Re: [T3] first posting but on a previous thread topic..enginelongevity...

["Shad Laws" <shad@lnengineering.com>]

<x-charset iso-8859-1>Hello-

> Factory 1967 single vacuum advance. No mechanical. I
> really don't care for the electronic ignition
> conversion pieces that are being made. Most seem of
> VERY poor quality.

I tend to like Compufires.  I've put lotsa lotsa miles on them, and never
had a failure*.  In fact, I trust them so much that I have TWO on my
FASTback engine right now: one is the crank position sensor and is mounted
to the cast T4 fan shroud to read magnets I inset into the cast T4 fan, and
the other is in my locked-advance distributor with three magnets missing as
a "cam position" sensor.  Just occasionally guesstimate the air gap and you
are good to go.  There is a wide margin of tolerance, but if you are out of
it, you'll misfire.

* I did reverse wire one by accident once, and it still worked for a couple
months, but started running hot and cutting out.  I took it down to the
Compufire building in Pomona, as I lived in So. CA at the time, and they
replaced it for free w/o a receipt or anything.  And that was _my_ fault,
not theirs.


> If anything, I'd go for a modern
> Mallory unit.

Those are quite nice!  I did have one QC-related problem with one I had
once, but I fixed it myself (the optical trigger box fell in half, and I put
it back together with more adhesive than the factory used... problem
solved).  The advance on those are rock solid.


> >Are you going to keep the original transmission in
> >the car or will you purchase either a new or rebuilt
> >one?
>
>                I plan on installing a Rancho rebuilt
> trans., but am still debating the freeway flyer issue.
> Does anyone have any experence with this?
>
> >Here is another issue that I am not sure that many
> >have not thought about; the tires.  Are the stock ones
> >going to be used?
>
>                   Yes. Stock 165/15.

These questions go hand-in-hand.  Now, ask yourself what "freeway flyer" is.
You can pretty easily calculate the relationship for rpm vs. car speed -
figure out what range is appropriate for you.

Right now, my FASTback is 70mph at 3000rpm with 3.875:1 x 0.821:1 4th gear
and 195/60/15 tires, but that may change soon.  It needs a fifth gear
badly... not necessarily a taller one, but one that allows the rest to be
closer to one another.  Then again, my engine is designed to shed a LOT more
heat (T4 heads are bigger, and aluminum cylinders are a huge plus) much more
easily than a stock 1600.  Below ~4000-4500rpm, different rpm does change
the cooling airflow... keep that in mind.


> >Yes a glass pack muffler system will allow the engine
> >to breathe, but consider this; the noise of the engine
> >to your ears.  I must confess it is a great choice you
> >want to make and if their ever becomes a problem in
> >your engine than you will certainly know.  If fact
> .many of your neighbors hear it as well.
>
>                      The last car I restored was a late
> seventies Z-28 Camaro with a personally built 375hp
> 350c.i.d. engine. It ran 2 chamber flowmasters and was
> VERY loud when you put your foot into it ;) I like a
> raspy sound, especially from VW's. As far as the
> neighbors go, screw 'em. They play that damned hip-hop
> crap at incredible volumes and bass, at all hours of
> the night, so I rather hope they enjoy the "bark" of
> my VW at 6:00am. Should do wonders for their hangovers ;)( I really need
to get into a better part
> of town :)

LOL!  :-)

Also, think about intake noise... the sound of dual 2-bbl Webers on a VW is
very nice, but on long, long distance trips, it gets old.  By a pure stroke
of luck, the FI system we developed is near silent at low throttle, but
raspy and loud as can be at full throttle.  Perfect! :-)


>                      I've gotten MANY opinions on the
> full flow filtering issue and have decided that if I
> expect good longevity out of my engine, then it's the
> way to go.

Groovy.

Take care,
Shad Laws
LN Engineering - Aircooled Precision Performance
http://www.LNengineering.com


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