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air-cooled: engine swaps? overbore, larger pistons?
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dlb
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:43 pm    Post subject: air-cooled: engine swaps? overbore, larger pistons? Reply with quote

after the recent big road trip, i got to fantasizing about having just a tad more power in the air-cooled westfalia. are there any relatively direct bolt-in air-cooled engines? i've come to like the air-cooled design and know that porsche also made some air-cooled engines.

failing that, is there any room for overboring these cylinders and putting in larger pistons?
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82WestyMan
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Porsche engines don't have the torque you need
You're not the first to wish for more power from your 2.0L A/C but it takes more than just increasing the displacement, you need better heads, a better cam and fuel management before increasing the displacement
If you haven't stopped by AirCooled Technologies, it's worth a visit and time
Jake is considered by many to be the final word on increased performance Type4 engines
... but check you bank account first... the real, reliable increased Type4 performance doesn't come cheap
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fredn
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cam and 1700 big valve heads. AA makes large pistons and cylinders. megasquirt?

time and research.

balanced crank, matched pistons

you can spend your time or spend your money with jake.

Jake will tell you he is the only way and honestly for most people he is, but you can do it yourself.

Do some reading on the performance part of the samba forums. People build big type 4 engines all the time.
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tencentlife wrote:
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

maybe 4 cyl. 356 Porsche engines don't have the torque you need

but, a 3.0L Porsche SC motor will have much, much more torque than any Vanagon motor - it is after all, a much larger motor

what you are thinking of is the curve of torque vs. rpm - which will be slanted more towards the higher rpm's on a sports car engine

OTOH, the SC motor uses CIS and has a very torquey and not so power-making torque curve
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Popsvan
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any hope for an A/C auto wety getting more pep? Even with a built engine?
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Randy in Maine
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Raby Camper Special in my '79 bus and it does have a nice torque curve and runs pretty cool.

I trust you have been here?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=326567&highlight=camper+special
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thummmper
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

my machinist builds a 2400 aircooled engine that lives. I never asked what it costs, but he had an aftermarket injection rig on one he said was worth 10k. I'm sure his special race motor was much more than his other engines. said he sold it for 7k, which leads to a much lower number for the 2.4 with cog belt, striker crank, etc.
he complained that new vw cases were 750.00 now, a lot more than he used to pay a year ago.
I would be curious to drive one myself.
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fredn
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thummper I've watched your work on the mid-enginge chrysler. If you can't build an air cooled that rips no one could. Obviously not your cup of tea as you have chosen the more challenging and (for me anyway) very interesting custom motor option. Anyway thanks for the DIY inspiration. I always think of how hard your project is when I get stuck on a simple rusted bolt. I think, "Oh well, at least I don't have to _______ fill in the blank with some crazy thummmper fab work.
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tencentlife wrote:
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard
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ddwbeagles
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 11:30 pm    Post subject: AC Type 4 Reply with quote

Looks like most of the important links have been mentioned, but you'll have a wider audience over on the bay forumn since most of them (bar the Type 1 crowd) are driving said engines. Jake's camper specials seem to set the standard, but they are not cheap. There are a few (very few) others that can build a more powerful and reliable engine, but do your research and avoid the mass builders like the plague.
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Jake Raby
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

82WestyMan wrote:
Porsche engines don't have the torque you need
You're not the first to wish for more power from your 2.0L A/C but it takes more than just increasing the displacement, you need better heads, a better cam and fuel management before increasing the displacement
If you haven't stopped by AirCooled Technologies, it's worth a visit and time
Jake is considered by many to be the final word on increased performance Type4 engines
... but check you bank account first... the real, reliable increased Type4 performance doesn't come cheap


Glad yours is still performing well Smile

The CS has gone through some evolutionary changes and is better than ever.. Today the reality is that the engine costs 12,500.00 to purchase and won't be getting any cheaper, at all.

The current combo for the engine will carry it through 2014, but I'd expect by then that it will be a 14-15,000.00 expenditure IF we can continue to source the quality components that are required to create it.

In engine kit form, its going away completely.
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fredn
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

12,500?

only makes sense in a porsche.
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tencentlife wrote:
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard
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reluctantartist
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The CS has gone through some evolutionary changes and is better than ever.. Today the reality is that the engine costs 12,500.00 to purchase and won't be getting any cheaper, at all.


Jake is that for a complete engine or the engine kit?
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fredn
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

complete engine as stated above
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tencentlife wrote:
...most are doing what most auto forum participants do, parroting things they've heard
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