914 engine replacement options - Advice and Opinions please, What are my best and easiest options? Options

[UberElectricEagle]

Greetings,
I'm new to the 914's so please forgive my ignorance.
I have a 1972 1.7 with dual carbs (weber 34) that is slowly giving up the ghost. I'm going to keep driving it until it quits or I find a replacement motor. I'm trying to figure out what my best and cheapest option is to put a good and solid running engine in my 914. Yes, more power would be awesome, but just a working motor would be great too.
What I was thinking I would like to find is a decent and solid running engine that someone has removed from their car for whatever reason.
-What are my plain stock options? 1.7 1.8 2.0 ?
--Can all my 1.7 components switch over into a 1.8 or 2.0 or would I have to get some different items like bigger carbs or a different distributor?
-What kind of fair price can I expect to pay for a fairly complete and running motor?
-What could I expect to pay for a rebuild if I went with that option?
-Can I just use any type 4 engine (say from a VW whatever) and switch all my tins and components over, or are they set up differently for the 914?

I'm looking for all opinions or what you would think you would do so I can look at every angle here. Any guidance in the right direction or ideas would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Sam

[geniusanthony]

Your in the PNW right? An engine is a complicated system in which alot of things need to be close to make the engine run at least close to correct. I have been offline a bunch lately and if you have had prior troubleshooting posts, well I haven't read em. There is a wealth of knowledge near you in the PNW.
Rather than dropping in a new(used) engine and thinking that will fix the problem. Take a step away and take the advice that the rest of us have spent cumulative thousands to learn.
You need a thourough tune-up first. It won't cost you more than some simple parts. Say less than a hundred dollars and a weekend. Worst case reuse the tuneup parts on a rebuilt motor or whatever.
Until said thourough tuneup is complete noone is in a position to judge whether or not you even need a rebuild.
Still stuck, take it to a GOOD garage. Those of us from the area can pointyou to one.