Club 80-90 Forums

I have lost compression on one cylinder and have been looking at my rebuild options. I really need more power to use the van to tow and have looked last week at replacing with a Scooby engine. RJS very helpful, but spoke to a chap on friday who rebuilds the 2.0ltr A/C

The guy at laperformance reckons that I can get polenty of power from the 2.0 A/C by rebuilding, improving heads and cams and also new carbs.

The scooby conversion will cost around £3k, I think the engine rebuild will be the same... But at least I can keep the van and use it towing rather than buy a T4.

Anyone tried the 2.4 conversion and modiying options using the CU engine?? You can buy a 2.4 CU rebuilt vega engine for £2.1k here (Bottom of the page)
http://www.theengineshop.info/acatalog/ ... ooled.html

Any thoughts / suggestins / abuse ??

I am not looking to go fast!
I just want to be able to go uphill towing 1000kg without using 1st gear

Bump..!

Does anyone have a rebuilt 2.0ltr A/C that is modified?

Pouch,
for an alternative viewpoint, give elite VW in Basildon a ring. We were talking to them about uprating a 2.0cu (just out of interest, nowt else) and there view was that you can bore them out, but this leaves very thin cylinders or something - it was a while ago, sorry - which they said they felt would not last the distance I believe.

Worth a phone call?

Em
x

You get what you pay for... and on this occasion I doubt you would get anything like what you pay for.. (It sounds far too cheap... in my opinion)

A 2.4 type 4 is not an easy build and at that price... something has to give..

keeping it 2L and making the improvements for torque and reliable power is what you need..

The CU engine was underpowered to start with. 68BHP. There are things you can do, but none cheap.
A mild cam and better carbs would add power, exspecially if you get rid of the hydraulic followers.
One problem is that you can't use big valve 18oo heads, straight out of the box, so you'd need to get your own heads modified by LA or Jim at Stateside.

The other thing you could look at would be to transfer a 2.1 water boxer, lock stock and barrel into your van, but that depends on how much work you are able to do. The 2.1 DJ gives 102BHP. A low compression 2.1 MV would take a pair of IDF carbs, a mild type1 cam and give you more like 110BHP. The rebuild on one of those is around £800.
I had one with Weber Alpha the I did many years ago, that had 135 BHP and 175 ft lbs torque. RTrouble was the installation cost of the Weber Alpha was horrendous.

Thanks guys useful viewpoints.

I put the Vege engine 2.4 on as a comparison as it is available to buy.

I think my best option is to stay Aircooled and get the engine rebuilt by a reliable place. LAperformance will no doubt do a good job, but cost was £4.5k (inc carbs / head etc) drive in drive out

I am planning to use the guys at RJN Motorsport. I am expecting not to get any change from £3k and do some of the work myself, remove and send the engine, then take for fitting.

Plan is to end up with around 100+bhp and more torque

Does that sound achieveable?

Em, thanks for the link to Elite, I gave them a call, but I don't think they are the guys to rebuild my engine with more torque and power.

Stateside were very interesting to talk to, think they will be expenisive but let's wait and see.

Suggestions so far

LA - keep the bottom standard for torque, rebuild it, work on head, carbs and ingnition.

Stateside - change crank, rods, head, carbs and ingnition. Interestingly he though I could keep the heat exchangers and they should work well, he thought it was a good system (when working)

RJN Motorsport - same view as LA

All subject to my black and crank not being junk..

The bottom end is pretty tough, though not suited to high revs, which is fine in a camper... clean measure, grind if needed etc... resize rods, poss fully balance and shot peen..

pistons and heads are where its at, nice mild flow job with quality seats fitted and new valves, + a nice cam and followers... cam choice is everything and will make or break it.. carbs will top it off and get it all set up on a rolling road...

Thanks Toomanytoys.

Do you think I will get that done for £3k?

Certainly LA would be more and I suspect stateside, but RJN Motorsport are a bit smaller and I can do some of the donkey work myself.

£3k = £2.5k on paint is plenty of money to spend on the van, but as I've had it 8 years... It owes me nothing and I cant bring myself to sell it anyway

Spanner in the works here.....

A stroker CT motor with extra cooling and a pair of 36idf carbs would give you the 100BHP.

Kinky Mick, from the Happy Wheel shack runs a 1966 CT all over Europe, carrying parts. That had 87BHP at 4,000 (Mini sport in Padiham didn't want to rev it more) when new. using 36s, stock type 1 heads and 90.5 barrels and pistons. It's 2 years old and just coming in for a bigger cam etc.

On the other hand, it should be possible to convert your CU heat exchangers to match the big valve 1800 heads (I have a nearly new pair, £400)

I can't see where the big money comes in...

Rebuild 2 litre bottom end. Supply and fit mild performance cam. Supply and fit new 2 litre barrels and pistons supply and fit pair of 1800 big valve heads. £1500. Change CU heat exchangers,using second hand type4 heat exchanger flanges. Fit short manifolds with rebuilt 36 IDF or DRLA say. £800.

Balancing???? The engine was built to rev at 5400, which is as high as you'll need to go. The crank will be good and the rods should be checked for weight balance at those revs. Something that any rebuilder should be doing anyway. Flywheel may have a groove where the seal has been running. Speed-e-sleeve will rectify that for all of £18.

If you saw the amount of high priced engined vans chugging up the motorway at 60MPH, you'd wonder why the owners bothered to spend the money. They say "cry once" but what you're looking for isn't a mega dosh engine, it's just a slightly better than stock one.

jh engines just rebuilt a mates cu motor, cammed for more torque, running 40mm dells it made 102 bhp on the rollers today and bags more torque.