Are Bus Engines the same?, What are the differences? Options

[thomasotten]

I have the oportunity to buy a 2.0 engine out of a 78 VW Bus for $200. Does anyone know what the similarities are? Are the heads at least the same?

Thomas

[TROJANMAN]

this has been discussed recently. if you do a search, you might be able to find it.

[Jeff Bonanno]

i think the short answer is 'no' on the heads at least. someone better informed can detail the rest.

the bus guys hang mostly over on Jake's forum at shoptalkforums.com although there is some crossover. lots of good info there.

[SLITS]

Bus heads have smaller valves and are 4 bolt on the intake, so 2.0L Porsche intake shit won't fit - the spark plug location is the same as the 1.7/1.8 and the ports are different - so the 2.0L tin will not fit either. EDIT: The exhaust valves are not the sodium filled type that come in the 914 2.0L. Bus Heads are P/N 022 101 372G. Porsche Heads are P/N 039 101 371A.

The case is the same, except for the dipstick location. It is in the sump in front of the fan on a boss that is not drilled out on the 914 case.

Now, I think the pistons are different in the respect to the dish.

I don't remember if the flywheel/clutch is the same or not.

That said, they have been used in a 914.

[TROJANMAN]

this is a pretty informative web site
Type IV

[Jake Raby]

The engine in the 914 is not "Special" infact the 1.7/1.8 versions are almost just like a bus engine right down to the heads. The 2.0 has "Porsche" heads and they are particular only to the 914..

The bus engines had lower CR, and smaller valves as a general rule. Power differences of 30HP in the 2.0 are normal between a bus spec engine and a 914 spec engine.

If you are making it bigger, the bus case works fine- we use them all the time.. My 3.0 is based from a 1.7 Bus engine

[Mark Henry]

The flywheel, disc and pressure plate are not the same.

[ThinAir]

A 1978 Bus engine would have hydraulic lifters. I think they switched from solid lifters in 1977, but I'm not totally sure if they were on all engines in 1978 or were some kind of option. I've got a 1979 engine in my son's 1975 Bus and it's the perfect thing for him because he doesn't have to adjust valves. Hydraulic valves in a 914 are something that people feel very strongly about - both pro and con.

The cam is going to have a different torque profile in a Bus compared to a 914 because it needed so much low-end torque to get the big box moving. So like Jake said, the case can be a very good base if you need a new case, but there are other issues that may not make it a good idea to try and just put a Bus engine into a 914.