Anyone Built An Oxyboxer?

[horizontallyopposed]

I know there's lots on STF, but they can really get into the semantics.  I have like 3 Vanagon engines (well, if you count the one IN my Vanagon) and was thinking of building an oxyboxer out of one.  I'd like to build a good sized engine, but still have good reliability, and that route seems good to me  :unsure:   Of course, it would have to be in the traditional Cal Look vein with IDAs and straight cut cam gears (may go Porsche cooling though).  I'm just wondering what sort of costs it is to build one, assuming a guy's got a rebuilt bottom end, and exlcuding carburation.

TIA
-Keith

[Cameron]

Running a water boxer (wbx) in a beetle, as an aircooled motor can be done. But you will have to fabricate a few pieces. You definitely have to run the Porsche style cooling system. There are several racers that use wbx engine cases for air cooled motors race motors. They've just cut the water jacket off, and installed air cooled cylinders and heads.

I don't see why you couldn't make it work for the street, but besides the machine work, you would need an alternator stand, exhaust, and oil cooling system. And probably a bunch of other things that have escaped my mind right now. Better check the trans issues also. Will the wbx flywheel fit in a Type 1 trans, or do you need to change the trans too? Bruce may know. Bruce! Where are you?

You never mentioned what kind of car you want to put the wbx motor in.
 

[Billyisgr8]

Don't forget the wbx uses a larger stud pattern for it's cylinders and heads.  To use stock cylinder and heads you have to offset the stud holes and also use offset inserts to get the stock vw stud pattern.

You could just bolt on autocraft cylinders and heads  as they are for the larger bore allready.

The case bearings are tricky to find, and you may just give up if you have to line bore.  I should rephrase this, 1 1/2 years ago there were virtually no wbx bearings available, maybe there are now since I havn't looked.

I was going to do this conversion instead of the T4 but when I couldn't find any bearings in North America, or Europe I decided forget it.

Joe in Oregon (T5 Joe) has a line on parts for this conversion.  Look for him on the STF

Kevin

[horizontallyopposed]

Yeah I know about the Kolbenschmidt bearing shortage.  Bastards.  I have a new set already though!

I'd stuff this into my 66 Beetle if it was built.  Right now, all I've got is a 1300 in it, and I figure the cost to build a 2 litre Type I engine means I'd never build one  :lol:   I'm not scared of the fabrication, as I have an excellent engine machinist at my disposal (even though he's a *cough*Ford*cough* guy).  I've read some of the stuff on STF and they are getting all nutsy with 4\" barrels and Porsche 964 pistons    gets a little kooky.

I know about the Autocraft heads, but the problem there is (a) cost (B) cost and © getting a streetable (not race) set.

I'm thinking 94s, do the offset stud drilling (I can hear my machinist screaming already), do the Porsche cooling with the alt stand, run the oil cooler.  Be careful about the compression ratio and cam, and I figure it should be a pretty stout but reliable motor (it's a long ass drive from Calgary to Vancouver for shows you know!).  We typically lose one engine a year in our club cruise either to Van or Seattle, and I don't wanna be that guy

Yes, the WBX will bolt up to a Beetle trans, or a Porsche 901 - depends on which flywheel you use, I believe.  :wacko:

[Billyisgr8]

The wbx uses the 228 flywheel ( need to grind the bell housing) , which can be swaped for a 210-215 bus flywheel ( no grinding) and then use a T4 crank needlebearing pressed into the flywheel to support the input shaft as the T1 input shaft is short comparred to the bus shaft and will not be supported by the crank.

Kevin

[Bruce]

The big advantage to the WBX case is the larger head stud pattern.  Building one with 94 bore is silly IMO.  You can build tiny displacement engines (2275, 2332) using simple-to-assemble type 1 parts.  With the WBX you can use 4\" pistons (101.6) and get some serious displacement (2.7-2.9 liters).

The biggest problem is getting heads with the WBX stud pattern.  Autocraft 910 heads fit perfectly, but you can't run them on the street.  If you could get a CB SE head or an 044 with no head stud pattern drilled, you could drill it yourself.

[Geoff]

Just wait.......Later this year i hear we will be seeing a new A/C head with the 4\" bore and now with the new alum cases with no stud pattern just think!!! 88x4\"...90X4\"? Hmmmm

[dannyboy]

wooooo i like the sound of those heads
just think 2.9 liter turbo type...... !
 

[horizontallyopposed]

Just wait.......Later this year i hear we will be seeing a new A/C head with the 4" bore and now with the new alum cases with no stud pattern just think!!! 88x4"...90X4"? Hmmmm

You're a bad man Geoff!  My friend the machinist called me up and said \"Why the hell don't Volkswagens use standard 4\" pistons?\".  I said it was possible, and he was on it like a fat kid on a Smartie.  those heads sound promising.  Any more details, or are you jsut torturing us