1982 Westy engine swap for 914?

[Heli]

I have a 1982 Vanagon Westy with low miles and in excellent
overall condition and it came with factory AC. My main complaint
with the old air-cooled busses, were that they were underpowered.
The 2 liter engine has 67 horsepower. The most powerful of the 914
Porsche engines was the 1973, which actually put out 104
horsepower. I have purchased one of these engines and plan to do an
engine swap. Physically, the engine on the outside is almost
identical to the bus engine. The throttle linkage is different and
the air cleaner is different, which I can see by observation. I have
also purchased external oil coolers to keep the high HP Porsche
engine cool. It should be a great and reliable Westy after the
conversion, and I am real excited about the thoughts of it when
finished.
I would appreciate any information that anyone has about doing
the engine swap, and any links you could point me to which would
provide help or more detailed instructions for the swap.
Heli,
NE Ohio

[dieselvanagon]

Keep me informed on this swap, I am curious enough to try it myself

have located a 83 7 Passenger air cooled, which has a blown motor (arnt they all????)

My older brother races 911's AND just happens to have an older 911 4 banger that he rolled. We are kicking the idea around.....

how I would love to try one of his flat sixes in a vanagon....

[Randy in Maine]

I am not sure you are going to get what you think. You don't need horsepower in a bus, you need torque to get the beast moving.

The 914 engine (although a sweet one IMNSHO) if it is a code W, EA, or EB 1.7 L (bore of 90mm x stroke of 66mm) doesn't put out the torque of the 2.0 bus engine (94mm x 71mm) and the HP doesn't really come on until you are pretty much wound out at 4900 RPMs. I think the bus is done at 4200 with the torque coming on sooner. That is about 72 or 74 MPH with the stock 25.5" wheels which is about all I would want to drive my bus at.

Good idea with the external cooler. Make sure you put on a CHT also since they do like to heat up until they hit that cooling sweet spot at 3800 RPMs. Awkward adjusting the valves on that engine, but that is just the way it is. Been here?

http://www.tunacan.net/t4/tech/index.shtml

Raby does a nice type 4 engine also, been there?

http://www.massivetype4.com/

Actually it sounds like an interesting project. If you are pretty handy it should go pretty well. Post some photos.

[Heli]

It can be done to put a 911 in an air cooled bus. Check http://www.type2.com/ and click on library and engine conversions and there are two articles on the 911 conversion. There aren't any on the 2.0 914 engine conversion that I want to do.

"dieselvanagon We are kicking the idea around how I would love to try one of his flat sixes in a vanagon.... "

[Heli]

Randy,
I think the 1973 914 2.0 should provide a lot more performance than the stock Vanagon engine. The specs are as follows:
Vanagon engine, 67 horsepower @ 4200 RPM
101 FT-lb torque @ 3000 RPM
73 914 2.0 engine, 104 horsepower @ 4900 RPM (tested stock on dyno)
115 FT-lb torque at 3500 RPM
That is a 55% more horsepower than the bus engine.
That is a 14% increase in torque.
With the horsepower being developed at a higher RPM, that will make for more power at highway speeds where it is needed, and more power for the hills. And if you have to downshift into third, it will alow for a higher RPM and thus a higher speed going up those hills.
My main point is not higher top speed, but more power for the hills. Yes, torque is important, but so is horsepower and with 55% more available, that should make a significant difference.
Yep, I will keep you all posted as to how it come out. I know I am going to have to do some fab work of my own to adapt the air cleaner and throttle. I do have a spare Vanagon engine that I can swap parts such as the metal shrouding, before doing the engine swap, so that should make it ia lot easier.
Heli

[weinerwagen]

I got a couple of spare 2.0's to play with. Local expert on air heads is helping me put one 2.0 together for the westie. He claims it wont be hard to get 90-100 hp out of a 2.0 with some head work and cam ????

[Randy in Maine]

I agree it can be done. If you are going to all that expense, you might as well fine tune it to do it right.

http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewforum.php?f=1

those guys have done a lot of conversions to improve the low end on type 4 engines and to give you the durability you are going to need. I would think the proper cam and head work would really improve the performance of the stock engine in that 2K-4K power range. You want the HP/torque to come on early.

Post some photos. I would love to see them!