I have a 2.0 body and want a 1.7???

[todd914]

I am so sick of trying to find a complete (w/ FI) for my 74. It seems that 1.7's are rampant and cheap. Will this devalue the hell out of my car if I were to install a 1.7 into an original 2.0 car? I found a used 2.0 with FI but the guy didnt know the condition and wanted $1200 for the thing.

[Loan Dog]

I think you have to look at how are you going to use the car. Are you building a concours car? Then a non-stock motor ain't the way to go. If it's just a driver to tool around in and enjoy, then what you put behind the seats shouldn't really matter, and you can always build the 1.7 up a bit. If you are building something specifically to resell for profit, you want all original stuff (you're gonna lose money anyway though). I'd say make your decision that way.
Don

[Zeke]

Todd, one monkey don't stop the show. There are motors available for less than $1200 and condition known. If you can get a screamin' deal on a 1.7, use it while either rebuilding a 2.0, or finding a good used one. Then resell the 1.7 while still in the car. People love that, hearing the thing run before they buy. Doesn't mean that much that it runs, but they love it.

[todd914]

I was hoping for the $500 range for a good used 2.0L . Am I nuts? I can get a known good 1.7 with all the fi stuff for $150.00. I hate to do it because I know when I get the thing in there Im not gonna want to swap it with a 2.0. I'll just keep telling myself it's fast enough. I'm not doing it to make a profit but I really enjoy working on them in my spare time but dont have room or a need for a second car.

[mike mueller]

email jonwatts@yahoo.com

he has a good running complete '74 2.0 motor for sale....

the sooner he sells the motor, the sooner i buy the chassis and stuff my new 2.0 into it

SF Bay Area...you'll have to figure out shipping, but that cannot be too hard if it's crated up...

[Loan Dog]

Todd, I think you just answered your own question! You enjoy working on them, your not doing this to make a profit, so don't be concerned about the future value of the car. If you can spend a small amount for a good motor (no matter what size) BUY IT. Get that bad boy back on the road and take your time planning and or building your next monster motor! Heck, no matter whats in there your still gonna want to go faster. Remember the 914 Creed: The bad part about these cars is their never done, but the good part is that their never done!
Don

[jamcleod]

if you're going to pay $500 for a different motor, why not pay $500 to a mechanic to sort out your troubles?

[seventythree]

Type IV engines aren’t anything like used 4 cylinder Japanese engine that can be regarded as commodity. One can buy a decent used Japanese engine in the $500 to $1000 range because of the following reasons:
1) They are more modern water-cooled engines with much higher life expectancy.
2) In Japan, due to government regulations, most cars are pushed out of service after 40K miles. The relatively fresh engines out of those retiring cars are exported to other countries including the US.

Any 1.7L Porsche 914 engine you buy for ~$150 is most likely going to be crap. Any 2.0L engine you buy for ~$500 will most likely turn out to be crap. For that matter, even the $1200 engine has a fair chance of being crap. The cost of properly rebuilding a stock 2.0L engine will be anywhere from $3000 to $5000 depending on the extent of machine work required, and who provides the labor. The heads alone can easily cost over $1000 to rebuild.

Now, there is always a chance that someone may sell you a truly good motor for real cheap out of ignorance. But that would be like hoping to score a valuable antique in a garage sale or a swap meet. It is possible but not very likely.

Having said the above, I wish you good luck in finding the best deal possible.

[Brad Roberts]

Todd,

I sell good crack free 2.0 heads for 500$ (all day) 1200$ for a complete injected 2.0 is not bad. Ask the guy to get some compression numbers for you. You'll at least have a baseline for what you are getting into.

I have news for everybody. The 2.0 engines are hard to find in remotely decent shape. I dont see the prices going down any time soon.

The guy above who quoted the 2.0 engine build is almost dead on as far as price goes (3000$-5000$)


B

[DDS]

All of the above. My 'running' 2.0 had several head cracks, cracked rings, worn out cam lobes, all pretty much undetectable. Was that a $500 motor? (I paid about $800 for the car)

Grab the 1.7 sell for a profit later. Use a complete 2.0 exhaust.

Here's a thought - buy and rebuild a hotter 1.8. Valves are nearly as big and heads are stronger than 2.0, spigots same size. Correct me if required Brad.

[Brad Roberts]

Your on the right track DDS. Problem is: no matter what I do to a 1.8.. you stand a chance of not getting anything back out of it. I know I can sell stock 2.0's all day. I would rather spend the money up front for a 2.0 and "play" with it and at least stand a chance of breaking even. Every person on the planet looking for a 914 wants a 2.0 (or a 6) If I get 300 emails a year looking for a 914.. 299 of them are looking for a 2.0 (1 of them will be looking for a six). What does this tell you ?? The 2.0 sells.

I tell people to start off with the biggest engine they can afford.

B

[Joe Bob]

My emails always start out with....."I'm looking for a 73 - 74 914 2.0....with no rust".....duh.....no one ever asked me for a perfectly stock 70 1.7.......

[Buck toenges]

I just gave a way a great 1.7 engine that was taking up space. A guy e-mailed me to invite me to a 914 get together in Maumee Oh. next summer. Told me about his 914 and he was looking for a new motor. Told him if he picked it up it was his. Gave him the tail shifter too. He wouldn't take the front suspension and brakes though.
Anybody needing front calipers can have them if they also take the front suspension. I am located in Ft. Wayne, In. Also got a decent brownish red interior from a '70 that is taking up space.

[mikester]

I just saw a bunch of fairly complete looking D-Jet FI's go on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33553&item=1873508600&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33553&item=1873847852&rd=1

Looks to me that you've got a good chance of finding it some of it there...

I have some 2.0 FI parts that I am planning on putting up there soon.

[korijo]

Will a 76 FI system work on earlier (73-74) cars? I am just curious to know.
Thanks

[todd914]

3-5k for a rebuild? I can do a rebuild on any type Iv motor for under $1,000 and that's everything new except pistons and cylinders. I have never had a bad set but I know it happens. Let's say that I added the cost of new pistons and cylinders. That would put me in the $1500 range. I am not sure if you're referring to the work being done by someone else or me doing my own labor. If I buy this 1.7 for $150, I am going to rebuild it indefinately for peace of mind and reliability.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You're assuming near-perfect cylinder heads. That assumption is very very risky indeed with a 2.0 motor.

Ever priced stock 2.0 exhaust valves? OUCH!!!
How about getting cracks welded up?
Valve seats replaced?

Do you balance the motor? Static, dynamic, both?

There are a lot of ways to spend money rebuilding the engines, even if you do it yourself. But yes, the $5000 figure is definitely having someone else do the work for you.

--DD

[Griznant]

Well, I thought it would be cheap too, but then when I got into it I'll have somewhere around $2500 in it, but that's with new exhaust.

To start, I had a case and new 96mm cylinders. Bought new pistons ($250), cam/lifters ($300), bearings ($130), seals ($70), etc. Then, I figure: Everyone says 2.0L rod bolts are junk and fail first. So, I upgrade to ARP bolts ($112), and of course I had to drill and tap the case to keep my high-volume pump from blowing out the stock galley plugs ($50). Then we get to heads. Oh yeah, heads. My GOOD set of 1.7L heads, opened for 96s and flycut STILL needed $750 worth of work to be any good (port/polish, bigger stainless valves, new seats and guides, etc.).

I got lucky on the crank and rods. They were from a recently rebuilt 2.0L and had virtually no wear at all so they were still good.

It all adds up, but to do it right, you will spend easily north of $1000 for it. Heads and cam are where you need to spend money and where it matters. Get GOOD stuff, and have it done right.

You will have more in it than you figure. Even if you do it all yourself.

Later,

G