An engine lands in my lap.. now what?

So I drive a 1.8 who's engine was built by the previous owner. Its been very reliable and has some work done on it (standard port/polish, 4 angle valve grind, top and bottom rebuilt with new seals, guides, etc)..but, its a 1.8..

I was at the pic-a-part when by chance I find a 2.0 16v sitting right there, out of the car, on a 50% off weekend. No brainer, I take it home.

My plan is to get this engine in the car for next year but I'm weighing my options as to how I should have this engine prepped.

As with everything, there's a way to rebuild it to spend a ton of dough, and a way to spend nearly nothing (do nothing and run it). I'm looking for the biggest bang for the buck on engine prep. I'd like to keep the budget around 1500 including work. Less is better of course!

What do the gurus recommend on the must-do's for engine prep and what items are not worth it? For example, is a bazillion angle grind worth it? Knife edge crank, worth it? etc etc

The engine is the final frontier for me regarding car prep so I'm thinking for this one I will split the head from the block but send each part out for work.

-e




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2008 07:10PM by Eddie Fiorelli.

Not worth the cost, imo. I'd definitely consider a valve job of some sort, but if you can honestly feel the difference between a 3-, 5-angle or full-radius valve job, you're a better man than I. That's bang-for-the-buck right there.

I'm a stranger when it comes to Vdub engines, but I don't see how any race engine couldn't benefit from a little clean up in the head. I've never seen head work as a bang-for-the-buck deal unless you can do it yourself. Of course, you can do it yourself, but if you don't know what you're doing, you will do more harm than good.

If the engine was just sitting out in the yard somewhere, why wasn't it with the other engines? Did a more savvy Vdub owner pull it, only to discover some kind of flaw that you did not? I'd plan on breaking it down and installing fresh bearings, rings, and seals. Then again, I took a 200k engine out of an Eclipse that had caught fire and installed it in my Galant. Lasted me over 7,000 miles before the head gasket went in a most spectacular fashion.

Just my thoughts. YMMV

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Brian Driggs | KG7KCA | PHX, AZ | 89 Pajero
alterius non sit qui suus esse potest

sky's the limit.....on a cheapo budget I would run a nice header, a 1.8 16V head, carbonators,...Techtonics 276 or split duration 276int, 288 exh wimpy cams, saab vacuum advance distibutor. that'd be about $1500 if you are a savy shopper.

bottom ends are nice from the factory...head will help you make good power....what transmission and gears?

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
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020 16v close ratio with 4.46 RP.

heh, carbonators are too voodoo for me, so I'm sticking with the CIS.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2008 07:12PM by Eddie Fiorelli.

DR1665 Wrote:
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> If the engine was just sitting out in the yard
> somewhere, why wasn't it with the other engines?
> Did a more savvy Vdub owner pull it, only to
> discover some kind of flaw that you did not?

Heh, I feared that but in this yard they don't remove the engines. It was sitting in front of a B3 Passat and it looked like it was removed for the tranny. I pulled the valve cover and peaked inside, there was oil in there, looked pretty clean actually. A timing belt pulley was removed so no timing belt in place but the timing belt was near the engine so I'm sure that's not a problem. (hurrah for interference engines!)

In the minimum I'll get both head and block inspected and both will get some degree of work. I'm just figuring out how much work, what parts to modifiy etc etc.

This engine actually came up on a thread on the Vortex, several people posted that they saw a 2.0 just sitting there in the SoCal forum, some left it for later but I swooped in.

-e



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2008 01:00AM by Eddie Fiorelli.

you'll make more power by getting rid of the intake manifold....euro 50mm intakes work ok for semi-low HP stuff...other than that keep it semi-stock if you are keeping the CIS. I would run a split ratio 268 intake and 276 exhaust...basically a mild street setup which will work great with the gears, you'll be fairly happy with the increase in power over the 1.8 setup. 1.8 16V head has better factory exahust ports which flow a bit better out of the box without porting, can be had for $50-100 used.

FYI the 2.0L 16V did not come factory in the mk3 platform.

CIS-E setup?

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
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er, I meant mk3 Passat. And yeah, CIS-E.

I'm always on the lookout for a lucky 50mm find but finding one is like winning the lottery since it has to be imported.

From what I've been told, the 2.0 has larger intake ports so if you work the head, the 1.8 and 2.0 heads basically turn out the same. My current 1.8 head is ported and polished but I'd rather keep the engine whole as backup instead of mucking with it. So, I'll be working with a 2.0 head.

-e

Oooh B3 passat ....

Personally I'd get a 3 angle valve job, shave the deck to up the compression. Get some better cams in there, grab a header and give the bottom end a once over (bearings, gaskets)

Then I'd carb it :p - but then again that's just me

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-Jason

I am in a similar situation as well. I have a 9a out of a passat. I plan on decking to ~11:1 unless I need new pistons. Due to major back aches and now a newborn, havent been able to split the block open. If John comes thru with those "rally" cams i will be running those on the 1.8 head which is supposedly recently rebuilt by previous owners. Eventually would like to opt to a carb or ITB setup.I had purchased a used header w/cat for 75bucks which is already on the car. I have recently dumped some money into the tranny = 020 w/4.25+ gripper lsd so that will stay as is.
Oh BTW i plan on doing most of the work my self time and schedule permitting and hope to get it ready before RWV.

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rally gods would turn in their graves if they ever knew Lada's were now part of EU rallying!!!

Tom, do you know the impact of the 50mm manifold on low end torque? I did more reading on it and seems like that's a complaint that comes up at times.

-e

You putt around rallying at anywhere under 3500 RPM? It is a street manifold...hell it's factory and was standard on many european models, builds better power up top, where you need it, especially with your ring and pinion. Can be had in the states for around $200 if you shop smart. Carb's would be more better than CIS though....manifold for around $200, carb pump, linkage, a set of 45's...come on...cost effective, find some DCOE perv to help you tune, or buy a wideband and gauge and do it yourself.

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
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I knew that putt around comment was coming...

You sure you aint JVLs long lost brother.

heh, yeah, I'm looking out on the vortex. they come up a couple times a month.

thanks dude.