Time to make the motor look good

[aircooledtechguy]

Before I install the 2.0L Porsche motor and 923 trans in my '67 Square, I've got to get it looking the part (and feeling the part), so this weekend I stripped down the motor and pressure washed it clean(er) and will be sending everything off to the powder coater for a good coating of 60% gloss black for the tins. Plenum and runners will be getting the gray treatment. I'm switching out the bus header boxes for a set of T-4 boxes I had been saving. So those and the exhaust will be getting ceramic coated so it doesn't look like they are 100+ years old back there. D@mn, there i$ a lot of tin on the$e motor$!!

Before:


After:


While the long block is exposed, I'm going to take this opportunity to remove the original 94mm 914 P&Cs in favor for a set of flat-top 96s. This motor, while it runs very strong, has been using some oil. I think the rings have lost their tension over the years (and it sat for several). Since the heads were freshened only about 4K miles ago, this will be a nice opportunity to add some flat-top big bore pistons and new rings into the mix. I'm looking forward to feeling the difference.

While fitting the trans, I discovered that if I removed a double wall under the rear of the car, I have enough room for a T-4 gas heater under there in the stock location. So, that is on the agenda for installation. I really want nice, clean, instant heat if I am to use this car daily. So more wiring will have to happen. . .

[supaninja]

Looking good Nate!

I like that breather, I have never seen seen one like that before.

[aircooledtechguy]

Looking good Nate!

I like that breather, I have never seen seen one like that before.

Thanks! The breather is one that I custom made originally for this conversion. Then decided on a different design. It's only to plug the hole in this photo for the pressure washing. . .

[Daniel G]

If you sprayed some oven cleaner on the engine for a few minutes I bet the rest of that gunk would wash right off. I know it works on magnesium engine cases..Just don't let it sit too long before you hose it back off. And testing in an inconspicuous area first might be a good idea too.

[aircooledtechguy]

The pressure washer got the big stuff in all the areas you can see when the motor has the tins and shroud on, so I'm O.K. with that . If I go too clean on my motor,. . . I may feel the need to make the rest of the car as sano. . . AND THAT AIN'T HAPPENIN'!!

I should have the rest of the tins and the shroud back tomorrow and have it all finished up by Saturday. Ran out of hose for the plenum, so I'll pick up more this week. The 96mm P&C went on without a hitch so now it's a 2056cc mill. This gave me the opportunity to peak at the cam,. . . It's got typical wear that ALL T-4s have, but it's far from toast (just under 100K) and the motor still pulled like a train, so I didn't bother splitting the case. The cam in my 914 is toast and it feels like it (w/ over 250K on the motor, you yawn as you "accelerate" ).

I almost forgot that I had to change out the conversion flywheel back to a Porsche type and clutch set. So I'll loose the lightened flywheel. That should increase my fuel mileage though and some of the power loss on acceleration will be gained back by the new P&C set and the added CR so I'm hoping to not feel that too much. With the addition of the 2mm larger pistons with flat tops I should gain nearly a full point in CR!! This should be nice and snappy.

[supaninja]

What's your deck height with the new pistons?

[aircooledtechguy]

it measured out @ .040" which is about as low as I want to go. If you spin a motor up at the upper end, that clearance goes away real quick once the crank begins flexing. Now I have just shy of 9.0:1 which is right where I like 'em.

[aircooledtechguy]

Finally got the rest of the tins on and all the clamps,. . .clamped. I should have the ceramic coated header/muffler and T-4 H/Es back tomorrow afternoon. . .

This is going to make the rest of the car look like CR*P!!!

[supaninja]

That's purdier then mine! I really like that cooling adapter.

[Munchhausen]

Looks great!
What will the ignition and its wiring look like?

munch

[aircooledtechguy]

Thanks guys. The ignition is Ford EDIS; that's why it's plugged. It's running MS2 w/ a harness I built and loomed in shrink-tube so it's not real noticeable when installed.

One final shot before I install it. I got the header, muffler and T-4 H/Es, ceramic coated black so it's not the center of attention when you see the back of the car. Think "Super Sleeper"

[supaninja]

I really wanted to run my muffler at that angle but the dang magnaflow is just too big.

[Roverjosh]

That looks awesome! Great work. I am considering cleaning up my original motor and slapping some MS on it this summer. I've been reading Ninja's thread and I just don't want to wait until I am ready to build the bigger motor. My carbs suck anyway. Can't seem to get them dialed in.

I hope my refresh of my stock motor looks half that good! Keep up the good work.....No T4 for me though....just a stock 1600 DP.

[vwfye]

Nice man... and I miss Oak Harbor! That' where I grew up