A short look at what it takes to machine 94mm VW jugs to fit into a Chevy Corvair. Actual time is hours, this video is edited to keep you from being bored to death!
Fascinating using modified VW cylinders for a 6 cylinder Corvair engine. I knew nothing about them but found these videos but have been curious about Corvair engines after having a couple of VW's years ago. I'll be interested to hear one of these engines running!
Well it will be a bit because my regular job building race engines (pro mod and comp dragster mostly) keeps me busy, but I am doing a quick freshen up on my EFI 110HP engine, so that will be running soon.
When I was doing small block chevy screw in stud conversions, the cast iron heads used to eat the taps. On the brake drums and rotors, it was pretty much manditory to use carbide. Cast iron varys greatly in quality it seems. These mix and match conversions you do are just what puts the soul into a vehicle. The corvair was one car I always wanted, it just never happened. I did have plenty of VW's though. I wish I could have done back then what I have the capability to do now!
When I get a chance I will check out your video. I have found that cast iron cuts pretty easily, carbide is fine, but I usually just use HSS. No lube, cut it dry and works best. Need to get the surface speed where it wants for the cutter and the hardness of the cast iron.
Well a decade later how do you match the Corvair wrist pin diameter to VW pistons. What about deck height. The corvair 165 cid is a 74 mm stroke compared to the stick 69 mm VW stroke.n
@@tomstulc9143 Well for some reason I can't log into my grasshut account. Anyway, these are stroker pistons, short CH, don't remember right off hand. I am using long rods, 5.290 (originals are 4.7xx) just need to cut a little off the bottom of the jugs to make the length right. That video will be coming when I have time. Need to get back to this some time! My day job, building race engines including Pro Mods, really takes up my time! Hope this answers your question.
I have been considering milling the outside cylinder mount side of the Corvair cases down to add a 1 inch 6061 plate on either side of the engine. This will allow me to place cylinder jug studs anywhere I want. At which point I can use 911 Porsche jugs at 108mm. With air cooling, cutting billet heads in any shape you want is a piece of cake. 429 Boss style heads are about as good as it gets for 2 valve chambers. Billet 3.3 crankshaft and boss style ports will make a 911 destroyer. Add a 5th bearing on the flywheel/prop mount end and use a Velvet Drive damper flexplate and a Duramax Allison billet planetary for 1000% indestructible speed reducer and cam it for 5500rpm. Now you've got a motor that will make 350hp easily turbo normalized to 36fl. In a car it could handle 1000hp boosted. Or somewhere in between for a Reno plane. With low timing, properly designed cooling cases, you will be good to go. Low frictions, dlc, and ceramic coatings would be have to be used everywhere possible to manage heat in an air cooled powerplant. The weight saving is beyond incredible. No water, no radiator, no mounts, hoses, clamps etc. Oil coolers and piston spray bars will be necessary for longevity.
And one person can carry the long block around easily. If it's a hit then newer formula magnesium MMC can be used without fear of stud creep or corrosion to further reduce aluminum part weight by 30% with an increase in strength.
@@curvs4me the fifth bearing is an excellent idea as is the idea of plates on the sides of the case. The bid issue is controlling heat. 108mm jugs would leave only 7.468mm between the pistons. After adding 6.35mm for cylinder wall thickness there is not much room for cooling fins. The corvair has a 4.840" bore spacing.
hi every one . i have been building and racing vws for 30 years .i love air cooled motors .and corvairs . great vid. but i have to say some thing about the vw 94mm cyls.i hope what i have to say is not taken the wrong way . over the years i have found out that the vw 94 cyls are great for drag racing . but not that great for street motors . they have a very thin cylinder wall and do not hold up on the street . and after 10,000 miles they start to have blowby and the motor start to lose power . i have found out that the new 92mm thick wall cylinders being sold now . have a way thicker cylinder wall that helps cool the motor and helps stops cylinder blowby we have used these 92mm thick wall cylinders on are drag race motor and and found out they made more power than the 94 thin wall cylinders and we ran better ET times with the 94cyls we ran best time of 11:00 1/4 mile with the 92 thick wall cyls we ran 10.60s at 131 mph in the 1/4 mile this is just my two cents take or leave it
Never take data respectfully delivered by someone knowledgeable! I had heard they were prone to cracking, did not hear anything about blow by. I know most ships never measure surface finish. I have very specific numbers for RPK, RVK, and RK. Having proper finish creates the gasket needed for rings to seal. Of course as the engine is run the RPK and RK will get less and eventually the RVK will diminish also requiring a new hone. Not sure how long these jugs will last but if I need to change every year so be it. I should also look and see if darton makes a sleeve that would be usable. Those would last many hone jobs! My 94mm jugs will have slightly thinner walls than others as I plan on making them straight and round, which they are not. So probably .002 or even .003 will have to come out of them. I appreciate your comments, always good to have more data!
Meant to sat never take the wrong way! Just looked and see I said never take! Always interested in hear from others with experience, nobody knows everything, so I am always open to learning!
Do you find the cast iron is wearing your mills? We always use a carbide cutter on the cast iron. Your videos and commentary and expertise are really first rate. I did a little video on boring a B&S engine on my Brideport if you have any interest.-TM
Is this engine for competition/off road, or a wicked street machine? What kind of HP did this engine wind up achieving? Great information and craftsmanship. P.S. with all due respect, did anyone ever tell you, you sound like Adam Corrolla?
This is just for a street machine. As I have mentioned, my day job is building race engines, pro mod, comp dragster, top dragster, etc. The slow ones run in the 6's. Believe it or not, I have not finished this engine! Finished many others for customers, but mine is always last (I hope in building only LOL!). Anyway, I recently got a gig working in engine development for a major OEM, and am hoping to have a bit more time to devote to my stuff. Realistic time frame to have this done is mid to late summer of 2022. I did recently get my rings made, had clear idea of the ring pack I wanted to use, and tension I wanted. Total Seal is great and will happily make any ring you want! I had them gas port my top ring, so I did not have to do that to the pistons. offers some advantages over porting the pistons too.
Just started my first Corvair project thanks for the video very informative. Can you tell me what are the pros/cons to installing 140 heads on a 110 block and if it can be done or not?
Sorry it took so long for me to reply. Yes you can put 140 heads on the 110 case. You will need a set of late model jugs, as the head gasket surface is a little wider on late model heads (140 and others) than it is on the early model heads (64 and earlier). the advantage is your engine will breathe better and make more power.
What engine are those going on (110hp, 140hp?) and what HP are you expecting? I'm guessing this modification isn't recommended for 150hp or 180hp turbo "Spyder" engines?
