Has Anyone?

Has anyone bought one of the "down the middle" conversion kits for a type4 motor to fit in to a beetle? What about the fuel injected option with the management computer they have?

I am thinking of one of these for the ghia and the straight kit looks great but I am not sure about the fuel injection bit. It sounds good but is it just going to be one more thing that can play up?

If you are not sure what I am talking about, follow the links
http://www.massivetype4.com/index2.shtml

http://www.aircooledtechnology.com/Home_Page.htm

Yogie

I'm saving for one to try out in my baja projekt. I've only heard good stuff about em.

What do you mean the fuel injected bit?

BTW, as the owner of a late model boxer (albeit Subaru) powered buggy, I can't speak highly enough about the smoothness and efficiency of EFI. Of course you will need to program a Type 4 motor on a dyno if you are planning to have it use an aftermarket computer, but, once that is done properly, the difference between it and carbs is quite noticable. Add to that better fuel economy and much better engine control. Carbs might be simple, but EFI is not that complex.

Thanks heaps for those links...
I bought my beetle earlier this year from someone who had a 914 motor put in her already, with twin weber dcn carbs. the carby and linkage setup is far from ideal, it was never done properly, my partner has fixed it up well enough to run, but I would dearly love to have EFI put on it.

Anyone know what a pair of weber dcns would fetch? I also have a pair of Delorto (i think thats what they are called) carbs too..

pete wood wrote:What do you mean the fuel injected bit?

BTW, as the owner of a late model boxer (albeit Subaru) powered buggy, I can't speak highly enough about the smoothness and efficiency of EFI. Of course you will need to program a Type 4 motor on a dyno if you are planning to have it use an aftermarket computer, but, once that is done properly, the difference between it and carbs is quite noticable. Add to that better fuel economy and much better engine control. Carbs might be simple, but EFI is not that complex.

On the second link it takes you to their sister company and they have developed their own EFI system to go with the type 4 conversion. They claim 110hp with 50mpg fuel economy from the new set up. They also say you can dyno it properly to get good mid range figures with EFI where on carbies you can only do top and bottom tuning of them.

It sounds tempting and I will definitely go the down the middle type 4 conversion I think but was unsure of the EFI. I am leaning that way.

They also do gearboxes to suit the conversion that come in different levels to suit different power outputs/driving styles. They reckon you can sit on 90mph all day long with no cooling problems with them. This also sounds good but I am reminded of the old saying that says if it seems to good to be true, it usually is.

Yogie

They claim 110hp with 50mpg fuel economy from the new set up.

Absolutely no hope in high hell of achieving that second figure unless part of the journey is on the back of a tow truck.

Absolutely no hope in high hell of achieving that second figure unless part of the journey is on the back of a tow truck.

You are obviously not one of the "True Believers" of the RAT way of doing things

It all sounds great but that was why I wanted to know if anyone had done this before. That way I could see if it is real or just "advertising claims".

Yogie

Jake Raby makes lots of big claims, like anything else they are subject to particular details. Find out the details and the claims make more sense.

pete wood wrote:Jake Raby makes lots of big claims, like anything else they are subject to particular details. Find out the details and the claims make more sense.

But the trick is, where do you find the details?

Yogie

[quote But the trick is, where do you find the details?

Yogie [/quote]

You just need to read and read his claims and ank an annoying question or 2 on his forums.

eg.. his claims for HP is on the bench (not rear wheel) on high octane with out a fan belt.
Not really real world figures..

Believe it or not - i am not against what he does, ie activley promote himself his engineering belief. I just find it a bit off putting his disregard for what others do

the 50 mpg must have been on the bench too with no weight to push, no wind or rolling resistance.
If he can get a VW engine to get that fuel economy in the real world then he would be a millionaire. Every car maker would want him to get their modern engines somewhere near that mark.

Go to www.fueleconomy.gov a diesel golf only gets 43mpg on the highway!