[JP Noonan]

From Bob Hoover and Tom Wilson, most VW motors can gain 5-10% right off the bat by being balanced and blueprinted. Bob is a little fanatical about it, he takes his motors to a shop that balances aircraft engines. No doubt though that balancing the whole assembly (including fan and even the pressure plate) helps with power. As does making sure all the mesurment are on the happy side of spec. Balanced power from each piston, each cam lobe is the same lift and duration, timing the cam. Next to exhaust and a cam I would go for head work, not just big "honking" vavles (won't work with the FI if taken too far) but having some flow bench work done by a VW experienced shop. match all the combustion chambers within a cc or so, unshroud the vavles, port match, polish, etc. A balances/blueprinted engine makes more power because it is not fighting unbalanced reciprocating weight and bad harmonics, it also has less friction to overcome.

As far as the stock FI goes, if you want more power than it was designed for then it will need tuning. Dave is absolutely right about A/F meters and dyno time, the injectors may need to be bumped up a size, the stock fuel pump "may" be too small, the MPS will need tweeking.

I dunno, after all I've read about Bosch FI in general (as well as EEC-IV speed density and mass airflow Ford FI) I'd like to think the stock FI could make the adjustment. However, I think that most 110+ hp motors have carbs for the simple reason they are simpler to adjust to a higher output engine. If not simpler they at least have more aftermarket support (is a shop going to sell you 1 hour of dyno time, or try to convince you "crabs are the way to go").

Just some things to think about. I'm not a VW engine rebuilder. I've heard good things about FATS PERMORMANCE in Calf. they make some nasty 914 motors for 914's and off road racing buggies (they built a 2.8 class winner I think). I've heard BAD things about Motor Meisers. Ask Wayne if he has any suggestions, Pelican is good about standing behind there products, maybe they know a shop that does the same. Or go to the races, see what the 914's are running, ask them who they use. Nice thing about Fat's is they have a good catalog (albeit the 98 catalog is a 96 catalog with a 98 sticker stuck on it) and all the main, high performance, engine components can be ordered by mail. Down side, they are expensive on some items.