Daily Driver just wants to know, calling all DDs! Options

[malcolm2]

I have not driven an aircooled VW as a DD for 30 years, and that was a 68 bug. As most probably know, those cars had a speedo and a gas gauge. Very little feed back.

I am curious about how the 914 should run. I have a freshly built and fuel injected 1911 engine, with larger valves on 1.8 style heads. I am running a 75 exhaust. I am getting lots of feedback from the car and I think it drives great! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

This car seems to have lots of power, compared to the 68 bug. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) I run to about 3500 rpm then shift to 2nd. Thru the gears at about the same rpm, and usually wait to shift to 5th 'til about 50 mph and it cruises between 2800 (55-ish mph) and 3200 (70-ish mph) in 5th. That seems strange, cause they put the blinker indicator right at 3000! It gets blocked all the time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

I still have lots of power left at 70. If I give it some pedal at 70, it will hop right up to 80, no problems. My ODO is broken, so MPG is unknown, but my goal is to maximize that.

CHT seems to like the 3200 cruising. I notice about a 50 deg drop after a few miles on the interstate, which makes sense. The VDO CHT gauge with the spark plug sensor on #3 runs between 325 and 350 normally.

I am being clear, can everyone follow? How does that sound, as far as DD operation?

Clark
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[jimkelly]

what - you drive your 914 - hum - that is a great idea : )

but I am pretty sure my jack stands came welded to the bottom of my car from the factory (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

glad to hear your's is running like a top (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[wndsnd]

Check the 914 information tab at the top of the Forumn. Jake Raby did an article on CHT's

John

Good that you are driving the car. Fun isn't it? Those are good CHT's btw.

[malcolm2]

Fuzzy picture in my work parking lot, from my FLIP PHONE. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) But it turns my 30-footer into a 5 footer.... only an expert would notice the missing parts.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I still need to make it PRETTY, but it runs.

[914werke]

The 1911 is a nice engine.
Its definitely nice to have the lazy torque of a 2.0L but there is something to be said for the rev'y nature of the short stoke motor.

[boxsterfan]

Mine pretty much drives as exactly as you describe. I don't have the CHT gauge though. My oil temps appear to run well these days, but it is cool weather in the Bay Area. I know I am going to be back to hot oil temps when it gets warm again.

I drive my car every single day and depending on my level of aggressive driving I get around 25MPG. On a long highway cruise I get around the factory advertised 28MPG.

['73-914kid]

Been driving my car every day rain or shine for the last 5 years, since I've had my DL. CHT's sound good to me, but you should look into getting rid of the '75/'76 exhaust. You're giving up a lot of power/torque with that setup..


Everything else sounds good to me, get an oil temp gauge and an oil pressure gauge to make sure everything is always working as it should, and you're good to go.

[Cap'n Krusty]

3500 RPM is cruising speed, NOT where you should be shifting. I recommend 4000-4500 as a shift point, and NEVER load the engine under 2500 RPM. Too many 356s, I guess, where cranks break under low RPM loading. As for 5th gear, I recommend cruising in 4th anytime you're under 60 MPH. Keeps the fan speed up, allows you to jump on the gas when necessary. 5th is an overdrive gear, meant for sustained high speeds on freeways and such.

The Cap'n

[Chris Pincetich]

What size tires are you using?

I have 205/50s now and am soon swapping to 195/65s for the winter. The slightly taller 195/65s are an improvement for commuting and the others are awesome for canyon carving in warm dry weather.

Keep driving it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[McMark]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Yup, sounds pretty good! I have low profile tires as well. Just got them and as soon as I put them on I regretted it. Previously I had 205/50/16 tires and it was close to the original size overall. So the speedo was accurate (more accurate anyway) and the cruising RPM was comfortable. Now I have 205/40/16s which are a little smaller than 205/50/15 a lot of people are running. As soon as springtime rolls around I'm tossing these rubber bands, putting bigger tires back on and I'll get sticky tires on some cookie cutters for AX.

[dlee6204]

3500 RPM is cruising speed, NOT where you should be shifting. I recommend 4000-4500 as a shift point, and NEVER load the engine under 2500 RPM. Too many 356s, I guess, where cranks break under low RPM loading. As for 5th gear, I recommend cruising in 4th anytime you're under 60 MPH. Keeps the fan speed up, allows you to jump on the gas when necessary. 5th is an overdrive gear, meant for sustained high speeds on freeways and such.

The Cap'n

Exactly what I was thinking. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[malcolm2]

3500 RPM is cruising speed, NOT where you should be shifting. I recommend 4000-4500 as a shift point, and NEVER load the engine under 2500 RPM. Too many 356s, I guess, where cranks break under low RPM loading. As for 5th gear, I recommend cruising in 4th anytime you're under 60 MPH. Keeps the fan speed up, allows you to jump on the gas when necessary. 5th is an overdrive gear, meant for sustained high speeds on freeways and such.

The Cap'n

Good to know Cap'n. 4000, really? I'll give it a try. With no sound proofing yet, it gets loud going toward 5000.

My tranny is very touchy and on the list to get work. But it does not like the downshift. Making turns into lots or driveways, I will sometimes leave it in 3rd. I will do not do that anymore. Better the Dr. on my tranny soon.

I did notice fan coolilng aspect of 4th gear, and sometimes find myself leaving it in 4th close to 60mph.

[malcolm2]

Been driving my car every day rain or shine for the last 5 years, since I've had my DL. CHT's sound good to me, but you should look into getting rid of the '75/'76 exhaust. You're giving up a lot of power/torque with that setup..


Everything else sounds good to me, get an oil temp gauge and an oil pressure gauge to make sure everything is always working as it should, and you're good to go.

The car came with no exhaust. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) I ran across Scarlet75 switching to a Tangerine exhaust and they gave me their 75 exhaust. I figured I needed something to get me started.

I have heard that about the early pipes and will be on the lookout. I do like the aspect of the 75 having headers. It is easy to remove the HE at the flange vs. the exhaust port.

['73-914kid]

I agree with using 4th on the freeway if you're close to 60mph, but shifting at 4k-4.5k RPM? I've never heard that on any engine except a rotary. type IV's redline at what, 5700 RPM? So you're using 75% of your RPM band just shifting around town? No thanks.

I would shift at around 3000 RPM when I had my type 4. And no, that's not lugging the motor.

Sounds like a way to wear out an engine quicker than normal. More time at a higher RPM is going to wear rings, valve guides, valve seats, and bearings faster. Maybe I'm overly conservative because I drive my car every day, and don't want to spend a bunch of money on the above parts because I spun the thing close to redline every time I shifted gears.

Drive it how you want though. People always say I drive like a wimp because I don't spin my motors on a regular basis. And no, I don't, because I need them to last and can't afford rebuilds. If it was a weekend driver, I'd drive it like I stole it, because if something broke, I could hop in my other car, and there would be no problems.

My 2 cents about shift points in a daily driven car....

[bandjoey]

1800 miles a month for the past year. 2.0 '73. Keeps the carbs blown out. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[malcolm2]

Everything else sounds good to me, get an oil temp gauge and an oil pressure gauge to make sure everything is always working as it should, and you're good to go.

I got gauges galore. Currently mounted on a piece of cardboard with a large clamp holding them to the dash. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) This set up will have to go, when I get a stereo.

I started the car for this shot. Oil temp rarely gets near 200. Sensor is the oil drain plug. Ran the light circuit thru the dimmer. very cool.


One day I'll mount this one. Mike, I have not forgotten about paying you for that, have no fear. I found the taco plate sensor on a 74 in the JY and now have the complete setup.

[Porsche930dude]

odometer is a pretty easy fix. theres a write up on it somewhere

[McMark]

Sounds like a way to wear out an engine quicker than normal. More time at a higher RPM is going to wear rings, valve guides, valve seats, and bearings faster. Maybe I'm overly conservative because I drive my car every day, and don't want to spend a bunch of money on the above parts because I spun the thing close to redline every time I shifted gears.

Totally disagree, spinning the engine isn't going to wear it out. BUT, I also don't think you're harming the engine by short shifting it. The way I look at it, the power band starts at 2500-3000 so you shifting just when the engine starts to make power. You're trying to move a load, and to do so effectively you should keep the engine in the range that makes the most power. I'm not talking about hard WOT acceleration, just let the engine do the least amount of work by keeping it in the power band. In that sense you're "wearing out" your engine by constantly running it in an inefficient RPM and unnecessarily loading the engine.

But this is all somewhat irrelevant because neither case will ever have a side-by-side comparison that would actually result and RELIABLE data to favor one over the other.

[eyesright]

I alternate between my '76 2.0L FI 914 and my '02 MR-2. Both get 32 mpg around town and 35+ on the highway @ 75 mph. (Honest!)

I shift around 3000rpm. My shifts are easy on the shynchros/lazy and SUV's beat me off the line at every stop light and school zone. Its just fun to drive easy. I might do a little canyon strafing now and then when nobody's looking...

I checked my VDO gauges with an IR thermometer. Oil runs at 230 in the 100 degree summer days and won't quite get up to 180 during last week's freezing weather. On nice days the oil runs about 180-190. CHT goes to 300-325 within a mile' driving and stays there, maybe going to 350 for a bit but comes right back down.

HAM did my heads and decked my case. I wonder if I got Raby's last 9550 cam kit. I ordered it on a Friday and the next Monday they announced their 9590. Like you, I have plenty of power for what I do and good mileage, so my thanks to Jake and Len.

The only down side to DD is that its not as weather proof as my MR-2 and you have to like maintenance chores!

[toon1]

You are right in there. I drive mine daily and that's about where everything runs. My head temps are real low right now(too low) because of the cold Ca. weather. In the spring and summer I will see the CHT's that you are seeing, maybe a bit lower, 340 on average.

As far as shifting, The car is real comfortable shifting at 3200, based on my megasquirt datalogs.

I'm running 205/65/16's, at 70mph the rpm's are 2800. It's a bit tall. I'm going to 205/60/16's. This will get the rpm's closer to stock...about 3000.