1974 914 1.8, the mystery of the EC-A and EC-B Options

[wonkipop]

@StarBear and @Van B .

if i wanted to read too much into this X/73 OM,
and do the naughty thing of taking a leap off the data - i'd think this.

the 1.8 was originally scheduled for production introduction at the end of Nov/start of Dec 73?

VW wanted the lions share of initial EC engine production (from Aug 73) for the mass market 412. but it was a dud. thats known. sales went over the cliff and it was on the way out.

I think what happened is VW slowed production of the 412 and the engine became available for the 914 a little earlier in late Oct?

alternatively - bosch were initially projecting less supply of the new L Jet, but were able to ramp up production beyond initial estimates.

explains a few things.

like 3-4 weeks of 1.8s with frunk charcoal cans.
what looks like a bit of a hasty lash up interim owners manual which is a short run reprint of the 2.0 manual? --- with an insert.

i am starting to think that the changeover from frunk charcoal can set up to engine bay charcoal can set up was scheduled for the start of 1.8 production and was maybe intended to be a more orderly update with the new variant of the small engine.

but instead they used up stocks of what was intended to be 2.0 L body panel pressings, fuel tanks etc in the initial early run of 1.8s that had been brought forward.

just a thought?

[wonkipop]

@JeffBowlsby .

don't know if you have one of these mr. b.
customer i d card still in owners manual.
for your files if interesting.
found it searching for 74 o m material last night.

[StarBear]

I wonder what the “2 M” and “10 M” before the Roman numerals represent. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[wonkipop]

I wonder what the “2 M” and “10 M” before the Roman numerals represent. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

a thousand. M is roman numeral for 1000.

don't worry i am dumb too. davep pointed that one out to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

2M = 2000 print run. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[L-Jet914]

I know my owner's manual portfolio/satchel is burgundy with dark blue interior.

[StarBear]

I wonder what the “2 M” and “10 M” before the Roman numerals represent. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

a thousand. M is roman numeral for 1000.

don't worry i am dumb too. davep pointed that one out to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

2M = 2000 print run. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
EDIT: Perhaps the print run - 2 M = 2,000; 10 M = 10,000?

[wonkipop]

I wonder what the “2 M” and “10 M” before the Roman numerals represent. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

a thousand. M is roman numeral for 1000.

don't worry i am dumb too. davep pointed that one out to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

2M = 2000 print run. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
EDIT: Perhaps the print run - 2 M = 2,000; 10 M = 10,000?

yep

but they are all over the place - given what we think of as german precision and consistency. they don't use the M on the emissions warranty. only on the owners manual.

for instance the emissions warranty i have says 12 400 rather than 12.4 M?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[davep]

I believe it depended a lot on the person doing the typesetting (probably at the printer) more than any convention on how to do it.

[wonkipop]

I believe it depended a lot on the person doing the typesetting (probably at the printer) more than any convention on how to do it.

dunno.
think its some kind of porsche convention.
seemed to be same with 911s too.
they definitely flip to conventional numerals in 75 MY. both 914s and 911s.
but not straight away.
the first 75 914 OM had roman. VI/74.
then there is one in december that is 12/74.

VW always used modern numerals as far as i can tell for their OMs (at least from 70 anyway).

i haven't got a 911 emissions warranty as a result of my rabbit hole excursions into the birth of L jet. but i might look for one. just to see if its the same as 914 ones.

i'm inclined to think the emissions warranties for 914s (at least later ones - say 73 on) are VW managed decisions and might explain modern numerals. but that owners manuals were a Porsche managed decision and conformed to porsche conventions?

the 914 OMs share the design, typo, layout with the 911s. probably done by erich strenger in his porsche graphics department? who knows?
they are very nicely done by someone with a real eye for design and have beautiful and striking covers thats for sure.

[wonkipop]

@StarBear @Van B @JeffBowlsby

there is a similar pattern of owners manual versions going on with the european models in 74.

found an original print run german owners manual on ebay.



1. original german owners manual.
date is VI/73. June 1973.
earlier date than any USA o m that i have found, they are all VIII/73.
they were setting these up for printing right at end of 73 MY.
as per USA this early one has 914 only on cover.
if consistent with USA that means only 2.0L cars were being produced for ROW at start of 74 model year production.






2. reprint issue of german owners manual.
date is X/73. october 1973.
this is same month as first versions of om for USA cars inclusive of the 1.8 model.
the cover matches the USA ones of that time as now has 1.8/2.0 on cover.
whether its entirely trustworthy since its a reprint is hard to know.
i'm guessing it would be a faithful repro of the original issue.





indication is that euro 1.8 with carb engine also was held up until late october 1973 alongside the USA L jet 1.8s? but not entirely conclusive.


---------

bonus for @Van B .
stumbled across german 74 1.8 technical supplement similar to the one @JeffBowlsby has for the USA L jets.
full spec comparison between the L jet and the dual carb euro engine.
nice peppy little motor in the euro cars.
pretty much had the same grunt as later 75/76 USA 2.0 L cars.
could way outperform USA L jets on steep alpine roads thats for sure. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Van B]

@wonkipop that is great. Seems like compression and premium fuel is all you need. Would love to confirm the heads and cam are the same. But I would be very surprised if they were different. Given the objectives for this 914, it wouldn’t make sense to have that many varieties of engine parts.

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop that is great. Seems like compression and premium fuel is all you need. Would love to confirm the heads and cam are the same. But I would be very surprised if they were different. Given the objectives for this 914, it wouldn’t make sense to have that many varieties of engine parts.

using the parts list catalogue (i have both, the USA version and the european version) - pistons are different. parts manual lists cylinder and piston with all piston parts but not rods as a single item.
euro 1.8 = 021 198 075 D
usa 1.8 = 022 198 075 A

the same camshaft is called up in both parts manuals and is universal to all 4s including 1.7. although i am yet to understand what all the various listings mean when referring to +1 wheel etc. will have to ask mike. or maybe you know.
but really it appears to be just the pistons.

the heads are different.
two head part # listed for 1.8 L jet
022 107 111 A
022 101 351 CX
and for euro
021 101 351 S
PCG 101 351 SX
have not got to the bottom of that.

if vw/porsche had done L jet on euro 1.8s i think they might have developed a tiny bit more horsepower as this seemed to be the case with all the fuel injected engines versus carb versions for the lesser VW models. expense was a factor i guess in going back to carbs for the final small engine 914.

be a great idea to do a trick L jet. looks stock but can at least punch out 10 more hp behind the plain clothes disquise.
be quick enough to give a few folks in stock 2.0 L cars a run for the money - while you stand around and just shrug your shoulders. feed it a diet of 98 ron unleaded.

stick a nice flow exhaust on it to cap it all off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[StarBear]

@wonkipop
@van b
@jeffbowlsby
I think I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a little spring under the idle adjustment screw to keep tension on it. See pic. Don’t have one on mine, using Teflon tape.
True or not?
If so, is there a spec or part number?
Parts diagrams just show the whole throttle body, not the pieces.
Thanks!

[StarBear]

FYI, a 1974 2.0 in my mechanics shop. Owner has found a stamp for the tin numbers and experimented with technics to produce this amazing replica.

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop
@van b
@jeffbowlsby
I think I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a little spring under the idle adjustment screw to keep tension on it. See pic. Don’t have one on mine, using Teflon tape.
True or not?
If so, is there a spec or part number?
Parts diagrams just show the whole throttle body, not the pieces.
Thanks!

far as i know no spring on 1.8 TB.
then again never had idle screw out to find out.
if is there is completely recessed behind screw in the bore and not visible.
but i don't believe there is.

might be on 1,7. looks different?

there are no exploded diagrams of TB - its a kind of non maintenance part unlike carbies.
it was relatively common to take carbies apart back in the day for cleaning.
you need the exploded diagram to put those back together.
suspect idea of EFI TB was no touch/no need to touch - hence no info.

a little bit of gasket sealant on threads would hold it steady if its worn.
the screw on mine is still reasonably firm in the thread.

[wonkipop]

FYI, a 1974 2.0 in my mechanics shop. Owner has found a stamp for the tin numbers and experimented with technics to produce this amazing replica.

nice.
good reconstruction of the model german worker version.

you would need to have had 4 six packs the night before and do the stamping at 8.00am the next morning to get the superb artistry evident on the engine in mine.

its kind of fantastic to see restoration taken to that level.
most tinware restos i see take the finish to a level beyond anything the factory could be bothered with and unfortunately obliterate the drunken supermarket shelf numbers.

[StarBear]

@wonkipop
@BeatNavy
Ok; that’s my guess, too. No height for one nor shelf inside for one. I’ve used a single wrap of Teflon tape - holds but still allows air bleed.
On to other tidbits! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[wonkipop]

@StarBear

i cracked the mystery of the 021 905 205 S distributor that superseded original distributors (022 905 205AA). you might remember you brought this up back when we started off on the EC-A/EC-B rabbit hole more than a year ago. we couldn't work out the why and the what of the S distributor replacement that was listed.





the 021 905 205 S distributor was staring at me in the face.
its listed on the original CARB emissions approval documents for the VW 412 and VW 1,8 bus.

it is the original distributor for the 412. except its listed as an 022 on CARB docs and as an 021 in the 914 parts manual. i am pretty sure that all that means is that 022 = US 1.8 engine and 021 means european 1.8 AN engine. i believe USA 412 used same distributor as euro 412 and euro 914 1.8.




and pics below show what it looks like.
VW 412 variant engine bay and sedan engine bay





its a single vac cannister distributor.
vac advance only.
no retard.
412s did not use vac retard at idle to clean up to pass emissions.
they had exhaust gas recirculation. did their clean up at cruise not idle.

conclusion.
the replacement distributor would do away with vac retard at idle.
make the 914 run cooler at idle but dirtier.
looks like that was the official VW and Porsche response to NLA double vac can distributors that went out of production. use the vac advance only model to replace.

@Van B might have a view on this. ie distributor curve at back off on throttle.
but looks like VW just did away with the retard as a replacement part at some point in time - probably after their statutory obligations to emissions warranties and spare parts provisions ceased. 10 years after manufacture?

you can also see it in engine bay of 1,8 914 in porsche museum.
this is the replacement S distributor they offer.

[wonkipop]

here is the euro 1.8 with the 021 number of the S distributor.
be the same as the 022 version originally listed for USA 412s.

[Van B]

Since the vacuum can has it’s own PN, I’m sure the assumption was that you’d use the appropriate can for the model.