Hi there everybody I have a 73 t2 1600 bay and it's time this winter to replace the engine' I'm thinking of one in one out, saves a lot of messing about. I've been looking at the big bore 1641cc in the engine shop, then I thought of putting the freeway flyer tranny that the do with it. My question is this, does anybody out there drive or as done in the past, such a setup and what is or was the performance like? Grateful for any feed back
I dont think the 1641 is enough of a "big bore" to justify a "freeway flyer". You are still in the 'quite underpowered' range of engines. I would spend all the money on a "mexico" style engine from TES as this will buy you a long time before parts should be worn out, or go up to a 1776 if you can afford it, as being a slightly more noticeable upgrade. I use the close equivalent of this , a JK Preservation Parts 1641. Made by TES but with a slightly different spec (slightly better parts in a few places) It really will struggle in a bus if you lower the gearing, you will go slower in general with it , because most long motorway journeys in the UK have a lot of uphill sections. With a stock transmission and a 1641, and 5% undersize tyres (185/65R15) I can just about do 50-55 GPS mph (speedo says 57 mph) going uphill on motorway gradients (e.g. M4 westbound from Bristol has two monster hills ..) Going down the same hills I lift the pedal at 70 GPS mph (speedo says 75mph). If the bus were higher geared, that hill climb might even be better done in 3rd gear at about 40 mph.. And a struggling bus engine tends to run hotter and crack cylinder heads. I also have a temperature gauge , a full flow oil filter and an additional oil cooler ( a hangover from a very hot running 1641 the bus came with) .
As above. A 1641 is hardly any more powerful (I use the word loosely) than a 1600. It won't have the grunt to support higher ratios. You'll be forever shifting between 3rd and 4th. The revs'll come down...and so will the engine cooling. Best avoided.
I agree totally - until I tried a friends bus with a 2100 and twin carbs. It was lush - just grunt everywhere. I’m happy with my 1600 but if I ever win the lotto Stirlingmoz
I agree totally. 1600 hmm 1641 pointless 1776 great compared to the above. 1.7, 1.8, 2l getting there, 2.2+ Now we can relax and just drive. But if I only used it for holidays I'd just drive whatever was in there TBH.
1776 with a suitable Cam for a bus is fine with a standard gearbox with 185/65/15 tyres. Lots of off the shelf 1776 have specs more suited for a bus. 2110cc then you want different gearbox ratios
^ Yes to all this. Plus a freeway flier (longer 4th) is the worst of all worlds for a bus. A stock 3-rib 1600 barely pulls in 4th after thrashing to high revs in 3rd. For a 1776 in 4th it would wipe out the gain you just made AND Cruising in 4th will be unsuitably hard work for a bus engine. I have a six rib rebuilt (without me knowing) with a longer 4th and I wish it hadn't been. It used to accelerate noticeably faster from 60mph, it's gained me a big fat zero all round.
If you have ever driven on the freeway system of Los Angeles (the home of the Freeway Flier), maybe you could have found places where it worked in the 1970's . What you need there is a crawler gear instead or an automatic creeping in drive..
I'd have a Porsche 901 5-speed box if I could spare the cash! Similar 4th gear ratio and an extra gear on top, whats not to like.
