Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here with the second installment of Type Three Tear  Down. Last time we got into the how’s and why’s of my engine tear down, and today we’ll get into the how’s and why’s of my engine rebuild. Building an engine isn’t about slapping together parts- you’ve gotta have a plan. Hit the jump to see what’s going to go into the Red Baron 3.0!

Let’s start off with a quick summary of expectations for this new and improved engine. It has to be reliable, it has to be economical, and it has to last a long time. This indicates that we’ll not be building a race engine. My old engine managed to pull right on up to 90 and beyond without any effort, and so speed and acceleration are already adequete for my needs. However, like any stocker, improvements can be made. Let’s take a look.

For starters, there is a general mantra amongst engine builders; “no replacement for displacement” . Now this is true generally if you’re looking to improve power and acceleration, but not necessarily for efficiency or long engine life. Since the current displacement, 1600 cc’s of German fury, is sufficient to scoot my little squareback around, we’re going to keep the displacement stock. I could have gone with larger “slip in” pistons, all the way up to 87mm over the stock 85.5, but the thinner walls of the cylinders are notorious for warping and cracking. Not good for long life or reliability. The next “safe size” up would bump displacement to 1776 cc’s, essentially a 1.8L engine, but would require a lot of machining of the case. Expensive, and while it would yield certain advantages, the cost is too high for my budget. So we go with a more finely tuned, better built, stock 1600.

But what to improve? Well, the camshaft geometry has to stay the same. Most builders opt for a slightly more energetic cam, increasing lift, duration, and adjusting the timing of the valves in order to produce a much more energetic and peppy stock engine. Unfortunately, this is not an option. The reason? D-Jetronic fuel injection. Stock D-Jet uses valve timing as a critical “constant” in its simple analog system. Mess with the cam, and you make it impossible for the FI to operate correctly. Carb’s are out of the question- Dr. VW hates dual carb’s in general, because of their poor economy, and their tendency to be more needy than a bipolar girlfriend. So that means going with a stock grind cam. I’ll be using reground used one, as the one inside my engine was worn out.

Well… what next? Crankshaft. YES! Here is a part that I can improve upon for longer engine life and smoother acceleration accross the power band. Upgrading to a counterweighted and balanced crank means less vibration and engine noise, and in horizontally opposed four-cylinders like my Squareback, leads to longer engine life through less wear. I’ll be opting for the CB Performance chromoly counterweighted crank. This crank is perfect for stockers, as it maintains the stock 69mm stroke, and can be used with stock VW bearing journals.

Coupled to that crank will be brand new CB Performance rods, attached to Mahle 85.5 mm pistons and cylinders. CB’s rods come pre-balanced and are top notch quality, and will complement the brand new engine parts in order to produce an evenly wearing engine with parts that are all brand new. While these parts are stock in every way, using new as opposed to re-machined means you know that corners weren’t cut, especially when purchasing from a reputable company.

Other new parts including pushrods and seals, rebuilt cylinder heads, new flywheel, new clutch, new oil pump, and all new engine hardware and gaskets will round out the long block, along with Porsche 911 style valve adjusters to make the reduce the amount of side load on the valve stem tips. These new parts all put together on a freshly reconditioned engine case will form the foundation for the Red Baron 3.0.

Well webriders, that’s all for today. Be sure to stay tuned for when the build up begins! In the meantime, check out the thread down in the forums, and as always, leave some comments. Dr. VW, signing off.