My wife and I both drive our teen, if anything she drives it more than I do. We both want more power, I really want a six, but that is at least 3 years away. The main points are I want a motor that is powerful but is smooth, gets OK mileage, can drive all day at 85-90 mph and isn’t embarrassed by ricers. I don’t want it to scare the shit out of the wife; this one point I wonder if a six is too much. I only want an aircooled engine.

My teen has a perfectly running 1800 L-jet, it’s just a tad wimpy, but it only needs a couple of oil leaks fixed. I have 7-T4 cores, 2-2.0 and 1-1800 Porsche engines and 2-2.0, 1-1800 and 1-1700 van motors. I also have a set of 1800 heads with 42X38 valves and the 2-2.0 P motors are disassembled, cleaned and checked out good cores, no slugs though. The 2 d-jet systems are in baskets, but I think only one system will be any good, because of rust and a couple of missing parts. As far as a big 4 goes money isn’t really an issue and the machining and building is covered.

I was thinking about building a stock D-jet for a spare and hopping up the other 2.0, but really the 1800 L-jet can be the spare. So I’m either going to live with a 95hp d-jet or go with a 2056 or maybe a 2270 with either mega squirt or SDS PEFI (I don’t want carbs) One reason for not just going with the D-jet is the fact that I have no clue on it’s condition. They were running engines, back in 1985! One system is a ‘75 and the better one is a ‘74. The ’75 case is the better one and my car is a ’74.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, advice and/or even smart remarks appreciated. I’m still sitting on the fence with this engine, no real rush, but I do want to jump on it someday! Thanks Mark.

A 2056cc Djet motor is pretty easy to build and has plenty of power. With some careful porting of the heads and tuning the Djet you can get the motor in the 110-115hp range. Thats a step up in terms of power and about the limit of the Djet without longer stroke. Even a good running 2.0L will cruise all day at 80-90mph without skipping a beat. IF you and your wife are just driving around town and on trips thats plenty of power. If you want more go for the six but the 2.0L or 2.1L is nice and very trouble free.
On the old Djet, test the MPS's with a vacuum pump to see if they will hold a 15lb vacuum without leaking down in 5 minutes much. If the needle drops like a rock your in trouble. Other than having the injectors cleaned it will be fine.
Geoff

Almost all of our driving is highway, as we live in the country, and the wife is no wimp. I drive the bug at 80mph and she is gone!

Does a stroker add much to a D-jet, is it worth it?

I could only get the pintles to move on 2 of the '74 injectors and 2 of the '75's. Different part #'s but I've been told there the same, is that true?
If everything worked I would probably just replace them anyways.

Should I full flow a basiclly stock engine?

I'll test the MPS, I will have to find someone with a vacuum pump.

Almost everyone into 914's I talk to say to stay with the stock (almost) D-jet as it's the best or go six, but Jake Raby and the LN boys have a shit fit when they hear people say that. I should do a vote, but the flames might get hot!

Of course they will have a shit fit. They are trying to sell product.

I personally would build a decent 2056 and save the money for a six later. Use your big valve heads on the 2056. Balance everything and clean the rods up (blueprint them). Then do your aftermarket injection on it. Semi lumpy cam will yield a reliable 125hp.

I really like the factory injection system, but only when I know what I have worked when I pulled it off (meaning.. it may cost you a lot of money/time to get what you have working)

B

Brad, I thought for sure that you would stick with the 2.0L Porsche heads. But the rest your recommendations is kind of my thoughts about this project. 125hp sounds nice and peppy. I was thinking of staying with the stock intake, maybe bore the TB.

I'm building another 2.0L stocker for 'Mike's 914' a local shop here in Oshawa, I think I'll wait a bit and do the ol' swap testing with one of his 2.0 d-jet cars. I might still go with the PEFI, but at least I will know what d-jet stuff is good to keep or sell.
If I do a six later I'll stick the PEFI on my bug.

yea, 130hp is lots of fun...and I have yet to be shown up by a ricer...course you might have to add an oil cooler...

what is this PEFI you are talking about? Havent heard of that one yet...

Thanks,

Tony
74 w/2056...

PEFI....

Programmable Electronic Fuel Injection
such as megasquirt, autronic, electromotive....motec

ok...so its not a specific one...

so many acronyms...so little brain...

MarkH,

I would have told you to use the 2.0 heads... but they are worth 500.00 or so. Sell them and use the money to build the 2056 with the big valve heads. That is the cheapest possible way I can think of to get you into the reliable engine with some balls.


B

The PEFI (Mueller got it right) system, the one I’m thinking of going with is the SDS system.

http://www.sdsefi.com/

The points I like about it are: you don’t need a laptop (which is good for me as I’m totally ‘puter stupid), the controller stays in the car, they will build it with a CHT sender, they custom tailor the harness, the base system isn’t too expensive, info BBS, they have aircooled experience and the guy uses it on his own plane.
Check it out, sounds good to me, but if you’ve heard anything bad about them let me know. The only negative that I have heard is the CPU isn’t waterproof.

They also offer GROUP BUY discounts, if anyone is interested shoot me an email.