 5% off code for use on one order for VW Parts ON OUR PARTS STORE WEBSITE, vwparts.aircooled.net

[Jakeman75]

Would dual carbs help on the fuel economy?

[[email protected]]

If you drive the same, yes. If your "enjoy" the extra power then no.

[Jakeman75]

I've got a crank, a case, a cam, jugs, pistons, heads, rods, carbs you name it. It just makes an oddball size motor I've never built before.

[Jakeman75]

I take that back I mainly have all the stuff laying around to build a 1600.

[jpaull]

Cruising at 80mph? What transmission do you have now?

To get a bug to "cruise"at 80mph the trans is gonna have to be geared for that.
_________________
[email protected] MPH 1/4 Mile & 8.1 @ 83.7MPH in 1/8 Mile with Mild Type 1 VW Mag Case 2234cc commuter engine in stock weight bug w/only .491 total lift(CB2292 Cam), 42x37 heads, 48idf's, Street tires, Belt on, Mufflers, Pump gas, video of the run here: https://youtu.be/M3SPqMOKAOg

Transmission by MCMScott:
Rhino case, Klinkenberg 4.12, Superdiff, 002 mainshaft with 091 first idler. Weddle 1.48 Third & 1.14 Fourth.

[Max Welton]

Once you get past the longblock, reliability is mostly a factor of how the electrics (ignition), fuel delivery (tank, lines, carbs , linkage, pump) and especially the cooling system are executed.

Very easy to turn a perfectly nice engine of any displacement and output level into an absolute nightmare by screwing up any of the above.

Max
_________________
1967 Type-3 Fastback
Under the Knife https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=151582
Home Stretch https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=767836

[Jakeman75]

I've got a freeway flyer transmission but I've not installed it or tried it yet.

[gt1953]

Are the speed limits 80 mph in your area??
Ever drove a bug at 80 mph...OMG
As far as what you want to build, balance everything.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})