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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Improving performance in a 73 1.7 fuel injected

Posted by: mpjedi23 May 10 2005, 07:58 PM

What can I do Short of dropping in A 2.0. I like the fuel injection and dont want to turn my good running car into a long expensive project.

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Posted by: mihai914 May 10 2005, 08:04 PM

If the engine is running fine and seems to have some power, then there is nothing much you can do to improve the power without splitting the case. There is a big bore to bring it to 1.9 if I remmember correctly, but these engines are greatly limitated by the heads. If you add up all the money to get decent power out of the 1.7 you just might as well by a good used 2.0

You can get good stuff out of the engine but nothing really cheap and that's why most 914 people basically just throw them away at some point or another.

Mihai

Posted by: ChrisReale May 10 2005, 08:05 PM

Engine performance, or handeling performance, or driver performance?

As far as plug in and play performance upgrades, there are not much, but maybe seek out some 2.0L heat exchangers and a 2.0 muffler. They flow a bit better I believe. Suspension wise, I say get some 140# rear springs and a 19mm sway bar up front.

Posted by: grantsfo May 10 2005, 08:10 PM

QUOTE (mpjedi23 @ May 10 2005, 05:58 PM)
What can I do Short of dropping in A 2.0. I like the fuel injection and dont want to turn my good running car into a long expensive project.

Lightened flywheel, Kerry Hunter Header $500 with muffler is cheap and good for at least 5 HP, if you are willing to spend more European Header is a better choice and still affordable (remeber you lose heat if you go with headers) , Fiberglass bumpers and hoods, pull anything you dont use off the car.

Posted by: ! May 10 2005, 09:09 PM

Gud tune up....headers....maybe a breakerless ignition to at least maintain the max HP....that;s about it...besides driving downhill a lot... .

Posted by: skline May 10 2005, 09:24 PM

Dream the impossible dream. Just drop the motor and go for a 6 or 8 conversion. That will give you the white knuckles.

Posted by: Bleyseng May 10 2005, 10:37 PM

Well, not much will add much hp other than a good header. Another thing to do is go to a smaller tire like a 205x50x15 size. That will change the gearing alot making the car quicker.

A really good tune up, checking the timing, valve adjustment ie will help too.

Posted by: mpjedi23 May 10 2005, 10:38 PM

Im probably lokking at a 2.0 but the runs soo good right now. Ive installed front sway bars have good wheels am looking for a bolt for my rear sway bars. I was thinking about a fuel rail system but am not so shure what the benifit would be?

Posted by: Bleyseng May 10 2005, 10:45 PM

QUOTE (mpjedi23 @ May 10 2005, 08:38 PM)
Im probably lokking at a 2.0 but the runs soo good right now. Ive installed front sway bars have good wheels am looking for a bolt for my rear sway bars. I was thinking about a fuel rail system but am not so shure what the benifit would be?

Fuel rail system? Oh, that crap that is on Ebay, forget it as it will just lighten your wallet.
I see the nice rims but what size tires are you running? Looks like 195x65x15's or sumthing.

Posted by: Mueller May 10 2005, 10:56 PM

QUOTE (mpjedi23 @ May 10 2005, 09:38 PM)
Im probably lokking at a 2.0 but the runs soo good right now. Ive installed front sway bars have good wheels am looking for a bolt for my rear sway bars. I was thinking about a fuel rail system but am not so shure what the benifit would be?

Stay away from all "quick and easy" HP items on eBay (unless you see a set of headers at a good price)

None of the claims have been proven by the sellers unless you believe his claim of "it has to produce more HP, otherwise why would it be not allowed in a stock class for auto-x???"
...why, cause it's a stock class, it supposed to look stock as well as be stock......

Anyways......just be prepared to find out that our cars do not benifit from the usual "Honda" type bolt-ons for increased power.

Posted by: markb May 10 2005, 11:24 PM

QUOTE ("Z" @ May 10 2005, 07:09 PM)
Gud tune up....headers....maybe a breakerless ignition to at least maintain the max HP....that;s about it...besides driving downhill a lot... .

Get everything working in top condition. My 1.7 was much more underpowered before putting the electronic ignition. I can't believe how much better it runs. Change out all the vac/fuel lines, filters, TPS, etc. Check the fuel pressure. Then, if (when) it still doesn't have enough power, think about a motor upgrade. But make yours run it's best first. Just my .02.

Posted by: HotRod May 11 2005, 07:22 AM

I think Web-Cam offers a performance grind for street cars using FI, supposed to give good all around perfromance. I've got a 1.7 bottom end on the engine stand right now, I'm waiting for the cam to arrive so I can seal it up.

Posted by: Bleyseng May 11 2005, 07:24 AM

I just got a cam from Jake Raby that is a like a Web #73 but with a slight change hopefully for more hp.

Posted by: Michael J May 11 2005, 08:12 AM

I looked around a bit for performance upgrades for my fuel injected 1.7 and decided that there was nothing worth doing. Too much $ and not much bang for the $. I don't autoX so I'll just put up with a well tuned engine for awhile. I do have 185x65 tires which are larger than stock. Still look ok and I get a little better performance than the other stock guys with big 205's. Other than that I dream of a 6.

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty May 11 2005, 08:24 AM

QUOTE (HotRod @ May 11 2005, 05:22 AM)
I think Web-Cam offers a performance grind for street cars using FI, supposed to give good all around perfromance. I've got a 1.7 bottom end on the engine stand right now, I'm waiting for the cam to arrive so I can seal it up.

The Web Cam "performance" EFI cam gets rid of the nice idle, makes LOTS of HCs, and generally doesn't do what you might think it does. BTDT, with tens of hours trying to make it work. The Cap'n

Posted by: ! May 11 2005, 08:53 AM

Yep....camming a 1.7 and or throwing on carbs is liking putting lipstick on a 90 year old hooker.

Waste of time....

The only GUD 1.7 upgrade I have seen was a CIS turbo application.....

Turbo or cubic inches....

Posted by: HotRod May 11 2005, 09:57 AM

Cap'n, good info. I don't usually mess with street motors so I don't know what works or not...think using a stock cam would be better (or just as good) than the Web-cam EFI grind? If that's the case, I can seal that bad boy up tonight and get it out of the way. The car's for my wife so it doesn't have to be performance oriented, but she may want to use it in Solo II somewhere down the road.