1600 Engine restored (how should it perform)?

Hi Everyone,

We have a 1600 engine in our camper and as beginners (on the road for 2 weeks) we are not sure what sort of performance we should be getting from it so any advice would be very helpful to us. It was completely restored and goes well in terms of starting and in 1st 2nd & 3rd gear. The query is regarding 4th gear. My camper seems to struggle to pick up any speed when in 4th gear even on a flat and only picks up when on the downslope. Now I know an old 1600 engine is not going to do much more than chug along but I just feel (with my admittedly limited knowledge) that 4th gear should be doing better than it does.

One thing about the engine is that it came with a PICT4 carb not a PICT3 which I am told is from a T25 but I do not know if this is correct or not. Should this make a difference to the performance? If so for the better or worse?

We get about 45mph in 3rd on a flat road and just over 50mph in 4th on a flat. It's only when we get a slight downhill run does 4th seem to go into high revs where the van gets up to just about 60mph.

The garage says it's tuned well and the balance is good although it does run a little rich.

So a few queries...

• Is it performing as expected for a 1600?
• Is using a PICT4 carb ok?Anyone put a twin carb on their camper?How much more would we get with a 2000 over a 1600?

 

I have an ancient 1600 in me DOKA and that pulls up to 60 no problem on the flat with a standard carb , but thats as fast as I do go in it, I tend to tootle around at 55 ish


My camper has a 2L engine with twin webbers,which is great but I go no faster and I prefer the 1600 as its easier to work on and bits are cheaper.

 

Sounds to me like it's definitely under-performing. As for what might be the problem, I'll leave that for someone else to answer. Cos I know nothing.

 

Around town, 1600s should be quite zippy - they're not chuggers. The engine should pick up well and there shouldn't be any issues with 4th gear.

On the flat you should be able to do 60-65 easily, 70 at a push, although they don't really like it.

I'd be tempted to find the right carb and have a good service as a starting point.

 

has it been compression tested? i'm not 100% on carbs etc but running rich with petrol at these prices sounds a bit extravigant to me.... a good 1600 twinport is plenty in a van, i'm a 2 litre and i have a trouble keeping up with moley76 in his which for a 1600 is quick upto 60.

 

What exhaust do you have fitted?

When i took of my monza four tip and fitted a stainless copy of the standard exhaust my bus pulled a lot more enthusiasticaly through the rev range

Its still the most underpowered vehicle ive ever driven though

 

1600TP here goes fine, get it tuned up by someone who knows VWs well n you will get as snotty says, what distributor have you got and what is the timing set too?? Parts are cheaper and easier to find and they are easier to work on.Try not to thrash that recon let it run in a bit, and keep oil changed.

 

what oil should he use barney?







TAXI!

 

I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to engines but mine's a 1600 and easily does 60 in 4th on the flat. Have taken her up to 70 just to see if she could do it comfortably but she gets a bit wibbly at that speed so I stick to around 55. Around town tho she's actually quite nippy (ish) as in no problem with speed in any gear. Don't suppose that actually helps any but I suppose the more comparisons you get the better.

 

Hi Everyone,

I appreciate all the advice so please keep it coming, I do feel it should be doing more but the garage that restored the engine (the garage owner is a personal friend also) think taking it for a tuning will not do anything more than what they have done already but they do think it might be the carb.
What they are not sure on is whether or not having a PICT4 carb instead of the correct/original PICT3 makes any difference good or bad.
They are suggesting changing the carb might help which I am willing to do if I the consensus is that the engine is not going as it should.

 

Yes max is also cruising speed. They really will do 68/70 all day (on the flat with no wind). Stock these engines were over engineered and the carb/exhaust and fan combined to prevent the engine from being over stressed even when driven "pedal to the metal" in top. Mpg is not too clever when doing this though - about 22/23

 

It's possible your distributor mechanical advance is stuck. That would kill it at higher revs.

 

is it a twin or single port?

 

Are you sure its single port? They are usually on older busses and actually I think have more torque than the twins. I'm with Zed though is the advance seized? Can you post us a picture

 

Whats your engine code then we'll no if it a twin or single port, also change your carb to the pict 3, a good 1600 will cruise all day long at 55 and reach 65 on the flat easy