Turbocharging a type 4 Options

[stownsen914]

I have heard the conventional wisdom that "you can't turbocharge a type 4 successfully." Is it just difficult, or can it really not be done well? I'm tossing around the crazy idea of turbo'ing a type 4 for PCA club racing, to put in the chassis in my avatar. My 6 in its current configuration is not competitive, so I can put a bunch of money in that, or do something different. I like a challenge, so why wouldn't the following work?

- 1.8 or 2.0 type 4 as a base. I would keep displacement stock or close to it.
- EFI for induction
- Properly sized intercooler and huge oil cooler
- A good aftermarket cooling fan
- Would be dry sumped
- I would work with a knowledgeable builder or shop to build the engine. I am not so familiar with type 4 race modifications, but presumably this would include reinforcing the bottom end, using Carrillo, Pauter, etc. rods
- Obviously the heads would need to be reworked for flow and possibly reliability

If I do the above, could a type 4 be built to withstand 15 psi of boost and make 350 hp reliably?

Scott

[HAM Inc]

I have a customer who does vintage racing with a NA 914/4 in TX. He regularly runs on track temps exceeding 130F.

He recently reported that he rigged a nozzle that draws water from his cool suit cooler and squirts it in the fan. Says he does it about half way through his 40 minute races when CHT's start creeping up, and a time or two in the second half of the race. Says it uses about a 2 quarts of water and CHT's drop 30* or so.

[Mueller]

I have a customer who does vintage racing with a NA 914/4 in TX. He regularly runs on track temps exceeding 130F.

He recently reported that he rigged a nozzle that draws water from his cool suit cooler and squirts it in the fan. Says he does it about half way through his 40 minute races when CHT's start creeping up, and a time or two in the second half of the race. Says it uses about a 2 quarts of water and CHT's drop 30* or so.

I think this is the best method to keep the motor more or less "air cooled"

The water jacket idea can work but I wouldn't want to spend the time and money on a high dollar build and have something fail or get a hot spot due to inadequate flow and cook a head!

My last crazy idea for this thread.....water cooled valve covers! The idea is that if you can bolt the new aluminum valve covers (easy to machine something like that) to the the heads you can "suck" some of the heat out of them. Of course the cooling is super far away from the combustion chamber and it might take too long to be effective if really on the gas for long periods of time.

Not so crazy after all? ... Found a thread on the Samba about someone mentioning some 356 racers doing this by brazing tubes to the valve covers and running a 12vdc waterpump. Couldn't find pictures (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


I lied, one more crazy idea, weld more fins to the heads for more surface area....I swear, only sugar and milk in my coffee this morning!