Engine for my beetle,Help!

Fanie · Post by **Fanie** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:52 pm

This is my first time posting on this site so bare with me and my useless english .I`m still just 17 and my dad got me an old beetle with a bujja kit,i had to redo the whole car ,i stripped it down to bare metal,But what i really need some advice on is the engine,i was thinking about the nissan 1400 motor but i already have the 1600 twinport beetle motor,is the conversion worth it???

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:01 pm

Fanie, Fanie, Fanie...

...don't think I'm harassing you, but take 2 minutes to put the following sentiments into your conscious - as a favour to me if you will...

Without sounding like an A/hole...you're 17.

I know, because not to long ago I was that age, that speed, sound, etc. are what counts amongst your peers.

I don't know you, and I don't want to jump to assumptions, so I'm guessing this is why you want a Nissan engine...

I am assuming that your father got you a Baja buggy/Beetle because you like them?

Great!

Old cars can be, and are, a lot of fun!

If you do a search, you will find a very similiar topic from about 2 weeks ago...

Please have your TP engine overhauled, and run it as-is for a while...

...you may grow to Love it!

The air-cooled engine in the back of your buggy is the essence of a Baja, and one of the reasons it is so much fun.

Swapping it out for a water-cooled washing machine will kill it's 'classic' status, and IMHO, will greatly diminish your enjoyment of the car.

If you insist on the Nissan engine, try JunkMail, or perhaps the local breaking yard.

Kind regards, N.

Post by **eben** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:27 pm

I had a nissan in the back of my fastback...... went ok but the cooling problems I had and the ease of working on an vw engine sold it too me.

The VW engine weights less, even my 2l, and the torque is just so much nicer

4agedub · Post by **4agedub** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:18 pm

I also once converted a beetle to water cooled, but NEVER again. You bugger up a good vw when doing something like that.

And still you can still do the whole speed thing even with a beetle engine... check my red bug.

Post by **eben** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:00 pm

BTW.... Chicks dig 'n nice aircooled VW....

Kyk hier http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/forum/vi ... .php?t=397

Fanie · Post by **Fanie** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:04 pm

Merlin .Funny thing is i have a rather massive sound system in my car (4 * "6-9"and 2 sony "12"inch subs)so you were right,but the nissan engine was simply because i thought it was the cheaper and more reliable way to go ,clearly i was wrong .Thanks for the advice i`ll give the beetle engine a go!!

ZeroAxe · Post by **ZeroAxe** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:20 pm

Fanie,

I want to chip in, even though you sound like you made up your mind already to stick with A/C motors. I had a Beetle that I converted into a W/C Nissan 1200 motor. Ok, it was a 1200, but a great mistake none the less. Thing is that the Bug weighed more and the performance was just not there. Cooling was a problem and the motor adapter plate didnt helps things. The cluth didnt work properly, so gear shifts were terrible. Maybe the guy that did the job just butchered the car. In any account, my advise is NOT to do it, unless you have a lot of money(and these days, I dont think a lot of 17year old guys are in that boat), and get it done PROPERLY by the guys that rip your arms off and take your kidney for payment! If only I had my seized motor re-done, or got hold of another. But my foolish thinking lead me along the wrong path... I am not advising you against this because I want you to keep the stock look or whatever excuse, I just want to prevent you having massive headaches/nightmares, and prevent you a year or two later to regret wasting your money....

I 'solved' my by trading my Bug in on a Maroon Notchback with a 1800 Alfa motor in the back

Now at least that was a better conversion power wise. But it still missed gears when fast shifting and cooling was also a problem!!

So, unless you got loads of money to burn swap a W/C motor in there if you want, but for god's sake get it done by the pro's(or are they sharks?

) and go for a bigger/better motor. But even if you do have the money to burn, I would suggest getting yourself a properly prepared 1776 motor with big carbs. With some of the standard Bug metal removed, you will gain a bit more power to weight ratio and still be able to 'dice' some of those Danville Jets.....

OF course, this is just my R0-02.....

hitlers revenge · Post by **hitlers revenge** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:25 pm

And here's my 2 cents. At present I am running a 1500 nissan motor on my 1600 g'box. I have no problems with gear shifting, cooling,clutch or power. Although I did'nt want an increase in power. I had my beetle motor overhauled and it lasted a year. This was done by a reliable mechanic. My buggy is a daily driver and I needed reliability. Therefore the conversion to Nissan. I am very happy with mine although at present have reduced my rear tyre size and find I could do with a 5th gear. I am running 17 inch 255/40 tyres at present on the rear. Previously I was running larger tyres which came off a toyota 4x4. The gear ratio with these tyres was perfect and not far off a standard beetle performance. As far as cooling goes my radiator is up front and water goes through 32 mm pipes. Running anything less is sure to give problems and also don't forget to have a bleeder boltle higher than your radiator. I had an adaptor plate and fly wheel coversion done locally and then assembelled every thing myself.

As a 17 year old I would say go Nissan, if you were in C/Town but with all the beetle mechanic's sitting in Jhb (there seems to be more in Jhb than in C/Town) I would stick to VW.

Post by **eben** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:48 pm

The ease of making rear mounting brackets in a buggy might be the saviour for the transmission/clutch...

ZeroAxe · Post by **ZeroAxe** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:44 pm

hitlers revenge,

I probably didnt make much sense in my previous post(I rarely do make sense, but anyway...). I did mention that the guy that did the job probably butchered the car. I dont know where he got the adapter plate, maybe he made it himself with a grinder and drill. However, I remember that Rusty's(I think the shop's name was?) in Wadeville did a Rotary motor conversion for Ernie Els that time, and it worked well. Thing is that the adapter plate is crucial for proper operation. That is why I said that if you have the money, get it done properly. Like you mentioned, gear ratio is a big problem... imagine a standard Bug with 4x4 tyres!?

hitlers revenge · Post by **hitlers revenge** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:59 pm

I know I'm probably the only one on this site with a water cooler but that is my choice. This choice was made to go water cooled due to money. There is quite a big difference in the amount I spent to have my air cooled overhauled compared to all the work I did on the water cooled conversion including buying a motor. But I suppose I must also remember that I did all the assembly myself which at todays rates would have cost me R200 BUCKS AN HOUR.

Post by **eben** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:39 am

I had a datsun 1400 GX(twin SU's) in my fastback for a few years.... problems I had was.... clutch release bearing problems... and also the fact that the whole engine just hung on the gearbox... so when you got moving with a bit of power... as i did ever so often.... gearchanges got a bit of a chalenge....(position of gears changed basically) this can however be overcome by a mounting at the back of the engine...

the other problem...because i had the rad in the front, the cooling (air in the system) became a nightmare at rush-hour traffic speeds...

Beach_Bum · Post by **Beach_Bum** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:50 am

I'm also new to this forum.
A Watercooled engine in a beetle might seem to be the inexpensive way to go. But think of the extra water pipes, radiators etc you wil have to fit in the engine compartment. Usually you have to fit the radiator/ extra radiator at the front - UGLY. Drilling big water pipe holes into your prize car - NO PLEASE NO. Which directly affects the value and beauty of a car. Not even speaking of the sound. A volkswagen aircooled engine is one of the engineering marvels of the previous century. The old aircooled engine has proven itself again and again. Trust me, in the long run the nissan engine wil dissapoint and in the long run would be a more expensive way to run.

The main reason people fit other engines in aircooled cars is because they have this engine lying around. Rather wait, save up some money and fit a proper beetle engine, where no modification is needed.