Anybody who says "I did this and the engine didnt sieze up" without a temperature gauge to provide evidence is talking garbage. Like leaving the engine flap open is great until you slow down when it starts sucking in hot air just when it needs colder air. I fitted full flow filter and an oil cooler to my first engine, a 1641 Vege recon that had done less than 10k miles. Because it ran happily at 122 degrees C and showed the flickery light at the end of a run where it would be taken A299, M2, A249, M20, M26, M25 , A3, M27 or about 130 miles at 65mph plus or flat out up hills. I have a temperature gauge so I know that the cooler dropped the max to 100-110 on the same run. When I destroyed that engine at around 30k miles due to bits falling off the valve assembly causing massive backfiring which shook the flywheel loose on the dowels, it was patched up then the clutch slipped and the eight dowel lashup went too.. Next engine, same installation: full flow, jetting, progressive, JK stainless single quiet pack etc. ran a bit cooler but towards the end of its life 30k miles later the CHT started peaking higher and then it dropped a valve. The idle oil pressure also crept back down to the 4psi and warning light flickering even with the oil temperature about 110 degrees C.. Looking back, maybe an align bore might have been a good idea.. that engine had +0/+0 main bearings. By the end of its life it was a bit of a rattly bag of nails like a T4 engine usually sounds. Latest engine, a JK Preservation parts engine creeps towards 100 degrees C when driven really hard. Its quieter at idle, at first I thought it had stopped. CHTs are much lower. Really does not need the cooler but the full flow filter is a benefit to the engine so I use it. The engine has more torque so does not need to be thrashed hard to get to 65-70 mph. Cruises happily and still has 20 psi hot idle oil pressure. I can overtake things on hills at 60mph with this engine that the other two would not manage.. All three were 1641. All around 19-21 mpg tuned rich at WOT 12.5:1 AFR.
I know this has been talked about before as I wrote about this before. Around 1996 VW recalled all Mk2 Petrol Golfs to have a bypass valves fitted to the heater matrix as they were apparently fracturing due to the greater heat caused by unleaded fuel. This is the one variable that has changed since VW engineers stopped trying to find ways to murder your and my grandparents. I'd imagine many people are also using timing settings made for leaded fuel.
I have a 2.0 fi and no temperature gauge, just the hand on the dip stick when I think it could be hot. Have been in many traffic jams worst one 2 hours trying to get off Latitude festival site in 30c followed by another 1.5 hour crawl on the A12....all seemed well, no smells, every now and again just increased the tick over when stationary by the gas pedal to get more air circulation....seemed to work and have now stopped worrying when in jams. nb Millers mineral pistonease 20/50 oil!!
I think you mentioned you ran ict 34s, if that is the case, What size main jets are fitted to your carbs out of interest.
They must love you at JK Make sure we’ve got plenty of engines in The bloke from Southampton will back soon
You forgot using slave labour to build Beetles, with workers dropping dead at the side of the production line. Lovely folk, VW.
I only bought one new engine... the other one was based on a £51 eBay crankcase..and the Vege was dying in the bus when I bought it. Generally I avoid JK but they had a higher spec build bus spec 1641 not high revving Beetle performance engine available on the day I blew up the previous one and Heritage quoted me 10 weeks. (Actually was about 6 weeks, as I had an option to buy one I only cancelled when they called me up to tell me they had 10 in stock).. As I was told by my wife I had to get it fixed because we rely on the bus as almost a daily driver, I was allowed to spend money rather than time sorting it.
@mikedjames do you recall what main jets you used in your carbs on the current motor. Out the box my carbs from Euro carb were crap. A lot of research and several sets of jets later and it runs like a top.. However when It was initially set up I was running it in and really taking time to do it properly, so higher cruising speeds were not on the cards at the start. As things have loosened off and the motor shows more pep, Ive increased the speeds and its only at the upper end of my self imposed limits around 65 max that I appear to have increased engine temp. All things considered its most likely that setting the timing back a few degrees and upping the main jet for increased fueling at higher engine speeds might go a long way to solving any prolonged issues with hot running. .. otherwise its a decent running van, for an underpowered VW ..
Yes over Andorra on the split it was only way we got the engine cooled as had temp sensors ect dropped 15’c as was fully loaded in Andorra and Spain was 40’c+ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mine is type 4 and the split was 1600 type 1 but did over heat with lid down and was epic temperatures we was getting in Spain and Andorra this summer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looking back on my Progressive notes.. The jetting I am running with is Primary : Idle 45 main 130 air 170 with standard emulsion tube as provided Secondary : Idle 80 main 132 air 180, standard emulsion tube. Note massive secondary idle as its not an idle jet but cuts in as second choke opens around 2/3 throttle
Alright Si, not seen you on here much. I hope 2019 treats you well and to see you at Techenders in April
Split up with my wife about 6 months ago mate got rid house so been bit of a tuff time and but I’ll be there this time even if it’s 1 night mate tag me in it when dates up please Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’m all good now buddy honest just takes time sorting it all out when u been together so long Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
U just can’t give them enough some times can u oh well I’ll carry on with the kids ect Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
