My first air cooler (type 4) so excuse my possible ignorance, but does a normal good running type 4 sound a little clangy and tappy until you rev her up a bit? Have the timing set and good plugs Also adjusted the valves. Just wanted to know if things are normal or maybe I have big problems. Thanks

Yeah, that sounds like a Porsche/VW air cooled engine to me, but impossible to say if yours sounds normal without hearing it. There are plenty of youtube videos of people showing off their engine sound, or people idling their engines during a walk around. That might help to give you an idea of what these engines sound like. You could also post your own video and link to it in your post if you want us to be able to hear what you are hearing.

Ditto. Please post up a video of the engine sounds. But generally they are a little loud.

For some reason they sound just like a VW engine!

That's because they're a product of good breeding!!!

Great I’ll get on it, not at all trying to be insulting here but a little bit of self conscious or sound conscious came over me when I thought how it’s going to sound in a iPhone video also I’ve put new brake lines, hoses, master cylinder And adjust the space between the MS and the pedal rod about 1/2” of pedal before it hits the MS, rebuild rear calipers and adjusted venting, got good flow from the upper bleeder valve on all four wheels, front calipers are functioning as far as I can see they both stop the rotors from spinning when the brakes were applied. So I have good pedal goes down a couple inches and not spongy at all but you have to press real hard to get decent brakes I mean I pressed hard enough were you could feel the MS mount flex a tiny bit but I was pressing probably way harder then you should. I read you have to bleed the proportioning valve also? And is it possible that I have frozen pistons on The front calipers so only one out of the two are working maybe? Thanks

IMO the Type 4 sounds like a box of buffalo farts. I still love them, but the sound is one I'm going to concede to all you six snobs.

Does it have hydraulic lifters? They tend to make a lot of noise when dry.

Bring it down to Piketon's Saturday night and let us listen.

Funny you would say that it actually does, it’s the stock 1.8 block and 1.8 heads But it has hydraulics. Got no info about the engine from the PO cause he owned it for a short time and said he needed room in his garage for his sportster he just got. All he told me Was it was Southern Cali car and I just figured that’s what everyone says. But doing the restoration on it I found a postcard that slipped down below the fresh air blower That was address to a lady in Santa Barbra so Huh.

Cool, but I’m not familiar with Piketons?

Found it El Piketon restaurant in Kent We’ll make it by for sure thanks

That's your noise right there. Hydraulic lifters need oil inside to work properly and if they sit for too long they will drain and need some time to build up pressure again.

My 3.6L /6 does the same thing if i haven't driven it for a while. I usually let it idle for a few minutes and slowly rev it up until the noise goes away.

Just don't try to force it by reving it too high too early.

Yes the lifters have been pretty good about not bleeding down from day to day or even week to week. I found that out one of the first times I started it after it sat for a long time I thought I heard rods and valves and main bearings and all that great stuff but then it magical fixed itself (My mechanic brother explained to me about hydraulic valves) but even when that racket clears I’m guess it still has the typical air cooler sound. Not quite a Ferrari growl.

Belated welcome, and as you found out this is a great group of people here. Your car sounds normal to me as well, and when I first got my 1973 with a rebuilt 1.7 I freaked out over the start up noise and it turns out it was just the hydraulic lifters needing to do their thing.

Getting it to a cars and coffee so more experienced owners can take a listen would be highly recommended, but you’re probably just fine.

Enjoy the car and don’t forget that we love pictures around here.

I have a 2056 and it sounds like there's a bucket of bolts and a couple of squeaky squirrel cages inside but it hauls ass.

Make sure your setting the gap for the hydraulic lifters correctly as the spec is different from solid lifters.

Only for a few seconds (hopefully) on start up. If I drive my Mexi-Bug daily, they never clack. If it sits for a few weeks, they will clatter for a few seconds.

I understand the setting gap is minimal as long as the pushrods turn ?,issue with hyd lifters is up to a point they will tolerate a lack of or low oil pressure to them then when oil is cold ,they will fail and this can happen more often when an owner just drove off without warming the engine or did few oil services.
We need to remember the T4 914 motor was never designed for hyd lifters,believe VW bought them in on the 79 bus engine and then on the T3 until early in 1980's,then with the watercooled 1.9 ,they did change oil galleries to compensate but lack of oil services as mentioned is the most common issue.
My best advise is to do a couple of oil services with a budget dino 20/50,worked for me with mk2/3 VW Golfs 70% of the time…don't use ATF or lifter flush makes it worse or no result in that order.
Rant over ,good luck to the OP.

Thanks for all the thoughts and advice and threads over the last few years when I was trying to put this thing back together after just a weekend and a few days of totally disassembling it boy did that seem like a stupid idea after I looked at all the boxes and plastic sandwich bags with labels on them. I adjusted the lifters per Richard Atwell at Ratwell.com I read his article many times to understand what was going on. I have a few kinks to work out but soon hopefully I’ll be meeting up with all you locals in the PNW. Maybe I’ll get brave enough one day to drive it down to So Cal. Idk that involves a lot of confidence and trust in my hard work and the design of the 914 either way I’m excited about getting it out and meeting up with the other crazies that sweat and labor over these awesome ankle biters. Thanks again all

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The PO had the carb on there but I have all the FI parts I cleaned everything and It’s ready to be installed after I take a breather from this project for a while. The carb is simple and the car drives so I wanted to enjoy for a bit.

That 914 has really come together, nice job! I agree, drive and enjoy for a while. Always time to put the FI back on.

She looks great, nice job on the paint.

There's one problem. The single carb.

if you are going to do ANYTHING, get rid of that !!!

Dual carbs that are the right size.

I saw you are going to FI . . good move.

The single carb tends to let fuel fall out of suspension in the long runners (when it is cool out). This can dilute your oil. . might cause some of the oil pressure/hydraulic lifter issues you mention?

congratulations! that is beautiful and very clean engine and engine bay! And yes pls use dual carb for now while getting FI parts complete and for sure you will just enjoy the dual carb for now.

Thanks everyone I usually don’t take pictures of anything I’m doing but I took pictures of most everything I did to restore this car, Probably a hundred or so pics (A few hundred beers too). Was overwhelmed at first and still overwhelmed a year later but as soon as I could see the halfway point and Then the finish line it was a more fun project.