For those who know the 1.8's

[dezel12345]

Cause I dont and I need you guys intelligence and opinion on this matter:::

Q: Can a 1.9 well cared for,valves adjusted time, oil changed on time be a GOOD engine at 140k .....???? YES OR NO

I know its pretty much a VW engine and this might be high whether cared for or not .....My problem is Ifound a great looking 914 on the east coast thats well documented but I dont know if 140k is to high of miles.......and iam paying top end for it due to the rest of the condition of the vehicle....

Whats top anyone has put on a 1.8 before a rebuild....?? What can they take ? I see people with rebuild on 914's with 80k total miles on the car so 140kis 60k past that....... When it comes right down to it can I squezze 200k out of that good running 914 motor with 140k.....likely or NOT ????

THANKS

[jamcleod]

you can get 140k out of a motor, you can also get 20 k out of a motor. i got 120k out of a vanagon motor before a valve seat dropped. in my opinion, the buying aspect of the car is the body condition (unless you're a body man) the engine can be rebuilt easier, IMHO, than body work. anyway, once you get the 914 bug it's: MORE POWER! so naturally, you'll replace the motor with a 2L or better. nobody restores a 1.8L. oh wait, i am....... and mikester (?) and a few others enamored with 76 HP! long live L-jet!

[scotty914]

my 1.8 has 90k and the lowest compression is 120 lbs, but it had rings at 80 and has run mobil one since

but i am going to a suby motor 2.5, twice the hp for the same price as a stock rebuild installed

btw want to buy a complete running 1.8 as a spare

sure a 1.8 can last over 140 k but the motor better have been cared for the whole time and then rings might be nice

[dezel12345]

Is the spare the one youre speaking of 90k ...iam in VA about an hour from you in Alexandria...if I buy the 914 I will most likely get that engine as a backup.....how much will yoube asking dude ?
thanks

[mikester]

I believe mine was restored in her past, I'm not sure when though. I think it was done by otto.

Given the opportunity, I would put a 2.0L in.

[dezel12345]

Hey for you 2 DUDES here on the east coast where do you go for service you cannot perform...lots of Porsche places here but lots of them do not work on 914's....its a place called Ace German Auto in Woodbridge thats suppose to be good ....

ps...iam new to 914's but is the 2.0 like the GT of the Fiero world..how much more HP does it give you

[Va914]

I bought a good bodied car ( '74 with a 1.8L). I changed to a 2.0L as soon as I found a good engine on the East coast. I sold some of the 1.8L injection pieces off to help with the engine costs.

I would drive the car with the 1.8L and buy a 2.0L when you find one for sale in the area. Or you can build one up???

Take a look at the going prices for teeners and take into account the 140k engine. If you are happy with the price go for it.

Best of luck and look me up if you are in the Richmond area.


I have heard of some real bad stories of garages trying to work on 914's. I try to do everything myself. This fourm and club914.com have some great 914 guys there to help out. My PC was the most valuble tool I had when restoring my '74.


Kerry

[dezel12345]

Certainly will Kerry....its good to know some 914 guys exist here on the east coast ....these things are really hard to find here without rust ...
Ive only saw 2....one 950 (guess what-- rust,project...will cost$$$) and the one i mentioned for 4600 thats well taken care of and nice with no rust....a few people have said that the price is a little high but its slim picking here for one in decent shape.....Any up your way ?
Thanks dude

[scotty914]

the 2.0 gives 95 hp in usa specs
but has problems like cracks and valve seats dropping, the best way to avoid this is not to over heat em
the 1.8 head has bigger valves than the 1.7 but not as big as the 2.0 but the 2.0 has a different plug location that helps with the hp thing but causes some of the cracking problems
one way to help that is to weld up the plug holes and go to a smaller thread size, but a kick butt motor for the price and long life is a 2.0 crank and rods with 96 mm pistons and cylinders ( 1.7 and 2.0 are 94 mm and 1.8 are 96 ) this gives you a 2056 motor and with flat top pistons and a minor bump in compression ( flat tops are 8 to 1 ) to around 8.2 or 8.5 will get you to about 110 to 115 hp and should last 100 k

and i am only 45 mins from your part of va unless we talk traffic thenup to 2 hours, i work down there all the time so i know

and i want 500 for the motor including fi and heat exchangers that work for exshaust but not heat, the heads alone normally go for about 250 and fi can go for another 250 to 500 on ebay

but if you can get a good 1.8 core you can get the heads built with larger valves for around 250 ( iirc ) then pistons and cylinders can be bought for 250 to 300 ( and up ) and rebuilt crank and rods for a 2liter for 100 to 200 ( and up ), i dont know what the case work cost if it is needed so for about $1000 to $1500 you get 115 or so hp or go buy a used 2.0 for $1000 bucks and hope it lasts 50 k which it very well might or a rebuilt one that some body is getting rid of to go to a six for $2000 and get 100 k out if it ( minus what ever it had on it )

good luck

[scotty914]

owe by the way one nice thing is the 1.8 stuff can be interchanged unlike the d jet

[jamcleod]

the pca potomac 914 guru has a shop in merrifield VA. i'm going there tomorrow to have CO adjusted.

[jamcleod]

oh, and if you're in alexandria, there is a shop in Newington called RPM. close? if you're really interested in a 914, before you buy the 1.8, look at a 2.0L 914 at Karosserie in Merrifield. maybe for about the same price as the 1.8 or a little more, you could get the 2.0. the owner said it had a built up motor. it's black, carbs, orange rocker panels and orange Mahles.

[tat2dphreak]

Originally posted by jamcleod
in my opinion, the buying aspect of the car is the body condition (unless you're a body man) the engine can be rebuilt easier, IMHO, than body work.

I totally agree with this... the 1st 914 I bought has a decent engine(but 140k miles on a 1.7) but needs body work... I'm not a body man or a mechanic by ANYONE's standards... but the engine is 10x easier to work on than the body... I learned my lesson with the second one... it has a great body, but needs engine work... so the first teener with the strong engine get put into the sweet bodyand viola... a HAPPY 914'er... the first car is becoming a parts donor now.

[dezel12345]

Hey thanks for the thread...this is some really good information and things i didnt think about while ive been in the process of trying to find a 914...Thanks for the knowledge base !!!