1st post and I have a weber progressive, My first 914...and it's got dog doo on it? Options

[purple]

Hey guys, I'm happy to be here. I just picked up a '76 2.0L that is set up as a track car. It's just incredible to drive and the engine sounds amazing behind me. I've only ever driven front engine cars, and the only thing i'm reminded of with the 914 is go-karting.

My questions are many. Let me describe the engine to you.
The P.O. was a 914 mechanic for many years, but says he did things to the car that porsche guys would cringe about. I didnt really know what he was saying, but I still bought the car because the entire car is rust free.

It turns out what he did was: put a rebuilt 2.0L in there, stripped all the heating stuff, stripped the interior, resprayed with bedliner(i actually like this), put in 5 point harnesses, momo wheel & shift knob, took the radio/heater out, took the speakers out, took EVERYTHING out.

The engine is a 2.0L as I said, it's got a single weber progressive, hydraulic lifters, what i can only say is a distributor with no vaccuum advance and it's got the heater tin stripped off the manifold. The exhaust is off a suzuki motorcycle but it sounds incredible. it just goes straight from the manifold into the pipe. One for each bank of cylinders.

My questions:
my throttle is really REALLY sticky, I either get idle or a pretty good push. There is not a whole lot of power at WOT. Great low end torque and the sound is nice. I was going to replace the fuel pump from one of those clicky POSes (that failed while on loop 610, think 80mph traffic going by without stop) and needed whack from a wrench to get running again java script:emoticon(':WTF:',%20'smid_7') to one of the rotary CB ones i just got from pelican.

What should I do about this guys? The car is just so much fun to drive, i've stopped mis-shifting into 4th from first, i'm still reverse-shy though, as i dont think it has a lockout, because it will grind like crazy, ask me how i know.
The engine is tuned really well and seems to run great on the carb, i guess that means it has a carb cam in it, because it starts and runs just great.

Did I buy a great car with a crap engine?

Purple

[KaptKaos]

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[G e o r g e]

my guess is your engine is out of a bus............

can't tell you if you bought a great car as (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

but if it truly rust free your on your way to a nice one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

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[G e o r g e]

Kapt be me too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) I hate when that happens

[Joe Ricard]

Track cars don't run Progressive Weber's
Track cars have roll cages or roll bar at the very least (DE car)

Fun street car possibly. You will never get good power out of the motor with that carb.

I have a few videos of my car on track if you need a reference to what a 2.0L 914 with cam and dual carbs should do. I need to get the link to You tube (Joe_914).

[purple]

here are the pics I have, i need to snap some of the engine, but i these are all i have

[purple]

And some more

[914nerd]

Welcome
It's got potential
Ditch the carb and go to some other ones (any idea what the cam is?) or FI
The exhaust is also a power point and these cars like 4-1 or 4-2-1 collector systems
But who really cares?
Drive it and have fun with it

[purple]

You guys are fast!

I have been lurking a little... I hear that that weber is the biggest POS to put on that engine. I'm not a big fan of the 911 rear reflector, but it was bolted through the back panel with 6 bolts, meaning if i take it off so i can actually put a latch on the rear trunk, i'd have 6 extra holes back there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I guess you're right about it not being a 'track' car. the only other car like this i've owned was an '07 miata GT and i'm missing the variable valve timing and 7k rpm redline and all the power that's associated with 2L of fury. So i dont really know about what a track car is.

The 914 also doesnt handle ANYTHING like the miata, as I could chuck it at corners and it would take care of it. I do find that this car takes quite a bit of finesse, but it handles very well when I take care and drive it right

I have no idea what the cam is, but it runs pretty well with carbs, so I assume it was meant for them. Is it true that hydraulic lifters starve the rockers of oil? What should I ditch the progressive for?

Oh yeah, the odometer is broken too... and there is NO gauge lighting, but all the exterior lights work. the idiot lights also work. the oil temp sender is not hooked up either.

[Joe Ricard]

Go attend as many Autocrosses as you can. You will REALLy be amazed at what your car is capable of.
And be careful on the street. These little cars are somewhat hard to see and if moving quickly it is a sure thing some duffuss in a SUV will pull out in front of you.

Or never be able to brake as quick as you can. Likely to get run over.

[purple]

Joe,

You're right, on the street i've been pulled in front of a couple times (in just one week) and a semi came into my lane a couple days ago. I figured that 'arrest-me-red' would help with people noticing me, but i guess not. I had similar problems in the miata.

I think the car also has factory sways, i remember when it was on the lift it had them

[914nerd]

For the rear reflector, you can weld up the holes (or have them welded up for a price) or you can just live with it. If it is a solenoid release, and has problems opening, search on here for the vendor that is making cable releases for them.
As for the handling, you will get used to it and really like it
Any idea what the suspension is like? that's probably one of the first things to look at to make these fast (power in these is not necessarily the answer)

[purple]

The suspension is really tight and has NO slop. He replaced all the bushings shortly before selling it. He also replaced the rotors and rebuilt the calipers and put new pads on. The car corners FLAT and seems to have tons of grip when i drive it right. When I dont the back end is really easy to step out, but very controllable.

The trunk has NO latch. the only thing holding it closed is the force of the springs. I found the parts on ebay for the latch.

I was going to fabricate a hidden electric popper so that i wouldnt have to run a big cable.

It also has no emergency brake, I do have the cables and handle for that, but they are OFF the car. The access holes to the center tunnel also look like they were welded shut, or at the very least tacked shut and then sprayed over with bedliner.
I think he replaced the fuel line with a metal one, but it was really skinny and bouncing around in there, and getting hit by the bottom of the shifter. I zip tied it to the clutch tube and that seems to have stopped it being hit by the shifter. I dunno if it's a fuel line or a brake line though.

[914nerd]

Hmmm...
Definitely get a latch for the rear to hold it closed properly
It's easy to figure out whether it's a brake line or fuel line
first off, it's tiny (probably a brake line then)
But you can always just trace where it goes
Also you can look for the regular fuel line(s)
Relatively hard plastic stuff was stock

[purple]

Joe, I found your youtube video....uh, DAYUM!

My car is NOWHERE near that fast. It does corner like that though.

What kind of shifter do you have in there? I have to shift mine slowly or i'll grind 2nd, but that's probably me just being new to shifting... the odd-way at least, the miata was a 6 spd, but you could be in 6th by 45mph (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[GWN7]

Drive with your lights on (even during the day time) it will help you not get run over by Texas caddys. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[KaptKaos]

It doesn't look like you have any gauges in the center console. You have the combo temp/fuel filler gauge in the left position, so why the center console.

Nice car BTW.

Show pix of engine and exhaust. I had thought (please kick me if I am wrong) that the typeIV needed to have all 4 exhausts merge into one, or it doesn't put out as much power. I am no expert on this, so please take my comments as such.

[purple]

All questions can be answered by 'the p.o. did it'

the center console actually has all the wiring behind it, much to my surprise, but all the gauges are gone, it's just a piece of 1/4'' poplar with some vinyl stuck on(i made that nicer at least, the adhesive was coming off, you gotta pick your battles, ya know?)

I'll snap some pics of the engine and exhaust as soon as possible. you guys will love the carb linkage....

[purple]

The pics I snapped of the exhaust are trash because someone appears to have stolen the little flourescent tube out of my garage and my halogen floodlamp has burned out. The linkage should be quite obvious, and the carb is there... What do you guys think?

[purple]

I just figured out it has a facet fuel pump 'famous for starving carbs' I'm glad i'm replacing it with a CB rotary. It stopped pumping while i was on the highway, little turd. I'll be pulling the gas tank and replacing the lines in the front trunk when I do this. I will also be doing the POR-15 treatment to it.

Is there anything i should be careful of or looking for during this operation?