8v questions, what can I get from the yard?

[sad_rocc at yahoo.com (Dan Smith)]

The bottom end is already bored to 2L. It has forged ceramic coated pistons and is an excellent performing, low mileage engine. Plus, it bolts right in, all my accessories will bolt right on to it and hence, it's very friendly. Plus, it's dirt cheap and local, unlike an ABA. Hmm, Fox intake, I'll keep that in mind. I have a set of headers already, along with a brand new TT 268 cam. The headers are in pretty rough shape, but may still be usable. The cam I got for real cheap, it's a little smaller than I'd like (I loooooove lumpy idles) but, the price was right. Also, RDs are hydro, ruling out a g-grind. Most of the yard items will be stuff I will be asking others to locate for me, as the 1 yard an hr from me is insanely expensive ($80 for an audi 5000 TB) and pretty much only has old American iron, a couple shot Golf GLs and sadly, an 80 white rocc with the red pinstriping that has almost zero usable parts on it. So, that's why I'm thinking bored out RD and thanks for the tip on the
 Fox intake. Remember though, an RD block is from a late 80s a2 golf gti, is the fox intake mani better than that?
 
Dan

Mark <mardak@cogeco.ca> wrote:
If you want a 2 litre, why go the RD route, when there's tons of low
mileage ABA blocks sitting in wrecking yards all over the place? I
think you'll be better ahead if you buy a low mileage ABA engine, sell
the crossflow head, port and polish an RD (or JH, or other) head and
slap it on there... I bought an entire ABA engine for $450 Canadian,
and sold the head for $200 - which paid for the proper brand new
distributor from Techtonics. (little tip here, most engines from a
wrecker come with some sort of warrantee - since you're separating the
head from the block anyways, they won't honor the warrantee, so save
some cash and pass on it - saved me $200). Machining a RD to 2 litres
will cost quite a bit of cash - not including new pistons, etc, etc...
I'd definitely contact a machine shop and price out all the work and
parts you'll need - prepare to be shocked... (can you even bore a RD to
2 litres without increasing the stroke? - I dunno...)

IMHO, a low mileage ABA block is a better option than a rebuilt engine -
factory assembly is a good thing... If you get a 95 or older it'll have
the piston oil squirters, and have forged rods and crank... Just look
for an engine with 50,000 miles or less and it'll be good for years...

I will have the (barely used) Techtonics distributor for sale later this
winter after I assemble/install a MegasquirtNedis setup...

As for go-fast goodies from the "breakers", try to find a Fox intake
manifold. A 4-2 exhaust manifold (or even a header - I've seen quite a
few in boneyards). You could luck out and find a cam too - I found a
Rabbit locally that had a g-grind, neuspeed tb, tie bars etc, and the
yard had no clue and sold the stuff to me for cheap...

Mark.
80 S
81 S ABA/JH/4K



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