Engine Selection(Is Rotary the way to go??

VRSICK · Post by **VRSICK** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 9:20 am

I actually came to post a question, but it seems as though I may have gotten my answer...

Everyone seems to know alot about rotary engines in beetles, please teach me this scoop as to why this is the suggested method??

is it lighter than a type1 or type 4 engine?? does it produce more horses stock? Do people use the 12B or 13B TURBO engines?? And finally how much MORE time and effort and money will this run If I swap out a type1 and put in a rotary...

ALSO,
In HOT VW mag, i've read this ad for a pinto engine, i think, and they say its the ultumate replacement for the type1. Is this true?? I think it also said "280 HP NA!!!" thats alot if you ask me, but is it worth it or is rotary better?

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00 GTI GLX
Ractive Intake
AEZ Rims

Bob Wright · Post by **Bob Wright** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 9:55 am

Here is what Kennedy's catalog said about the Mazda 12a and 13b: Popular because of it's small size,power and smoothness, but is short on bottom end torque. Inefficent design reqires more fuel, a larger radiator, and an oil cooler. the exhaust is hotter and louder than piston engines. 90-160hp or 255hp turbo.
This about the pinto engine:2000cc excessive vibration for the street. 73-90hp.
2300cc 96hp or 120-200hp turbo

Crash · Post by **Crash** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 12:31 pm

The rotary is an expensive swap but good for sand or street where you can use a high revving motor with no low end. The pinto is much cheaper to get in there and has a lot of low-end and is good for most off-road but must be modified for high end. It all depends on what you want to do. I had an RX4 that would light the tires up all day long and rev to the moon but did not like tight twisty stuff unless I was in a higher gear.

-Mark

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Blind Chicken Racing
www.blindchickenracing.com

VRSICK · Post by **VRSICK** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 3:27 pm

Well, i'm more or less out there to build a bug that I can drive for the summer only, drive it hard, burn stangs and stuff, and take to the track every once in a while..... As much as I would like it to handle on the highway, and twisty stuff, it probably wont be able to be built for both, just one or the other.... so, I want to go with the engine choice that will get me low 1/4 times, and still be able to drive on the street when I want for the summer....

to the best of my knowledge, I have 4 choices.
1)type1
2)type4
3)pinto
4)rotary

I dont know what other choices I have, and or if it would even fit my program...

so what do you think?? what engine would most likely fit what i'm goin for??

ViolentBlue · Post by **ViolentBlue** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 5:20 pm

rotary sounds interesting, I'm considering it for my '59 transporter

but for a beetle, that you're planning on racing occasionally the type 4 is the only way to go. spend the few extra dollars and get the 911 fan conversion, it'll prove worth it for summer driving.

I've got a 1.7L 914 engine in my '54 beetle, paired to a 901 5 speed. its a simple swap, much easier than any water cooled swap.

reub-revhead · Post by **reub-revhead** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 4:58 am

Why not look into a Subaru conversion?
A mate of mine has a Subaru 1.8lt turbo that puts out 150hp at the tyres going by a dyno readout in a 600kg beach buggy. Kennedy makes adapters for these engines as well.

Wiring is a little involved but it's worth it.

I'm waiting on approval to put a 2lt quad cam Subaru turbo into my Beetle. 250 HP can be had pretty easy with one of these engines.

Check my yahoo photo album for pics of the buggy.

Anyway, just some food for thought.

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Reub-Revhead
VolksROD Enthusiast
[email protected]
http://photos.yahoo.com/volxrod

goatmaster187 · Post by **goatmaster187** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 10:06 pm

The Ford motors are a bit heavy, they have an iron bottom half. I'm doing a Subaru 1.8l turbo in mine. I'd tell you how it drives but I still need to finish rebuilding it. It is an injected induction so the complexity is higher, but not rocket science.

zenjoe · Post by **zenjoe** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 5:21 pm

I'm rotary biased, but I have sucessfully done it, and it wasn't too difficult. I looked into subaru engines as well. I just thought that a rotary was neater and cleaner looking. If you do any conversion, make sure you get an engine with an aluminum block. If you put any more weight in the back of your car it will upset the suspension balance and make you car feel unstable.

I would go with
1. rotary
2. subaru
3. not ford

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For info on stuffing a Mazda Rotary engine in a bug, go to http://www.geocities.com/zenjoe/vw.html

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 6:20 pm

I would go with a KL-ZE V6 because that is what I am doing

http://offroadvw.net/bajawes/linktoV6.htm

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 4:16 am

And I'd keep it VW and go with a souped up wbx cos that's what i've DONE!

H2OSB · Post by **H2OSB** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 8:01 am

Another engine you might consider is the watercooled VW engine. They're widely available, inexpensive, and fairly bulletproof. Also, you can get them in sizes ranging from 1.5L to 2.0L (I'd stick with 1.8L or above.). I'm doing a 2.0L converesion myself.

A lot of people on here have done roteries and Subarus (as you heard) so you have alot of background knowledge to draw from if you went that route.

For big power that you could do cheapest (I mean BIG power...not slightly increased like a type I with larger pistons.), a type IV is probably the most inexpensive way to go if you use an engine pulled straight from a wrecking yard and installed it in your car.

You can get ANY of the other engines you mentioned for not much at a wrecking yard, however if it's watercooled you have to think about where you want to run the radiator.

I decided to use a watercooled VW engine because I always wanted to. It was NEVER fully a matter of cost or power output or ease of installation or because I had one laying around.

Hybrid swaps are cool!

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johnL (aka H2OSB)

greggy · Post by **greggy** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 2:34 pm

Apart from two busses, Ive got a mazda E2000 twincab truck, with an extended port 13b that has been deturbo'dwith high commpression rotors. I also have an auto fitted, What I'm getting to is the fact that it pushes a 1700kg truck along with a three speed to 90 km/h in first 140 km/h in 2nd and I don't know what in top.
They, the rotarys are small quite heavy and can be, with not much other than porting can be made to put out 250 bhp plus.
Hope this helps.
Greggy

Post by **2088 bob** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 2:44 pm

I second that motion on the bunny motor i have run several both 8v and 16v in my street rail my current motor being 2088cc stroker 8v i'll never go back to a acvw motor i have my next motor almost ready that one is a turbocharged vr6

regards 2088bob