I have a couple of complete 2.0 motors in my garage that I would like start-up in my garage but out of the car. I can do a leak down test on both of them and do a compression test, but I would also like to see how the run, adjust valves, timing, before I install one of them. They are both FI motors.

Any tips or advice?

Secure it to the ground so it won't torque it's self off the stand. The fuel pump on an FI motor will be the biggest PITA in my opinion.
You can adjust the valves out of the car easy enough, and with points do a static timing adjustment with a test light, I can't remember how, but the idiot's guide to VW repair spells it out well.
I'm not sure the covenience of doing the adjustments out of the car outweighs the difficulty of hooking everything up on the floor.
You should go with the one with the best leakdown, and then the next time you drive out to the coast, drop the other one off at my house so I can store it for you in my second 914 and test it for a couple of years for you.

If the engine has been sitting around for a long time. As a precaution.

I would spin the engine with the starter motor WITHOUT THE SPARK PLUGS IN THE ENGINE FOR A WHILE TO BUILD UP SOME OIL PRESSURE BEFORE YOU FIRE IT UP. ya get a higher RPM that way... No compression to get in the way of priming the oil pump.

And this is without the fuel pump on.

Then put plugs back in her and light that sucker up.

Hell... you can give the engine a leak down test just as you show it in the picture. just spin it to get some oil on the cylinders and test....

At least you will find out if you have a bad hole on either engine. saves time from trying to start a engine that needs a rebuild anyway....

AND you don't have to put anything up off the ground... if ya just want to start it to see if runs ok... Light it up on the ground. you won't hurt anything if ya don't let it sit there for 20 minutes running...

I have done oit more than once to heat an engine up for leakdown and compression test before I bought an engine.
'
Works for me.

C
Clayton

A stand is best. If you start it on the floor I'd suggest you put it on a piece of old carpet. They make a hell of a lot of noise rattling on bare concrete. Also make sure that the floor is flat, and not a sloped driveway. You'd be impressed how fast those little buggers pick up speed going downhill.

I believe that in order to use the FI out of the car you'll need to have the relay board (opposite side of the engine compartment from the battery tray area) out of the car as well.

I'm interested to see how this works out for you as I'd like to be able to "bench test" my soon to be freshly rebuilt engine before install...

-pt

I've run my motor on the floor. It was on a piece of chipboard not bare concrete. Ran fine and didn't move at all even when rev'ed hard.
I don't see how you can run it on a stand as you'll need gearbox (starter motor) attached.

I think his question was more along the lines of "how would you wire it up to run a FI car out side the car." And if I'm wrong in my assumtion then that's my question. Carbed cars are easy to hot wire; 12volts to ignition,gravity feed the carbs, crank, and vroom.

Darn...I was just there in Los Osos for Christmas at my moms...I could have drop it off then... Would next week be too late when I'm on my way to Pismo?

A carbed engine would be much easier. I have an extra relay board so I'll be able to connect it all-up with the brain, etc.

Biggest problem---what is necessary to connect to the relay board??

Fuel Pump...any ideas, perhaps a cheap one from FLAPS??

DO NOT put the engine on a piece of carpet to light the engine off.

As your exhaust will be sitting on the ground.

great way to start a smoldering plastic stink bomb.... Or worse...

Those heat exchangers get HOT.....

Even if you set the engine directly on concrete. No worrys... the engine Does NOT flop around. The heat exchangers are wide and the engine and trans don't go anywhere...

Been there... done that... no problems.....

Cheers,
Clayton

I've never felt comfortable seeing a 914 engine sitting on it's heat exchangers. I've always worried about the exhaust port bolts.

Clayton, do you feel that's a valid concern?

its easy, just stand back till she clears the tower...

actually i just love this picture.

OK, this is probably not the best way to do it but it looks like fun..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjitKUvzyIw

I just found this, don't know who it is but i'll bet he's a member.

Funny stuff. That was Leo Imperial's engine in the video. We got it going late one night in August @ Movietime in Lyndhurst, NJ - was a lot of fun.

Leo offered the engine to me that night when we discovered my top end rebuild was to need new pistons and a new head... I was an idiot & decided to forge ahead w/the rebuild. Rebuild still in progres (rebuild, v4.0 that is....).

BTW, that engine had been sitting unused for 20yrs and fired right up once we got all the electrical connections good and tight. MAKE SURE YOUR CONNECTIONS ARE CLEAN AND TIGHT - it made all the difference when trying to turn her over...

-pt

Not the best footage (shot at night) but exhaust sounds SWEET! Anyone here/ If so what engine/exhaust is that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmlVeGWiBA...ted&search=