My Cunning Plan!

[Hawktel]

What is the biggest most advanced Alternator you can fit on the 914?

Just looking at the setup I think you lose alot of HP in squirrel nest 914's have going on in heater box's, and the exhaust in general. I want to remove all of that, and add a larger truck battery, and some preformance exhaust.

To cover the heating issue, i have the intention of purchasing 4 small 12v heating elements to defrost the windows, and heated seats to keep my arse warm. I doubt its going to be comfortable in subzero weather, but thats why I have a Jeep with a perfectly good heater.

Anyway thats the plan. Is it feasible to have 4 heating elements, 2 heated seats, not to mention headlights at night, and the Radio playing all at the same time? And don't forget the other do-hicky's the modern car needs, AC, Power windows, Power locks, Alarm, Cig lighter, CD changer, Laptop, Spot light, Cell Phone, DVD player, Satllite dish, and electic can opener, and add in Murphy's Law, at some moment in the future all the above will be running, at one time, for some odd reason, and no doubt the car will melt into a steaming puddle.


Ed Hawktel

[karlp]

I don't know how much gain can be made from exhaust work, I'm sure quite a bit if the other parts of the motor are looked at too.
Why not build your exhaust, then fab a section of heat exchanger on to it? The heat from exhaust method works real well. The cabin on a 914 is tiny. I suspect if you had both stock exchangers hooked up and fan forced, it would melt the dash.
You may loose all you gain from exhaust to the larger alternator running the heat.

Karl P.

[sammyg2]

By installing performance headers and a free flowing exhaust you will probably gain around 5 to 7 hp.

A 125 amp alternator wil take around 7 hp to run :-)

(just kidding, and no I don't know of one that would fit).

[Brant]

Ed,

how much of the squirrel fan are you thinking of getting rid of?
I ask because of your horsepower comment... sounds like your doing away with the fan...

If this is the case then heating won't be the problem.... as cooling (the motor) will be....

there definitely is horsepower to be saved in an aftermarket electric cooling system... but the cost is significant and thus primarily only the racers go to this bother....

brant

[norustscott]

I must be getting old. I have only the slightest notion of what is being discussed here.

Heat problems? My stock 914 heat will burn human flesh.
Electrical? 12 volts seems to do the trick
Exhaust...real HP requires more than bolt on products. The exhaust is actually very effecient. Mess with the exhaust and you will lose low end torque. Mess with the master piece that is the cooling system and ... well there are other links to cover that.

Please do not take offense. I think I can save you money and aggrevation when I suggest you trade the 914 for a prelude or possibly an acura. yes, Honda product would be good.

[Hawktel]

Thank you for the reply Karl, Gerald, Brant, and Scott. I do not claim to know alot about Type IV engines, or even cars in general, any of my background is in Mustang mods. This car is intended to be a Daily Driver, and a long distance cruiser, and I'll do some autocrossing, and I plan to hit the Amature brackett Drag Race with it. I fully realize that some of the above is mutually exclusive, but I dont' care. I'm okay with compromise, and how ever it works out will be fine, and journey to get the car to what ever it ends up as will be fun.

So I'd like to first get the most HP out of the stock plant. Less high rpm Exhaust resistance, would be more HP, and I'd thought to start there. This is a no brainer on a Stang, but these aircooled got the cabin heater plumbing to consider. And frankly I'd rather rewire the vehicle than deal with Airplumbing issues. What you don't understand is frightening! I'd not considered the low RMP torque issue a problem, is it that significant on a 914? Am I showing my ignorance yet?

I have no intention of changing, or removing the stock Engine cooler. And I will have to rewire the car. I'm not going to trust the reliabilty of a 30 year old wiring setup unless I have to!

Thanks for any help,

Ed Hawktel

[John Rogers]

Some things to mull over while you're getting setup to do this; SCCA racers used to remove all but 4 of the fan blades and run a duct through the firewall to force air in. They also used to use heater fans(2) to force air over the heads and barrels, the front mounted oil cooler did the block. They under drive the alt by 30 to 40% to reduce load. But hey, the engines only had to last a weekend! Good luck.

[Kevin Powers]

your intention is to go bracket racing with your 914??? wrong car for that pal. budget yourself lots of money for transmissions,note the plural on transmission,and a tow vehicle. sharpen your driving skills at the auto-x,914's can be very competitive. leave the drag racing for the mustang.

kevin

[JWest]

What year is your car? If it is a '75 or '76, I can understand your concern with the exhaust. It really does snake around and in that case I would suggest you backdate to the '74 and earlier system.

If it is an earlier car, the exhaust is quite good as it basically comes down from the heads and goes straight back with nice smooth bends. The heater boxes on the outside may look convoluted, but that is just the heat channel - no effect on exhaust flow. You can make up any kind of header/muffler system to go on the end of the heater boxes if you are feeling creative, and still retain the heat.

You can get equal length headers, but the gain from these is small and probably almost nothing by the time you put a muffler on it for street use.

What I have heard about electric heaters has not been good - they are not effecient and don't move much air.

To your original question, the 914 alternator is pretty large (physically), so I'm sure a late model high output altternator from almost anything could be adapted if you really wanted to go that path.

[norustscott]

If you are bracket racing then do not worry about the low ET, and as stated before leave the bracket racing to the mustang. Better yet get a VW beetle and start there...they make great 1/4 mile cars and what you learn aircooled wise will help you with the 914.