Cam recommendation

[Dirty Harry]

I,m planning to rebuild my engine this winter.
It's gone be an old shool 1641 with a twin carburator from riechert
http://www.riechertmotorentechnik.de/ (like i was running on my beetle convertible)

Pic of my old vert engine.

But the question i ask myself all the time is: do i stick to a standard cam or use a mild cam like the scat C25 or engle W100.
Does anybody run one of these cams, is there a big difference between these and the standard cam?
I'm looking for torque and not so much the horsepower!, my beetle had so much torque that it was if i was driving a diesel, but at the high end it could have some more bite.
But on the other hand a bus has 330kg more weight........ :?

 

[Slammed]

I wouldn't go higher than a an Engle 110 or equivalent on a bus motor, like you say you need the torque more in a bus, so an Engle 100 would be about right on that size engine. You will notice the difference over a stock cam.
Also, don't be tempted to run a lightened flywheel as you need the extra momentum of a stock weight one on a bus motor. 8)

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs! :lol:

 

[VeeDubMan]

On speaking to John Maher about cam selection for my 1641cc in the van he recommended an Engle 100. Seems to run OK

 

[scott wilson]

so why is a lightened flywheel a bad thing on a bus? i have one on my doka and am curious as to the advantage versus disadvantage

 

[Slammed]

so why is a lightened flywheel a bad thing on a bus? i have one on my doka and am curious as to the advantage versus disadvantage

It's basically the extra momentum created by the extra weight of the flywheel, just gives you a bit more 'oomph'! This is how I understand it. It's advice from a friend of mine who builds some awesome VW engines.
I can ask him for a more detailed explanation if you want... Although he does know his onions!

8)

 

[Dirty Harry]

Yep about the lightened flywheel is right!
I have an old German test report of a beetle where they tested the same car with a lightened flywheel and the other time with the standard weight flywheel and gues what... the standard weight flywheel was quicker away.
A light flywheel sounds nice when reving it up but it doesn't make you go faster, and esspecially not in a heavy bus.

 

[andewilson]

lightened flywheels are good for drag strips, ie lets you rev quicker and reduce inertia on start up. but what you end up with is an engine that revs like a motorbike. up and down in a second. this means that when driving on the road your van will be jerky and you have to be on the loud pedal all the time as the second you come off the gas the engine slows down straight away. thirstier than a fat bloke on a treadmill

 

[Dirty Harry]

Nobody for the cam?

 

[the councillor]

Nobody for the cam?

without knowing the exact specification of your proposed engine (carburettor size, valve size, compression ratio, exhaust, etc.) it's impossible to give *proper* advice but going on what you've posted and what my instincts are telling me you'll be fine with the stock VW camshaft 8)

remember also that this is the internet which is populated to a large extent by freaks and social mis-fits so you might be wise to get a second opinion from a renowned engine builder... or perhaps the people who supply you with your carbs might be able to advise :wink:

good luck 8)

 

[Dirty Harry]

Oups forgot to give some more specs

This is my plan.
1641ccm
Cilinderheads standard, inlet 35.5 outlet 32mm
Compression ratio 1:8.3
Carbs are single barrel solex 34pci with a 28mm venturis
Bosch 010 dizzy
Standard weight flywheel

Drove this setup with standard cam for years but after 3000rpm the power output drops quickly (and this was with AT tranny, 100kmh was at 3000 rpm).
But i think the bus with a CE tranny the 3000 rpm wil be 75 or 80kmh on 195*75*14 tires, so thats more or less the end of the powerband with a standard cam, and i hope to widen it with a other cam but not giving to much away in the lowend!

I know that the internet has a lot of freaks
I will talk to Herr Riechert in Germany who is a very skilled engine tuner for more tha 40 years now.

 

[pete nice]

Get the heads gas flowed, it is the best hp per pound tuning you can do.

Engle 100 is a good cam. I run one in my 2007 (with flowed heads) with 1.25:1 ratio rockers. Compresion is 8:1 so I can run a turbo. I ran it in the Trekker & it makes good torque.

My old 1776 in my bug was 10:1 compression with the Engle 100. Fast wasn't the word! Both ran Weber 40 IDF's.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I will defenitly get the heads gas flowed.
I also heard o lot of positive stuff about a schleicher 296 degrees cam in a bus.

 

[pete nice]

Have a look here for cam spec: http://www.vwspeedshop.com/camchart.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

296 might be a bit much for a bus.

There are a lot of people that over cam engines. I would rather bump the compression, but that's just me.

If you go low compression with the Engle 100, if you bolt on 1.25 rockers you can go turbo...