[Green 912]

If you don’t have the $ for a rebuild but the car is running now and you only “Sunday drive” it, then don’t worry about the compression so much. Drive it, enjoy it, and know that you are not really hurting anything. Some times piston chatter is mistaken for valve noise. Are you burning a lot of oil? If so when do you see smoke? Save some motor money and watch for a deal on a 912 motor to come your way. Not too long ago I bought a good running 66 912 motor (Long block, carbs to flywheel) for less than $300. Hook up with a PCA or 356 group! That will save you much in the way of $ and headaches. There is much knowledge in the clubs and there are lots of good folks that will gladly help you.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not a T4 or VW snob. T4s are good motors, I am presently rebuilding a 2.4 for a friend’s track 914, but you have an early 912, not a 914 or a 912E. If you have the time and the connections via PCA or any of the 356 groups you will find that not all good 912/356 rebuilds are $4000+ Pellow is not the only good rebuilder. Yes the parts are more but not much if you compare same quality. There are lots of crappy quality parts out there for the T4 and that can make it look like a T4 rebuild is much less than a 912 rebuild. If your motor is just tired (worn rings, guides and the like) you can have it refreshed/rebuilt for less than you might think.

Don’t run for long on the solvent-based additives, as they are not that good for the motor in the long run. I use MMO to lube my air guns only!