73 914 2.0 Rebuild Options

[R Dub]

Finally got the car back to IL and started to clean it up. Overall he car is in really good shape. There is virtually no rust on it. Just a very little bit starting to form on the front fender by the hood. The paint is in really good condition but will probably need a new paint job as there are some chips in that that won't be able to touch up since it is 30+ years old. Will need the Recaro seats to be redone and will need a new arm rest. Drained the old gas out of it and then drained the oil which was mostly sludge. Bought sludge remover and put that in the case to help break it up. The mice ate the plug wires and the battery is totally shot. What spark plugs and wires do you guys recommend?

Here are a few picture.
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i582.photobucket.com-21387-1512333259.2.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i582.photobucket.com-21387-1512333260.3.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i582.photobucket.com-21387-1512333260.4.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i582.photobucket.com-21387-1512333260.5.jpg)

[R Dub]

Got the fuel pump figured out but found out that oil was leaking out of the push rod tubes and 3 of 4 cylinders had low compression. One was as low as 60 psi. So we pulled the engine out and pulled the heads and cylinders off. Found a few issues. First is a couple of the push rods are bent and the second issue is the cylinders have some scoring on them which we believe to be from rust as the car sat for 20 years. Now a few questions (and sorry for being a total nub):

1) Where can I find new push rods. I've searched Google and all I can find is new push rod tubes, which I'll get as well, but not push rods.

2) Anything I can do to a 2.0L to gain some performance? I'm looking for more bolt on stuff, not looking to machine the block or heads or anything like that. I've read something about a 2056? Is this just bolting on bigger cylinders and pistons while leaving the crank, rods and head all stock?

3) I'm going to replace the alternator belt and some grommets while it's out. Anything else I should replace while the engine is out?

[Mblizzard]

Got the fuel pump figured out but found out that oil was leaking out of the push rod tubes and 3 of 4 cylinders had low compression. One was as low as 60 psi. So we pulled the engine out and pulled the heads and cylinders off. Found a few issues. First is a couple of the push rods are bent and the second issue is the cylinders have some scoring on them which we believe to be from rust as the car sat for 20 years. Now a few questions (and sorry for being a total nub):

1) Where can I find new push rods. I've searched Google and all I can find is new push rod tubes, which I'll get as well, but not push rods.

2) Anything I can do to a 2.0L to gain some performance? I'm looking for more bolt on stuff, not looking to machine the block or heads or anything like that. I've read something about a 2056? Is this just bolting on bigger cylinders and pistons while leaving the crank, rods and head all stock?

3) I'm going to replace the alternator belt and some grommets while it's out. Anything else I should replace while the engine is out?

You can go the AA Piston route for P/Cs for about $400. You will see some improvement but unless the cam has been swapped you wont get the most out of the upgrade.

My suggestion is until you are ready to split the case, fix (hone and new rings) the current P/Cs and change to modern FI. You van tune the modern FI to get eh most out of the existing 2.0 and use most of the existing parts.

[R Dub]

You can go the AA Piston route for P/Cs for about $400. You will see some improvement but unless the cam has been swapped you wont get the most out of the upgrade.

My suggestion is until you are ready to split the case, fix (hone and new rings) the current P/Cs and change to modern FI. You van tune the modern FI to get eh most out of the existing 2.0 and use most of the existing parts.

Thanks for the reply. When I was looking for P/C, it looks like AA Pistons was really the only company out there. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they a good company? Have a good product?

Does the case have to be split to swap the cam? And what cam is recommended if I were to go with 96MM pistons?

I was told the Weber carbs were put on because the FI of the day was bad (Maybe it's just cause no one knew who to work on FI back then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)) Is there a compnay that makes a modern FI for the 914 or is it all stock stuff

[Mblizzard]

You can go the AA Piston route for P/Cs for about $400. You will see some improvement but unless the cam has been swapped you wont get the most out of the upgrade.

My suggestion is until you are ready to split the case, fix (hone and new rings) the current P/Cs and change to modern FI. You van tune the modern FI to get eh most out of the existing 2.0 and use most of the existing parts.

Thanks for the reply. When I was looking for P/C, it looks like AA Pistons was really the only company out there. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they a good company? Have a good product?

Does the case have to be split to swap the cam? And what cam is recommended if I were to go with 96MM pistons?

I was told the Weber carbs were put on because the FI of the day was bad (Maybe it's just cause no one knew who to work on FI back then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)) Is there a compnay that makes a modern FI for the 914 or is it all stock stuff

Yes the case does have to be split to replaced the cam.

There are others P/Cs out the like the Type 4 Store if you want the best, but AA is a reasonable product that is inexpensive. But you do get what you pay for.

The recommended cam will be based on what you want the car to do. For a good overall street car I would go with the Web cam 86. Also understand that just installing the cam is the beginning, there are a number of other things that must be done to get the best performance like making sure your valve train geometry is correct. Too often people install a cam and don't see all of the performance it has due to incorrect valve train geometry. Do a search it will bring up lots of good reading.

When the FI is replace by carbs it is rare that the cam is changed. So I would guess you have a FI cam in the engine.

I think McMark of Original Customs is still making a turn Key Micro Squirt system.