Club 80-90 Forums

Evening all.
So I would like a little more power, but we bought an air cooled because we wanted an air cooled. I rebuilt the engine when we got the van and it runs well.
However i would like a few more BHP. So I keep thinking about what could I do if the bank balance would allow...
i don't want racing... maybe just enhanced....
The question for the evening..... what wound you do.....
I'm hoping to put together a shopping list. Then I can start saving.

Its a type 4 engine you have so lots of things you could do to it, all depends have much dosh you can throw at it.

I suppose thats the point. if i do my fantasy list now i'll be able to save up. if I wanted to buy a "new" stock engine it would be thousands......

Even stock parts for a type 4 engine are expensive. Performance stuff (if you can get it) - several times that. Its not a route I'd want to go (for more reasons that I could cover here) but you could change the carbs and help the engine breath with a better exhaust. Better cam would help.

CovKid wrote:Even stock parts for a type 4 engine are expensive. Performance stuff (if you can get it) - several times that. Its not a route I'd want to go (for more reasons that I could cover here) but you could change the carbs and help the engine breath with a better exhaust. Better cam would help.

Speaking of a better exhaust I am about to extend your bike can idea by putting my bike can onto speedshop pipe work, will let you know which sounds the better as I will leave the speedshop box on first before changing it. Should have it done in a couple of weeks if I get a day free

Long as its from a big bike. Still love the sound of mine. Friends say its unique. The other advantage is that if you ever do have to replace one, its so cheap. Most I've ever had to pay is £20.

NicBeeee wrote:

CovKid wrote:Even stock parts for a type 4 engine are expensive. Performance stuff (if you can get it) - several times that. Its not a route I'd want to go (for more reasons that I could cover here) but you could change the carbs and help the engine breath with a better exhaust. Better cam would help.

Speaking of a better exhaust I am about to extend your bike can idea by putting my bike can onto speedshop pipe work, will let you know which sounds the better as I will leave the speedshop box on first before changing it. Should have it done in a couple of weeks if I get a day free

How come you're changing the back box Nic?

slowcoach wrote: How come you're changing the back box Nic?

I cant help myself from experimenting with things particularly when it will only take me a few minutes. But at least I can put the speedshop box back on if needed.

if you were going for a better exhaust would you sacrifice the heat exchangers?

NicBeeee wrote:

slowcoach wrote: How come you're changing the back box Nic?

I cant help myself from experimenting with things particularly when it will only take me a few minutes. But at least I can put the speedshop box back on if needed.

Heh yes understood

Just confused as I couldn't sell the thing without the back box on it, not a sniff. So I upped the price a bit and included the box, and 4 buyers came at once!

My personal favourite is the 2270cc type 4 (I run one in my bay)

78mm DPR crank
H beam rods
Web 86a cam
96mm Keith Black pistons
44x38 valve heads

Low impact on the case (no machining required)

Most expensive part of the build is the heads..

This will run fine through a stock exhaust system, you just sacrifice a bit of top end

Hey Paul, I just checked out the Facebook link in your post above, very impressive stuff Do you work on T25 motors as well? (just curious).

Thanks for the input. I might be saving up for a visit to Paul's now.

If talking fantasy then something along the lines of Porsche 3.6 flat 6 with a G50 box to match, but if closer to reality then Probably something more like the vw/audi 2.5tdi with a box to match it, it is a camper after all and MPG will in reality come into it if you use it to travel quite a bit, the porker will probably be managing less than 12mpg in a T25 body where as the TDI is probably closer to the low to mid 30's that's a lot of difference in fuel.

not to mention the price of Porsche repair parts/costs are not something your average owner could deal with

I've always said that 2.5 to 3.0 is about right to pull the weight of the vehicle. VW themselves were in complete fantasy land in fitting the engines they did - particularly the 1.6D. This no doubt hastened its demise. In the 1980s there weren't really any big engines designed that seriously included efficiency in the equation. Fitting bigger engines from that period does make them more responsive but given the progress that has been made in engine design since, the ideal 'fantasy' would be something significantly newer transplanted in there. Finding one that is as cheap to fix is the challenge lest you go from expensive hobby to very expensive hobby.

The trick I think is to go just big enough so you can at least accelerate comfortably when needed and an engine that is widely used as well as straightforward to service. I have not as yet found that ideal. I just keep looking.