It would seem that there are a few engine builds happening at the moment, so in the interest of sharing heres a few pics of mine currently going through a few changes at Custom Bugs and Busses.
Firstly 84mm Scat Flanged crank, upgrade from a Berg 78mm
grogy ·
hi lowbug, a nice hp upgrade. i like to know if u are using the standard type 4 center main, or doin a mod on it. thanks greg
LOWBUG ·
Yes Greg type 4 centre mains.
LOWBUG ·
Pauter cross beam rods.
hypo-vw ·
nice crank &😎 rods Chris , good choice . Both Ben and I run these rods in our engines and they are great !! must be one of the best conrods on the market atm .
Craig Torrens ·
yummy 😵
LOWBUG ·
No holds bar this time Wayne, I,ve invested in only the best parts.
Craig Torrens ·
will you do a tnt at WSID before you go ? Let me know I'd love to come out and watch 🙂
LOWBUG ·
Craig Torrens wrote:will you do a tnt at WSID before you go ? Let me know I'd love to come out and watch 🙂
Maybe, still got to finish build in next week or two, also going to instal new computor, Haltech Sportsman 1000 , which CBB are now suppliyng and then spend some time on the Dyno of which Mike at CBB will be looking after as well. Going to do dual tune, one on 98 and one of E85 as well as setting up a whole heep on new stuff like to control boost per shift. Definetly hope to improve times
venFun10 ·
sure it will. nice!
westi ·
f--k dude that's some expensive shit.that's mad.
is there enough in the budget for a bigger turbo.cause you know with gear like that in there ,you ain't doing it justice by leaving the little puppy on it.
r u holding out on what else you bought?and only going to feed us bit by bit.
i look forward to seeing more.
LOWBUG ·
Budget, you can't have a budget when your building this sort of stuff. You just start collecting parts and when you start building you realise you don't have everything you need so you beg borrow and steel, likey I've an understanding wife(and a second mortgage...lol ). There are a few more tasty items to bring to the table but in due time. A lot of thought and reserch has gone into this build and I have full faith with the comination that Mikes comes up with. Its now treading a fine line between streeter and crossing to the dark side and taking it of the road and converting it to a race car. I'd like to keep it streetable for as long as pos.
Yes I have a feeling that he turbo will run out of puff, it is only a t28 of which I had fully serviced just after Portland, I didn't at that time think I'd be doing this upgrade. Its supposed to be good for 300hp but I think I'm gonna have to put a bigger wheel on it (wish I did when I had it serviced) just have to see how it tunes up.
Brad, wait till you see the heads, I had to left alone in Mikes engine room with a box of tissues, you know just a bit of me time.
Paulc1964au ·
Ben just posted he will be at WSID on the 14th august, be good if a few could get there. I will have my camera lol be good to get a few shots
westi ·
word of advise.alway.always keep it as a streeter.no fun when you don't have the optoin of a drive of a beast on the weekend's.it suck's.
i figured you were teasing and there was more to come.
can't wait to see what you guy's come up with.
i have a funny felling i already know what heads you have,but i wont spoil it .and i already have a box of tissues for when you postem up.lol
i have them spare from when i ordered mine.
LOWBUG ·
See how we go, still got a few things to sort out after the initial build, Like, new exhurst to be made and tuning, I'm not going to rush it, I want it to be on the money before I test it on the track. I also want to get to warwick without having to rush any repairs, in saying that I have full faith in what Mikes doing for me. The last build he did before a Warwick event, he would'nt let me drive it before hand, probably thought I'd have too much fun and break it or kill myself on the street.
LOWBUG ·
westi wrote:word of advise.alway.always keep it as a streeter.no fun when you don't have the optoin of a drive of a beast on the weekend's.it suck's.
i figured you were teasing and there was more to come.
can't wait to see what you guy's come up with.
i have a funny felling i already know what heads you have,but i wont spoil it .and i already have a box of tissues for when you postem up.lol
i have them spare from when i ordered mine.
The thing thats making it difficult in keeping it streetable is the clutch. And the police
westi ·
hand your licencse over with a fifty and hope for the best.hahhah.
or get yourself a massive set of tit's and allways were a low cut top.
LOWBUG ·
If I get pulled over I might have to get all "fast and furious" and make a run for it, although cornering and breaking might be an issue.
LOWBUG ·
Finaly got the bottom end together, no detail spared even had to have custom length head studs made.
New custom cam inside from CB ground to specks created by Mike at CBB, also mated up with CB light weight lifters.
Sorry pics not of great quality, taken with my phone
Paulc1964au ·
what time improvements are you hoping to achieve?
LOWBUG ·
Times on the 1/8th were best of 7.69 and 12.39 on the 1/4, I'm hoping to break into 11's on the 1/4, we'll see what happens I don't like to boast predictions, not to shaby for a full weight street car.
LOWBUG ·
More nice stuff going into the upgrade, not as big as DB's but nice anyway. dual tapered push rods, as you may or may not know if the push rods are cut to length then the heads are about to be revealed, stay tuned, sorry about pic quality
HotRodMatt ·
Stop the teasing and show us the heads!
Looking forward to getting back down to the shop on a regular basis.
Are you doing anything to the pan? This combo is gonna twist it!
LOWBUG ·
Yeh your right, pan is already showing signs of twisting now. I have another pan already which I'll seem weld and gusset, hoping to do a swap over next year. In the mean time lets twist the shit out of the one thats under the car now with the new combo which we hope will produce bit more power than the old one, also will be building in a moly half cage.
hellbugged ·
cool..........still a mag case, could you explain the reason for it as a choice?.....
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE ·
Weight perhaps? CB linea cases are something like 11odd kgs from memory. Mag case is a lot lighter but strength would be my biggest concern on a combo like this.
LOWBUG ·
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE wrote:Weight perhaps? CB linea cases are something like 11odd kgs from memory. Mag case is a lot lighter but strength would be my biggest concern on a combo like this.
These were small concernes, but as a full weight street car if I wanted to I could save more weight else where.
In reality I decided that the case I was using showed no signs of problems and others have run big engines using mag cases so it wasn't really concidered, if it proves to be a problem down the track the I'll concider an ally case.
LOWBUG ·
Here's a sneak preview of the heads, 40 x 48mm valves, yeh baby this is the shit, I've been into VW's for over 20 yrs and only dreamed of doing this stuff. I think I need a moment with a box of tissues again.
Can anyone guess?
hellbugged ·
thanx for sharing this build, nice to be doing the stuff you've dreamed of for sure!
👍
re the mag case...was just wondering if Mike had a preference for them over the ally's for reasons he had found.......weight saving LOL....didn't think the difference would have been the reason with the 3 gazillion HP you have been/about to make
"strip dominators"?
LOWBUG ·
Close but no prize
Craig Torrens ·
Looks like CNC Comp Eliminators to me😉
HotRodMatt ·
LOWBUG wrote:In reality I decided that the case I was using showed no signs of problems and others have run big engines using mag cases so it wasn't really concidered, if it proves to be a problem down the track the I'll concider an ally case.
You can always rely on CBB's advice, if you really needed a different case you would have been informed, and if your current case is up to the job you won't be pushed to unneccessarily replace it.
hypo-vw ·
very nice Chris !! that will certainly wake-up the monster that lays within ....... well done🤪
Kiwivw56 ·
Its all looking good or great is the word as it all comes together. Mike from CBB has had his hands full doing all the machining for your beast as well as my,watching him do his stuff on his new Mill just makes me relize even more the pride he takes in builting the motors.I too like yourself listern to mike and go for good gear to put in the beast.Cant wait to see your motor beside mine with the different heads.
LOWBUG ·
Craig Torrens wrote:Looks like CNC Comp Eliminators to me😉
You got it Craig, just got to love the big CNC ports, not to mention the Pauter roller rockers, I think I need a moment with my tissues
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE ·
Same heads and rockers Troy has got for the tube car combined with pauter rods, methanol and more boost equals more fun!!
LOWBUG ·
Awsome, except I'm not running methanol.
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE ·
I love the fact you are keeping it a streeter!!! As much as it is fun going fast on the strip I still love nothing better than going for a drive on the street and enjoy what you have built for more than 400 odd metres at a time!!
LOWBUG ·
Bummer, an oversight on my behalf. All ready to bolt up the top end when it was notice there was a nasty score in one on the barrels, lucky Mike noticed it and advised me that it was to risky to use. So new set ordered. I'm not going to let all those good parts be effected by a dodgy barrel, its going to delay things a little as when they get here we still have to get them honed and coated. Oh well thats big engines for ya, never ending.
Guess I'll start running all the new wiring for the Haltech.
Craig Torrens ·
bummer 👎
LOWBUG ·
Engine might be delayed but other things to do like install new computor, gotta love wiring
HotRodMatt ·
Bloody clients got in the way and have kept me busy every night this week.
Can't wait to see first hand the improvements.
LOWBUG ·
Yes, new barrels are in and off for honing and triming, not long now and we can finish the build.
hellbugged ·
what brand pistons have you been using?
LOWBUG ·
Wiseco's, got new rings coming in soon.
HotRodMatt ·
Updates?
LOWBUG ·
Still waiting for barrels to be honed and rings to turn up, have attempted a little more wiring, but need to engine in place to finalise. Started sorting out new fuel rails and injector set up for new manifolds, just doing bits and pieces until the top end goes together.
STOCK ·
looks like its coming along well the new heads should be a big improvement
cant wait to see and hear it
LOWBUG ·
Finaly got the top end tegether, and the bastard faught us all the way, anybody that thinks big engines just go together really easy need to listen to people like Mike at CBB.
The time that goes into putting these engines together is nuts, having the opportunity to assist with this build has really opened my eyes. Its not just the cost in parts, its the time an engine builder like Mike takes with making sure everything is perfect, once you start modifying one part tou got to modify everything around it. For example Mike had to clearance the holes on the barells that the head studs go through, because the head studs were custom made 10mm studs and need to be the right length. Even needed to clearance behind some of the beutiful Pauter rockers because the interfeared with the huge valve springs and the list goes on.
I've built the odd engine myself in the past but this is nuts.
My hat goes off to the engine builders that get it right. You just don't see the un paid for hours that go into these engines, and the we winge it costs so much for a few extra HP, and who do you want to blame when you blow it up, part failer isn't the builders fault.
Any way heres a few updated pics
LOWBUG ·
I can't believe the size diference in the valve springs.
too cranky ·
Mike definitely knows his stuff my engine has been in the car coming up to 2 years now since it was finished. Only probs have been temperament blowers but mike and I are the only racers I know running 2 of them. When the time is taken to do it right first time it pays off in the end. Bring on Warwick !!!
SuperOwen ·
what springs are they, k800's?
LOWBUG ·
SuperOwen wrote:what springs are they, k800's?
They sure are.
venFun10 ·
congratulations on a big step you have taken
well done
LOWBUG ·
venFun10 wrote:congratulations on a big step you have taken
well done
Yeh thanks, but not that a big of a step, my last engine was pretty sesrious for a streeter, 2165cc turbo EFI putting out just over 200hp at the wheels is nothing to sneeze at.
LOWBUG ·
Injector set up under way, hoping for a fire up over the weekend, gonna due break in on engine stand with carbs. This will mak ite easier to put valve spring back in as initial start up will be on singles.
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE ·
Building engines for competition use or serious street engines chasing decent HP take a lot of time and that time does cost money. I have watched my uncle build Formula Vee engines both 1600 and 1200 for people and the taken to do it is nuts! just over 100 hours goes into building a 1600 from start to finish!! In a controlled competition like the Vees are every minute detail in regards to friction, clearances etc etc is done to the thousand of an inch in some cases. Near enough aint good enough when your reputation as an engine builder is on the line with each engine your build as Mike would know and from what you have seen!!
Looking good though any progress is a step in the right direction.....
LOWBUG ·
Yes at last its alive, fired it up on the stand for first couple of break in runs before taking in home for instalation.
Its such a relief to here them start up for the first and everything sounds right especialy when so much time and effort has gone into it.
First of many big thanks to Mike at CBB for getting it this far.
After I get it home and installed of off to have new exhurst made as the previous one I made need some improvements.
Then final wiring of the new Haltech computor and onto the Dyno at CBB so Mike can make it sing.
hellbugged ·
👍...good stuff, smart way to do it as well
blue vizion ·
...and how many klennex tissues were used!? Great work Chris, I look forward to seeing/hearing it.
LOWBUG ·
blue vizion wrote:...and how many klennex tissues were used!? Great work Chris, I look forward to seeing/hearing it.
Put it this way, what I was cleaning off the floor wasn't leeking oil.
But seriously I can't wait to get the turbo bolted on, back in the car and see what it sounds like myself, also keen to see how much power this puppy is going to put out, gonna have to be real careful on the street.
Kiwivw56 ·
Cool Chris, can't wait for mine to be cranked over .You are right Chris as once they run you realize all the hours that Mike does on these babys is worth the wait and bucks
LOWBUG ·
Now I've got it home its time to get it in the car.
New clutch set up hopfully won't give me the grief I had with the last one as there will be a big power incease.
venFun10 ·
that is not a street clutch
you are being like the others and making it drag
keep it street it will be fast
LOWBUG ·
venFun10 wrote:that is not a street clutch
you are being like the others and making it drag
keep it street it will be fast
Yeh I know, its a fine line if I put a street clutch in it I'll destroy it like the last one and this engine will produce more power.
Plus I only really drive it on the week ends and the strip.
20bkombi ·
Looks Like a street clutch to me! Haha.
Nice work.
Just woundering which injectors you chose and size to
allow tuning for e85.
Our pump e85 is only 75% on the gold coast at the moment,
this will do for me.
Not long now.
LOWBUG ·
Injectors are ID 1000's. Yes same here I believe, E75 in the winter and E85 in the warmer months. I'm not sure but have been told it shouldn't make much difference to the tune.
splity65 ·
Its not fuel changes that i would be woried about in regards to the tune up.
I would be more worried about posers driving to the bottle-o with the tuning module on the passenger seat. I hear that if a six pack rolls over onto the handset it can wipe a tune up. It happened to someone i know. lol😂
LOWBUG ·
Hey thats almost as funny as a guy I know who put down an extra coat of clear to early and not only had runs that looked like stalikmites, but filled the swage lines in a beetle bonnet. Now thats funny👍
splity65 ·
I'll pay that. But your just upset that even when i stuff up i do it better than you. Dam i miss the late shift shop talk with you guys we could teach the austalian cricket team a thing or two about sledging. Warm up that both i here the secret squirell has been working late.
LOWBUG ·
Good to hear, 25-28c is a bit better for clear coats I hear especialy if you don't nod off between coats.😂
matberry ·
Ha ha ha Sounds like you guy's been burning the midnight oil 👍
LOWBUG ·
Not burning oil, race fuel maybe. The nights get longer as Warwick gets closer.
westi ·
Id 1000cc is to small.r u shore there not 2000.
I am running,was run 1000cc. Now 1600 and bigger pump.
I quess 1000 might be ok. Depends on what power your chasing.
20bkombi ·
I have a rule of thumb for sizing the Ive come
up with over the years. 1000cc for every 100hp at the engine,
then add 30% for e85 or 250% for alcohol, over 98 octaine.This should give
you around 80-90% duty for the injectors.
I've seen piston engines get away with a bit less
aprox 30% over all, but I don't know what the duty% was.
With ID's you can run much higher fuel pressure, still with
good spray pattern, going beyond 1000cc's
This is only what I have come up with over the
years.:-)
Aaron
LOWBUG ·
Injector size was base on advice common from a few people. I'm not chasing any particular HP number, just gonna see what we get, if things need to be changed to get the best out of it then so be it. I already have a feeling I'm gonna run out of turbo.
Aaron, thanks for your input. If what your saying is correct then these injectors should be good for over 400HP, thats way more than we expect out of this set up, so they should do the job. I have a feeling that without Turbo upgrade we might see around 250 -270 atw, not bad for a VW powered streeter I reckon, just have to wait and see.
venFun10 ·
mate 250-270 is very fast street car
LOWBUG ·
Thing I hope most for is making it drivable on the street, its easy to build a ball tearer but can't drive it too far. Not to mention I want it on the track as often as possible with the team.
LOWBUG ·
Quick update, no pics sorry.
Got engine home only to perform more mods when getting it into the car, like engine width has grown and new manifolds lean out wider so the shelf like panels either side have had to be cut out, manifolds also sit lower, so the pipework the meats the new maifolds have had to be extended down to meat up.
Also had a small clearance problem in the bell housing due to new clutch set up, with that sorted, its bolted in, on the trailer and over to Mike at CBB to have the rest sorted like, new custom exhurst, finalise wiring in the new Haltech 1000 ECU which includes all necesary sensors and LS1 coil packs just to mention a few.
Then with all the pipe work finalised, both exhurst and turbo, it will be time to strap it down on the dyno and let let Mike do what he loves, and thats extract the power.
Still a little way off before I get to go for a drive, but I'm patient (not).
LOWBUG ·
Getting there, new custom turbo exhurst system put together by Mike at CBB, and he's done a really nice job. Pipes are now in for coating. Back next week for final bolt up and finalise wiring, maybe get a fire up, then its onto the dyno to exstract some power. Getting close now.
LOWBUG ·
Finaly, engine in and all the wiring into engine bay done, exhurst has been coated and bolted up. Everything we touch needs to be modified, its a pain in the ass, hopefully worth it.
All we have to do now is install bigger fuel pump and final wiring of ECU and the its onto the dyno.
So close I can taste it.
Big thanks goes out to Mike Kristen at CBB for all the personal time put into it, cheers dude.
Paulc1964au ·
Awesome hope you don't mind going to post in my facebook engine album 🙂
LOWBUG ·
No prob, but no names please.
Paulc1964au ·
LOWBUG wrote:No prob, but no names please.
of course
hellbugged ·
how did it all go dyno?
LOWBUG ·
Engine developed a few issues unfortunatly, not worth risking major damage so its staying home. It was making over 200hp through initial tune with timing still to be put in it and only 70% throttle, so its showing heaps of potential.
STOCK ·
So what were the issues hope nothing major
LIFE IN THE LOW LANE ·
Internal engine probs or accessories/ bolt ons?
LOWBUG ·
Not sure yet, lost oil pressure and was really to late to do anything about it, rather take our time and sort it out, will pull down after Warwick and fix it, real shame though it was starting to show some great signs.
What do the say "ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT"
It will at least give us the time to get it running and tuned to its fullest without having to last miniute rushing as what happens coming up to these events.
hellbugged ·
bummer, was keen to see the results...... but good you've spotted it early
hypo-vw ·
I am very sorry to hear that Chris as I was very much looking forward to seeing your bug run at Warwick . I only know too well of your pain in having issues , but you guys have made the right decision in not ruuning it this weekend . Good things do come to those who wait , and yours is coming .
I have enjoyed watching your progress and look forward to the great end results that you will achieve with the help of Mike . Well done so far and good luck with it in the very near future .... see you all at Warwick .
1303Steve ·
Hi Chris
Sorry to hear about your problem, I too was looking forward to seeing it run. I bet its 99 cent part.
Maybe you can get it out to WSID soon, I know Rose is fitting her turbo motor after Warwick and dying to try it out.
Steve
LOWBUG ·
After a couple of weeks of getting over Warwick, we decided to pull down the engine and found a few probs causing power and oil pressure loss.
The main problem was that this engine got up on RPMS so quick that it emptied the sump, I,d never heard of it but it can happen. Also the case showed signs of walking, which means we've come to the end of the usefullness of a Type 1 mag case. Some minor damage to crank and one of the rod, nothing that can't be rectified.
So where do we go from here? well ally case is a good starting point and some big drain back from the top of the heads to allow oil back into the sump, we start again. also looking into roller cam and lifters which we couldn't get together in time for Warwick.