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Reply to "Type IV"

The type 4 engine was the last in the design of the aircooled 4-cylinder from VW and, as such, it has fixed all of the problems we have all corrected the hard way on our type 1 engines and then some.  Without much work you can get 140 - 150hp out of them almost stock and getting more than 200hp from a modified engine is pretty easy.

They started at 1.8 liter and can easily be expanded from there to close to 3 liters.  They have a real, spin-on oil filter mount cast into the engine case, as well as beefier crankshaft main bearing mounts - In fact, everything about the basic engine is stronger/better than the type 1.  With the original pancake cooling system they were somewhat more efficient at cooling the engine, although I have only seen a pancake engine in one Speedster - usually they've been converted back to the upright version.

So, advantages:  1.  It is the most mature design of the VW aircooled engine.  

2.  It starts around 140hp as we dress them - the same as a 2,110 type 1.  

3.  They were made slightly easier to service.  

4.  Everything I've heard is that they're reliable as anything.  

There is undoubtedly more but that's all I've got.

Disadvantages:

1.  Since they made far fewer of them (only for the VW type 4 and the Porsche 912 and 914 for a few years), they're a bit harder to find (but those found seldom have a distorted case around the crankshaft from mis-use as do many Type 1 engines for sale for rebuild).

2.  Parts tend to be more expensive and sometimes harder to find than those for a type 1.

3.  There are fewer competent people around to build or work on them.

That's all I've got - I'm sure others can fill in more.

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