hydraulic cams specific for fi or carb set up?, what cam to use when going hydraulic?? Options

[funk]

I went on the web cam internet site and looked and buying their hydraulic cam set up but it says the cam is build specifically for factory fi systems? is their a cam set up that is for hydraulic lifters and carb set up??

[Mike Bellis]

Why are you looking at hydraulic? hydraulic cams are not generally considered an upgrade in performance on a T4 engine. It may reduce the frequency of your valve adjustments, but you will sacrifice power in the process.

[Bleyseng]

What you want your 914 to be like a vanagon? Hydro cams are setup for low end torque and die at higher rpms..yuck.

[Mark Henry]

You're a newbie so best to tell us your full set-up, we'll give you a good idea what to get so you don't waste your coin.

[funk]

I'm restoring a 1976 914 2.0 liter ground up!! m. restoration design panels for hellhole and the rear floors!! to get to the engine yes, full rebuild. I have a 2.0 Porsche motor.I'm considering going fi or carbs and hydraulic cam for a great highway cruzer back and forth every now and again from pacific northwest to north cali and a solid daily driver. !my mechanic says fi is way different than carbs in the cars drive-ability and if I do go f.i. I just thought hum why not go hydraulic lifters as well then thought gee why not with carbs too?? if I go carbs?? I have heard varying reports on how hydraulic lifters affect performance??sure a few vans,buses,vanagans,bugs under my belt I know the feeling of varying degrees of the air cooled motor really when I think about it if the 914 did run like a vanagan on the highway smooth and true from camp to camp it might just be a nice highway machine. megasquirt and others look interesting as well!!realistically I'm wanting to get as many trouble free miles as I can from a motor and getting plausible hp, without putting huge pistons and the such most people wrench into their set up I saw a fi set up on the auto Atlanta website about 4-5 months ago that they claim gives the stock set up 30 percent more hp and less wear and tear on their system than say a track motor with carbs that people rip around on the street with.anyone heard of that auto Atlanta fi system??Would it work with 96 pistons and hydraulic lifters??with the right cam??and what set up would you go with in my boots?? stock??I'm not competing concours so technology must be able to give me some trouble free boost in horsepower??

[GeorgeRud]

If you want a reliable setup, go with the original factory specs. There are good reasons why they designed the engine as they did. Just be sure to have properly cleaned electrical connections and leak-free vacuum hoses.

[Bleyseng]

!my mechanic says fi is way different than carbs in the cars drive-ability and if I do go f.i. I just thought hum why not go hydraulic lifters as well then thought gee why not with carbs too?? if I go carbs?? I have heard varying reports on how hydraulic lifters affect performance??sure a few vans,buses,vanagans,bugs under my belt I know the feeling of varying degrees of the air cooled motor really when I think about it if the 914 did run like a vanagan on the highway smooth and true from camp to camp it might just be a nice highway machine. what set up would you go with in my boots?? stock??I'm not competing concours so technology must be able to give me some trouble free boost in horsepower??

Stock is pretty nice if completely set up as stock with matching parts including all the proper stuff for Djet.
The 914 was designed with a cam that rev's to 5000 with ease. A hydro cam was designed for a bus/vanagon that rev's to 4000 which is 70mph (top speed). All the 914's

[Cap'n Krusty]

If you're gonna be driving from the PNW to Cali (about 4000 miles), you should be forewarned road conditions in Mexico and Central America are not that welcoming to a 914. Besides that, there are all kinds of bad guys intent on stealing your car and your cash, and maybe even kidnapping you for ransom, not that a 914 owner has any money ............

The Cap'n, proud resident of CALIFORNIA!

[funk]

ha ha ransom didn't I say north cal??once an outlaw machine always an out law machine!!no plans for baja but thanx for all input!!

[Tom]

Lots of negative comments on hydraulic cammed 914's but no one has any thing good to say, so I will.
My 76 had hydraulic lifters and a hydraulic cam ( I didn't have it built, so don't know which cam). My 76 would rev cleanly and smartly to over 5k in every gear. Had plenty of power and others that drove it said it felt just like a normal 2.0 liter. Gas mileage was over 30 and the plugs looked normal.
The downside I noticed was the loud valve train noises when left sitting for over a week or two. Quieted down after it warmed up and the lifters pumped up. Would I put in a hydraulic cam if I was building an engine? As one gets older it would certainly be better to not have to adjust valves every 3k miles. One of the reasons I sold my 76, just could no longer do the maintenance myself anymore. If I were using the car for long trips, that would maybe lean me toward the hydraulic cam also.
If I were younger and building a pure performance engine, no hydraulics. I would build a 2056 with FI.
Tom

[rjames]

Lots of negative comments on hydraulic cammed 914's but no one has any thing good to say, so I will.
My 76 had hydraulic lifters and a hydraulic cam ( I didn't have it built, so don't know which cam). My 76 would rev cleanly and smartly to over 5k in every gear. Had plenty of power and others that drove it said it felt just like a normal 2.0 liter. Gas mileage was over 30 and the plugs looked normal.
The downside I noticed was the loud valve train noises when left sitting for over a week or two. Quieted down after it warmed up and the lifters pumped up. Would I put in a hydraulic cam if I was building an engine? As one gets older it would certainly be better to not have to adjust valves every 3k miles. One of the reasons I sold my 76, just could no longer do the maintenance myself anymore. If I were using the car for long trips, that would maybe lean me toward the hydraulic cam also.
If I were younger and building a pure performance engine, no hydraulics. I would build a 2056 with FI.
Tom

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Bleyseng]

Lots of negative comments on hydraulic cammed 914's but no one has any thing good to say, so I will.
My 76 had hydraulic lifters and a hydraulic cam ( I didn't have it built, so don't know which cam). My 76 would rev cleanly and smartly to over 5k in every gear. Had plenty of power and others that drove it said it felt just like a normal 2.0 liter. Gas mileage was over 30 and the plugs looked normal.
The downside I noticed was the loud valve train noises when left sitting for over a week or two. Quieted down after it warmed up and the lifters pumped up. Would I put in a hydraulic cam if I was building an engine? As one gets older it would certainly be better to not have to adjust valves every 3k miles. One of the reasons I sold my 76, just could no longer do the maintenance myself anymore. If I were using the car for long trips, that would maybe lean me toward the hydraulic cam also.
If I were younger and building a pure performance engine, no hydraulics. I would build a 2056 with FI.
Tom

I don't know if I am younger than you Tom, but at 62 I still do my work. I built a 2056 with a Raby cam and kept the stock FI. With the Porsche swivel feet I hardly ever have to adjust and they are pretty quiet. Yep, hydros do bleed down and pound away until they pump up. They also keep the cam and lifters in constant contact so wear can be a factor.

[Tom]

Bleyseng,
I am 66 but have a very BAD back. Did something last week, don't know what. and can hardly walk the last two days.
The last work I did to the car took 3+ years to finish ( replacing rear trailing arm bushings that I got Eric to install ).
Tom

[funk]

Lots of negative comments on hydraulic cammed 914's but no one has any thing good to say, so I will.
My 76 had hydraulic lifters and a hydraulic cam ( I didn't have it built, so don't know which cam). My 76 would rev cleanly and smartly to over 5k in every gear. Had plenty of power and others that drove it said it felt just like a normal 2.0 liter. Gas mileage was over 30 and the plugs looked normal.
The downside I noticed was the loud valve train noises when left sitting for over a week or two. Quieted down after it warmed up and the lifters pumped up. Would I put in a hydraulic cam if I was building an engine? As one gets older it would certainly be better to not have to adjust valves every 3k miles. One of the reasons I sold my 76, just could no longer do the maintenance myself anymore. If I were using the car for long trips, that would maybe lean me toward the hydraulic cam also.
If I were younger and building a pure performance engine, no hydraulics. I would build a 2056 with FI.
Tom

I don't know if I am younger than you Tom, but at 62 I still do my work. I built a 2056 with a Raby cam and kept the stock FI. With the Porsche swivel feet I hardly ever have to adjust and they are pretty quiet. Yep, hydros do bleed down and pound away until they pump up. They also keep the cam and lifters in constant contact so wear can be a factor.

WHATS PORSCHE SWIVEL FEET?

[Bleyseng]

They are a replacement for the valve adjusters in the rocker arms. Instead of a solid tip contacting the valve stem end they are a swiveling piece on a adjuster screw. You have to machine off some of the early 1.7 8mm rocker arm to make it work. This is a nice upgrade as the swivel's flat end then contacts the whole of the valve stem end without any mashing of the valve end. It's slightly quieter too. Combined with chromemoly pushrods and you have a better valve train that doesn't go out of adjustment as fast. Use only Porsche swivel feet ($$$$) as the knockoffs are crap.