2.0l Aircooled engine peformance

[AllenTheHat]

Apart from a bloody good service and different carbs, is there any way to get better performance out of an Aircooled 2l engine??

Plus.....anyone know what speed on the motorway one of these should be able to cruise at?

Ta

[billybigspud]

All depends on what you have in it. I sit at 60-65 quite nicely when loaded up. really long hills slow the momentum though.

[AllenTheHat]

The reason I ask is because 50-55 seems about the limit at the moment, and even up a slight incline on the motorway it gets slower....and slower.....until in need to pop it into third. This is based on not fully loaded with gear, and unserviced (this is being done the week after next)....im not sure when it was last serviced.

[faggie]

it should do 90 mph flatout if correctly set up but 60/65 mph is a more economical speed though

[Bowton Lad]

it should do 90 mph flatout if correctly set up but 60/65 mph is a more economical speed though

90mph? That's rather optimistic & not advisable in a 28+ year old vehicle particularly if it's still got the original engine. 70 - 75 mph sounds more realistic for the top speed but as faggie says 60 - 65 mph for cruising. Over 60 mph & fuel consumption will be even more horrendous than normal.

[bigherb]

As Faggie said the standard engine and tin top in good condition will do 90 flat out and will quite happily cruise at 80 but at the expense of fuel consumption. High tops will slow them down as will headwinds and the load in the van and even some modifications. Aircoolers can feel sluggish on motorways until they are thoroughly warmed up which can take five or more miles of hard driving, then they start to sing.

[jason k]

junk the crappy, leaky spindled, solex carbs and bang a pair of delorto 36 or 40 mm drla carbs

this will literally transform your motor.

if i ever bought a Aircooled wedge again this would be the first thing i would do.

the performance is vastly increased, mpg is increased and the induction sound is something else

as for cruise speed, mine would sit happily at 80 with these carbs and monster its way uphills it previously struggled up.

and my van had rebuilt solexs jetted on the dyno prior to fitting the dells.

iirc bhp at wheels went from 36 with solex to 55 with dells!!!

thats a lot of bang for your buck.

stateside tuning sell a kit

[AllenTheHat]

Thanks for your input guys. Once the service is done I was planning to strip down the carbs anyway. It could just be that the engine has not had some love thrown its way in a good few years.

[jason k]

you could but a cu motor on rebuilt solex will never be as good as one on dells

[ray63]

hi allen,ive just bought a 1981 t25 and am looking for an engine as mine came without.i fancy staying air coooled to keep the van original.do you know of anywhere that does reasonable recons.good luck with the tuneing,i,ll be there someday

[faggie]

fit bigger main jets to your solexes and its a cheap way getting more performance than shelling out for new dellortos plus they are easier to balance or fit the larger 412 carbs

[jason k]

sorry to disagree, i did just that to a pair of rebuilt solex built by steve shaw.

solex jets have to be drilled to enlarge, we did this in stages on a rolling road session and it does give more performance but the results are nowhere near what you get with dells (again dyno proven)

plus dells are far easier to balance.

all imho obviously

[72BUG]

Get used to going slowly. It's an old van not a racing car.

[matt-northey]

whats the single carb convertion like??? be easy to set up.

[leebo]

just been looking at the single carb conversion myself and was wondering the same more mpg maybe gotta be better performance than the twin solex