What size engine should I build?

[OrangeMango]

I have a 1600 engine that's not running and I've been trying to figure out what I want to build it into. What I want is a daily driver that has power but wont have over heating issues.

I was talking to my local vw shop and they said anything bigger than a 1700cc I may run into overheating issues but id like to ask the community, does anyone run a 18, 19, or 2100cc engine and have issues?

The main reason I dont want to build a clean 1600cc is because i have an a** of a younger brother who talks all the time because my beetle is so slow. I want to build something that has decent speed but something I can drive daily without breaking down between home and work.

Any suggestions are helpful.
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1972 Super Beetle stock 1600 DP
1967 Karmann Ghia stock 1500 SP

[SubbinNCali]

I run a 2275 that Chico built me from a core daily. Anywhere between 50-150 miles a day with zero issues. I say build it big. Heat issues will come from the quality of the build, not the size.

[Brian]

You building, or get a shop to build?
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Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[Bock]

I think the answer depends on what your budget is, and what your daily commute looks like. I wouldn't want to dump a bunch of money into a big motor to sit on I-5 in traffic all afternoon. 1776's have a good reliable rep for daily driver. I had 2. Put dual Kads on one with a 110 cam and mildly ported heads. It was very reliable.

[Danwvw]

Yes overheating!
Well, Given no mechanical problems and a good doghouse engine, it's a function of how the engine breathes more than anything else. Decide on what you want to spend on carbs and go from there. Small Dual IDF's or Dual DRLA's make a dual port bug engine really breath! You can find used carbs here on the samba. Some will be junk others are quite nice. Pot Luck. But you've got to be fearless to buy them and rebuild them yourself but they are very friendly carburetors to work on. Once you understand how air-fuel ratios and the cam combo controls heat in these air-cooled engines you won't even need a sump or an oil cooler on a daily driver.

There is a very good chance that your old engine is shot. Crank no good. Case hammered out. Heads cracked. So probably need another engine if you're planning a quick turn-around time for this.
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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[mikewilkinson007]

[SubbinNCali]

[Danwvw]

I would consider what kind of gas mileage you're looking for. Small displacement bug engines can get 30 MPG in a bug and large ones will probably still be above 20 MPG in a Bug but less around town. The following would all work nicely with the small 40IDF Weber or 36DRLA Dellorto carbs.

1585cc Stock 85.5mm pistons and cylinders with cam and carbs 60HP
1679cc with just 88mm pistons and cylinders with cam and carbs 75HP
1968cc or 2054cc are possible with a 74mm stroke crank and AA Performance P&C kits if you open the case and heads for 94's. Double or more the stock horsepower. I would consider these all, pretty small displacement. Note! (There is an article in the last "HOT VW" about builds and its kind of negative on using 94mm opened heads because the cut across the stud hole is a likely problem area.) (However it would be not so much concern with the 1968cc.)

If going with new carbs you will probably wind up with a set of these EMPI's for 1/2 the cost of new Webers but I have never tried them.

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1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths!

[modok]

Need more details to tell you what size to build.
What carburetors and exhaust systems are you willing to run?
Gearing?
What kind of conditions, city, highway, mountain passes?

Are larger engines have more problems?
Heck no, but it true there are limits to everything.

[Zundfolge1432]

[Danwvw]

[Krochus]

I have a 2165 big bore stroker in my rail and and now a turbocharged 1600 single port in a Baja bug.

If I had it to do all over again the rail would have a stock stroke 1600 or 1776 with good pistons and a turbskie.

I will never build another big cam, big displacement dual carb air Cooled VW again.

[Danwvw]

[Krochus]

[gt1953]

I like one of the motivations the Poster wants to build an engine as he says;
([The main reason I dont want to build a clean 1600cc is because i have an a** of a younger brother who talks all the time because my beetle is so slow. I want to build something that has decent speed but something I can drive daily without breaking down between home and work.])
A flawless built 1745cc will do the trick. Do some homework and it is an engine Hot VW's did a few years ago.
_________________
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})

[Danwvw]

[Krochus]

At altitude turbocharging will have a HUGE advantage.

You will be able to climb hills at far fewer revs because your engine isn’t struggling to breath it will be able to operate just like you were at sea level

Fun historic fact turbocharging (then called turbosuperchargers) were developed just prior to WW2 by the Army Air Corps to give it’s aero engines good high altitude performance. This is why the Allison v1750 in the mustang sucked at high altitude compared to a Merlin. A turbocharged Allison like the p38 used couldn’t fit in the airframe. But the Merlin’s 2 stage supercharger was the next best thing.

[mark tucker]

for me I see no reason to build a small engine. also if your local builder wont do it thats because he cant do it so dont ask unless you want a swap meet trip to get rid of it. a 2332 shoud do just fine....if it's built right .

[OrangeMango]

Wow i didnt expect so many responses in one day. No i don't need this to be a quick build, I have a 1600cc DP in my 72 right now and thats my daily driver, this will be a project so ill have time also meaning with time comes money.

I plan on building it myself, I could buy a prebuilt 1776 from my local shop but I want to be the one to build it. I'm not too worried about gas milage, as of now i drive a short distance to and from work but my current engine gest bad mpg so anything getting about 20mpg sounds fine.

I'm in Sacramento CA so my altitude isnt high, just about 30 above sea level. I don't want to turbo it, 1 because I know trubos can get expensive and 2 because I've heard turbos kill engines faster.

Exaust I like is the 4 tip I've seen but I've read conflicting reviews on if the help or hurt vs stock exhaust. I'm not the best at adjusting carbs, my family usually take our cars to a local shop to get dialed in correctly, we can usually get it good enough to drive.

What I'm getting from everyones responces are build a 1776 or a 1968
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1972 Super Beetle stock 1600 DP
1967 Karmann Ghia stock 1500 SP

[ashman40]

From the Performance Engine forum....
Engine Builds / Combos - while the theme is best performance (HP and track times) you can find comments on reliable street motor setups.

From this forum's stickies:
Stock 1600 DP rebuild, step by step - walks you thru all the steps in tear down and rebuild of a stock 1600DP (1585cc) engine. In case you were thinking of doing it yourself. The long block build is basically the same regardless of displacement. Larger displacement means different P&Cs and more machine work to get larger stroke cranks and pistons to fit in the case/head, but assembly is nearly the same.

To me, it really comes down to how much $$$ are you willing to put into the engine?
Stock engine is probably the least expensive and most reliable as long as corners are not cut. You may be able to reuse many/all of the parts you already have.
As the displacement grows you will need more non-stock parts and more machine work. For example, above 1776cc (stock 69mm stroke x larger 90.5mm P&Cs) you probably want to look at replacing the stock DP heads with aftermarket CNC ported heads to allow the cylinders to breath easier. When you get above the 2.0L point you have already invested in a stroker crank and larger pistons, why would you want to limit their potential with small stock port heads and a stock carb. All of these extras cost $$. The point I am trying to make is that as displacement grow the cost will increase exponentially because of the larger number of non-stock parts will compound. So, how much do you want to spend?
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}