What should i do???

Hi All!

NuZo Here!!

hvnt been around much lately due to work and such.

but thats not important :P

i need to figure out what to do with my bug...

Engine case has a crack in it and has been leaking oil like a mofo!
so in light of this, new engine would most likley be the option.

What i want to know is, would it be worth going for another stocker, a kitted up engine or all forward for the EJ20T.

My estimate on price for ej20T conversion would be somewhere near 10k(not 100%)

for a mild 1916 we are looking at 4-5k installed

and stocker.. mebbe 1k installed.

i dont really want to go stock, as iv been running around in stock beetles for ever! i would LOOOOOVE an ej20, but really i dont have 10k+ to throw at my car.

Mild 1916 or something similar would be nice as its got alot more grunt then stock, but really, how long will this engine last? $5k is well and good, but if its $5k every 5 years... well im better off getting the ej20.

and stock..man, i really dont want stock. its just so plain and boring(sorry, but im young! i need something to make me go wooosh)

Im stumped. my bugs been sitting outside for about 6 months...just sitting, waiting, slowly dying.

and it kills me to see it like this...

i hope some of you with answers can help me out!

is it better to just let it go? to some one who will have more fun with it? NO! i want and love my car, just blinded by my options!

Thank you all!

Please help!
NuZo


TLDR: crazy man needs help with engine choice, dying beetle

Sorry, no help here, I've been throwing around those ideas for over 12 months, mind you my motor hasn't died I just feel I want a little more go.😁

Hey NuZo, I am onto my 3rd 1916, but I do get well over 100,000km out of them. I am a builder and tow a trailer quite a bit, so I do work them quite hard, so just as a daily driver, I reckon you could get a lot more. I find it they are just as easy to look after as a stock motor, but have a lot more go at a reasonable price. I am quite happy with them.

The first 2 failed for different reasons, the first cracked the case near the oil pressure switch (but was otherwise not too bad), and the second one started recessing valve guides, but did suffer a bit from low oil pressure. My current motor has an alloy case and 044 heads, so I am hoping it will last even longer.

I do love the sound and feel of the 1916 - just seems so more VWish.

There's an old saying - "Speed costs money - how fast do you want to go?"

A nice fresh 1600 stocker will give you a small but noticeable improvement over a 1500. For slightly more performance you buy a 1640, which won't need any machining of the case and heads. For normal driving it should last as long as a stocker. Bigger VW engines go faster still but cost more $$ as you noticed. And you should also upgrade the brakes and suspension if you go with the 1916 option.

If you really want to go 'woosh', keep the Beetle stock and go buy a VW Golf Mk3 GL ('95-98) - you can pick them up for around $6K or less now. They came with the Euro spec 2.0-litre 95 kW GTI engine, so they are fast. Plus they come with all the mod cons like 5-speed box, modern suspension and brakes, safety body shell, air-bags, air-con etc etc that a 'Subi' modified Beetle could never have unless you pay at least ten times more (if at all).

hey, my 1776 long block, flywheel, clutch and with 1300 miles on it is available..... from head to head everything was brand new when i built it except for the crank and rods which were only first grind.... have dyno sheets to prove its power and with a shit tune it made 74.8bhp at the wheels which in a few cases made more than quite a few 1916's iv seen.....$3500 just throw on ur carbs and ignition.... if interested call me on 0401554049.... cheers adam

we did two ej20t and they cost between $4000 and $5000
with custom exhaust and radiators includes engineers report . they have both been going good for a year now .

in car from wrx bug


.
the VWs with more then 90hp subaru powered

wow ian, how did u manage an ej20t for 4-5k? is that including mechanic labor? or did you do alot of it yourself?

wow i always thought they were up in the 10k mark!!!

also polak! i might be interested, but only if they come with carbs? as i only have a stock 1500cc.

Cheers all for your replies!

grinders are cheap
just cut it out and buy a kit and it bolts in, Easy , 😂
we got our half subaru for $1300

hey ian, do you feel like doin another conversion, jsut asking?

ask him later hes run out of zipties and electrical tape

okay, will do, i could shout some but.

Joel wrote:ask him later hes run out of zipties and electrical tape

no I haven't smarty pants I went to the hardware shop yesterday huh

hmmmph trying to outclass my crazy clarkes ones huh?

ian, what did u do about the FI and such?

how about the exhaust?

i cant fabricate anything, and my best tool collection is the tool kit out of my aprilia RS125!! lol... and i shit you not!

so pretty much, it would cost be a bucket load?

NuZo wrote:ian, what did u do about the FI and such?

how about the exhaust?

i cant fabricate anything, and my best tool collection is the tool kit out of my aprilia RS125!! lol... and i shit you not!

so pretty much, it would cost be a bucket load?

as I said custom exhaust and radiators ,we cut and fitted motor ourselfs and a mate helpd with loom, we didnt go for bling and fancy stuff like Joel 🤪😂🤪

pffft bling is the new ratlook

NuZo wrote:wow ian, how did u manage an ej20t for 4-5k? is that including mechanic labor? or did you do alot of it yourself?

wow i always thought they were up in the 10k mark!!!

they are around the 10k mark
a gearbox that will stay in one piece with that sorta power isnt cheap

josh and ian have stock boxes and drive like a pair of old wimmen 😂

Joel wrote:pffft bling is the new ratlook

NuZo wrote:wow ian, how did u manage an ej20t for 4-5k? is that including mechanic labor? or did you do alot of it yourself?

wow i always thought they were up in the 10k mark!!!

they are around the 10k mark
a gearbox that will stay in one piece with that sorta power isnt cheap

josh and ian have stock boxes and drive like a pair of old wimmen 😂

gear box $50 or 10 for a $500
like I saID you don't need all that fancy stuff
young josh's car does low 8s over the 1/8 mile and there isn't a day where when he leaves my place he doesn't spin his wheels🙅 1300 swing axle box 215 hp

i never said grannys dont spin the wheels 😂
havent u seen topgear? they do mean scandanavian flicks to

😂

Btw: You didnt drop off a VWMA to Hunter VW recently Ian, did you? 😉

My 2 cents worth if you want a faster than stock beetle build something you can afford to fix yourself if it brakes.I was in a similar back in 1993 and it started with the complete idiots guide to vws a pile of tools and a pile of 2nd handnew bits to build a 12001376 40 horse with ported heads made 55hp@wheels .I"m now driving a 2332 w 48 idas built cr box and 140hp@w its a lot of fun and pretty quick for a daily driver on 91 octane.But grins per dollar and sheer thrashabillity the 1376 wins hands down it's still out on the shelves i think i might dust it off and give it a freshen up.I seriously think a lot of people build cars purely based on how it's gonna read in a magazine spend heaps of coin then find out that the end result isn't what they expected!

trickysimon wrote: 😂

Btw: You didnt drop off a VWMA to Hunter VW recently Ian, did you? 😉

WHY
YES i did .
I give free stuff out all the time.

NuZo wrote:wow ian, how did u manage an ej20t for 4-5k? is that including mechanic labor? or did you do alot of it yourself?

wow i always thought they were up in the 10k mark!!!

also polak! i might be interested, but only if they come with carbs? as i only have a stock 1500cc.

Cheers all for your replies!

hey, i can help out with dissy, coil and leads but i dont have a spare et of carbs and need mine for my new motor, plus they are too big. (thats y it was running a shit tune... lol) but i may be able to chase some up for you if needed. cheers adam

fun & cheap - 1600TP
worth looking into - 2L Type IV (check costs of tinware and bits & peices though) theres a build thread with a nice 2L in a bug on here somewhere....
costly if done RIGHT - EJ20T
alternative - EJ22 - see joels thread

if your going for more power, admit it your going to want to use it ALL, so factor in brakes, suspension & gearbox work.
actually that should be regardless, make it stop & steer before making it go more👍

I think you need at least front disc brakes if you want to go 1916. Rears would be good, but not essential. I dont think watercooled conversions are a walk in the park... but it just depends what your really after. im hoping to go for 1916 for a while when i can afford it, why, because its a stepping stone. I realise that oneday, i may want to go EJ20... but not straight up. looking at what Dave (stidub) has done (and spent), its just too much in one hit for me.

realistically, you wont get a decent 1600 for $1k. but, a 1916 will cost you at least $5k...

ian.mezz wrote:

trickysimon wrote:Btw: You didnt drop off a VWMA to Hunter VW recently Ian, did you? 😉

WHY
YES i did .
I give free stuff out all the time.

One of my mates is an apprentice mechanic there 😉

Stand by your bug. The one thing you will regret is getting rid of it. My dad made that decision and now me and him wish we had a vw still. Hang in there a motor will come up and you will get it fixed. just hang in there.

haha dylan, thank you for the words man!!

i have thought about getting rid of it, but like i said b4, i cant do it, i love it too much...

it would be like giving up one of my limbs!!!!

im just stumped man, i want it to work, but im really REALLY sick of the stock 1500. i ride bikes now and my Aprilia RS125 eats it for a snack!!

to be honest tho, its not just speed, but more tourqe, thing that used to piss me right off the wall was not being able to gain speed up even the slightest hill.

i understand the gear ratio's arnt perfect, but its almost dangerous when a big old 4wd comes speeding up ur ass, and i cant do anything about it!!

ej20T is by all means, the Most exe option, and yes, all breaks and suspension work will be done, this is standard, im not a lunatic!(much)

just want prices of pure engine's nothing more.

another thing is, my beetle has a fair amount of cosmetic damage on it. so, as much as i love it, the only way to fix most of that crap is for a full respray, which for me would be another, 3k ontop!... my pockets are only so big!!

i think my most viable option lies somewhere in the 1776-1916 mark wheer its still air cooled, still easily worked on and no massive modifications.

polk, i'd very much appreciate if u email'd me @ n.nuzie@gmail.com to continue discussion of your 1776 😀

Thank you all! i love you all! man i hope to get this shit running soon! iv been beetleless for almost 9 months!!!

also! how hard is it to change an accelerator cable?

is it worth trying myself? or getting a pro to do it?

Accelerator cable, easy as. took me five mins. All you gotta do is old one out and slide tyhe new one in from the inside of the car. Wear gloves to pull old one out but.

what do u mean? like, use the old cable as a guide for the new one? or completely remove it first, then put the new one in?

i read somewhere that you have to take the rear left wheel off? is this true?

cheers for the quick reply mate 😀

Na you dont need to use it as a guide and dont need to take any wheels of. As long as when you pull the old one out there is grese on it it should slide right in. If it get caught on something then just pull it back out a bit then try again but twist it at same time. Just make sure that once old one is out to put the other back in asap otherwise the tube that guides it through the shround might move, i tink this is why some may say the wheel needs to come off, so you can line it up. But just take your time with it and when you are trying to get it tightened to the carb get somneone to sit in the car holding the pedal where it should be otherwise you will pull to much through to the carby and the pedal will wanna keep falling towards the back of the car.

just did this, this arvo, i drove my beetle for the first time in 9 months! it still runs pretty well!!!

now! all i need are those extra ponies!!

😀

i found some interesting engines, but, they are all interstate. most are in melb and one in bris.

do you guys think its worth doing? one of them is a 2.2L with 48IDF's but he wont sell it without the car, but even still he only wants 4K. to me this sounds AWESOME, but i think cause of the car, freight would cost a fair bit of dosh!!

got quoted $600 alone from melb depot to syd depot. it would be cheaper to hire a car trailer for 2 days, but even then, thats 24 hours of straight driving. but only something like $250.

ahh, im so delusional!

merging onto hwy,
traffic travelling at 110Ks

sorry about poor video

4000 is a good price, maybe you could car trailer the one with the car back, scrap the biody get some money from parts?

I really think for $4000 he would be better off doing a Joel 2.2 litre special.
🤪😂🤪

very good point, now youve gotta ask yourself air or water?????????????

hmmm i know that video, voice sounds kinda familiar too 😂

2.2 with 48IDAs would haul ass big time but it would not be a good street engine and u would need a fuel tanker to follow u around

Joel wrote:hmmm i know that video, voice sounds kinda familiar too 😂

2.2 with 48IDAs would haul ass big time but it would not be a good street engine and u would need a fuel tanker to follow u around

yeah that's why I think he should copy what you just did to your vw the subaru 2.2 injected

i think im going for a 1776 due to reliability.

found a nice looking one going for a bit, but only a year old, built from scratch with all brand new parts.

gona check it out some time soon then we shall see!!

Joel wrote:hmmm i know that video, voice sounds kinda familiar too 😂

two familiar voices and one lovely sound..... reminds me of when mick took me for a spin in his..... OH YEAH!

update.

almost sold one of my motorbikes and with that i almost bought an S13. but i stopped and looked at my car, and instantly didnt buy it.

my car needs the following.

full respray,
new engine,
prolly new breaks and suspension work as they are getting pretty old now.

can break lines be changed by me? or will a mechanic have to do them? id like to know as i wana get more involved with my car, and start my passion up once again.

Cheers all!!

Stay away from that S13! I loved to drive my bug with the stocker in it but now with a bit of a hottie engine in it, it is loads of fun. It isn't the quickest car around, with a fairly mild 1904, but that extra torque just makes it a pleasure to drive. You can pull up hills in 4th at 1000 rpm. Now my twin cam corolla feels gutless. I reckon worry about finding an engine in that 1776-1916 range you were talking about then worry about the cosmetic stuff. It just eliminates so many of the hassles of driving an older car.

I hear you there Dave 😉

ewwwwwwwwwwww S13... don't do it man.

um he might mean just the flexible rubber brake lines

ahhh the s13, one of my most loved jap cars....

but i do love the beetle more..

fairly sure ive made my mind on a nice 1776..

keep you lads posted..

NuZo wrote:can break lines be changed by me? or will a mechanic have to do them? id like to know as i wana get more involved with my car, and start my passion up once again.

Cheers all!!

If you have a left and a right hand you should be able to do it. (some people have two lefts and you wouldn't recommend they change anything other than the CD). You'd best get yourself a quality flare nut spanner because if you dont, chances are you'll stuff the metal break lines.

The most difficult part is bleeding the brakes once you have changed the hoses. Thats not hard if you know how. Place a hose from the nipple down into a bottle with a little break fluid in it. Have an assistant push the brake pedal down as you open the nipple. Hold the break pedal down as you close off the nipple. Lift off the brake pedal. Press down on the brake pedal. Crack open the nipple and the pedal goes to floor again. Keep repeating until no air bubbles come out. Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir and keep it topped up as you go.