I'm new to 914s (although I drove a Beetle for many years) and need some advice on carburetors. THe '71 914 I bought had its FI replaced with a carb although I don't know what kind. it's rebuilt engine is not in the car so I can't tell how it works. I was told the carb is a "no-bowl" variety which is typically used for racing and would not be that great on the street.

What would be a good carburetor/fuel pump for me? I want something for street use and an occasional autocross, decent mileage, and reasonable performance. I do have the old FI parts but 1) they're scattered in several boxes so I don't know what's what, 2) they look pretty grungy. It seems the easier route would be a carburetor.

I would suggest that you put the fuel injection back on. If the motor is stock, the FI will work better than any carb you can find.

You can go to Brad Anders web page (search the archives for the link, I don't have it handy), and it will give you and extensive education into the D-Jet injection.


And there are lots of people here willing to help too.

What are carbs?

Give him a brake you guys.
What are you going to do with the car? Do you understand carbs, do you understand injection?
The cars came carbed everywhere but here(the US) even Canada.
I highly sugest duel solex like the factory.
Linda Horne, who posts here as (L.) is triered of not making events because of not being able to deal with her injection and will buy duel solex 40 with a hex bar and C B fuel pump this weekend. Eventualy she would like a -6 conversion.
I converted my 1.8 to carbs because I needed a driver. It runs great. Better than any 1.7 I've driven and I did not change the cam.
I'm a die hard carb guy, but I have a nice D-Jet that I spent over $1500 on tools just to tune and troubel shoot and I'm still tuneing a year after the engine went back in the car.
Check my blog
:PERMAGRIN: Joe

Next time I have to tear my engine apart I'm going with carbs, big P/C's, head work, headers and a wild assed cam!!!!

Actually, Joe, only the Euro 1.8s had dual Solex carbs. ALL of the other cars in ALL markets used D-Jet.

Even Jake is finally coming around and using EFI on his engines. It's really not that hard to understand and make work.

single carb or do you have 2 of them??

pick it up and look at it, there has to be some identification or at least take a picture...

a single carb is sub-optimal for a flat 4 due to the very long "wet" runners....

if you must go with a carb'd car, go with duals....

James: I'd love to have FI thats easy to tune. Still waiting for something thats plug and play.
Joe

Ok Joe, what is going on with your FI? I would like to help even from long distance.

I installed Djet back on my 914 2.0 back in 98 ripping out the dual dells (still have them) and figured out how to get it working again before BradAnders bible came out.

Djet is so simple its almost funny but a small problem and it runs like crap like most EFI systems.

Took me a day to figure out why my 94 Ranger would only drive one block last year. I discovered a small piece of paper towel lodged in the HotWire sensor from the quickie oil change place.

If you have a single carb, it is going to be a Holley/Weber 2DGV somethin something or a Solex variety of same....basically a 2 bbl progressive carb like was fitted to the Ford Pintos back when. Weber did make a current one.

If you have a "no bowl" carb, it would be like the drag racers use and I think it was called a "Predator"...nothing but an air box with fuel lines and spray jets...suitable only for wide open throttle runs.....I seriously doubt this would have been fitted to a VW.

If it is a Weber, the numbers will be stamped on one side of the base plate. Don't remember where the Solex is stamped.

The dual single barrel Solex's, while not only fitted to non-US type 4's, was fitted to Type 2s also.

Thanks for your ideas so far. I looked the carb over tonight and it's a Weber 32/36 DFAV. Did some research and the "A" seems to mean "hot water" choke! Now where would I get hot water from an air-cooled engine? It looks to have the terminals like an electric choke so maybe it's been converted. The DFEV (electric choke) model seems popular for the VW/Porsche. Don't have the engine in yet and the PO never tried the carb either so I'm a bit clueless about how it'll work.

For you FI guys... I have three boxes of old parts from this and a few other engines. There are numerous oil-covered and in questionable condition FI pieces in the boxes. Also have a fairly new-looking Weber carb already mounted on an intake manifold. There are how many parts to the FI system? I'm betting I can get the carb working a lot sooner and a LOT cheaper than the original FI.

By the way, what'll I need for a fuel pump?

not knowing anything when i bought my 1.8, i had a reputable shop make the call for me. they installed dual webers (@huge $, btw:() and it's awsome. it sounds great and gurgles like a bada$$ hd.
they talked about the fuel pump (that runs constantly), and a return line to get the excess back to the tank. i'm not a nuthead about this, but i'll get the details next week when i go back to the shop and post them here.

That gurgle is gas burning at a rate of 13-14mpg....the old D-Jet got 20-30mpg depending on the lead in yer foot...

QUOTE ("*" @ Jun 5 2005, 10:46 AM)

That gurgle is gas burning at a rate of 13-14mpg....the old D-Jet got 20-30mpg depending on the lead in yer foot...

don't i know! and there's a *lot* of lead in my foot, but then i don't really drive this for the gas milage anyway.
i just wish it was faster in return for the lack of economy. i think i'll get some answers about that next week.

You would get better response, HP and all around balls when you replace the crappy FI cam. Problem is, unlike a V8, you have to tear down the motor to do that.....

o.k., i could be down with that. it would be a winter project, but a consideration. can you give me a suggestion of the right one, and what general improvement i could hope for?
(i'm not a mechanic, i just do the body and details myself so i'd have to buy the job. i will lay down coin if the tradeoff is good!)
thanks!

Well if it's not going to be done by you....you need a reputable wrench. Local if possible so that when something screws up...you can go down face to face and get satisfaction.

Otherwise....I "hear" Jake Raby is good....no personal knowledge. Do a search and/or go to his website.....Massive Type IV on a google should get him.

There's no excuse for cubic inches....be advised it ain't cheap.

Just my .02, I have had my new to me 73' for almost 3 tanks of gas with dual webber44's. Getting 28 mpg driving it like an idiot I did buy and do understand d jet, but why fix or change what ain't broke