Engine identification?

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sebroberts83

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Before i begin i'll apollogise for what is a probably a dumb question!

Took my van to a local garage today to get it booked in for a service and it's thrown up a couple of questions as to the identity of my engine. The code on the engine is B351795X which from my little knowledge would state it's a 1600 sp?? but it seems that the inlet manifold splits as it goes into the cylinder heads, Twin port?? Its running a Solex 31 Pict 3 if that makes any difference and the guy at the garage seemed to think that the inlet manifold is off a 1300?? There's also evidence that it's been rebuilt at some point, i have no mechanical knowledge at all and was just wondering if any body can make any sense of this as it all seems a right bodge up job to me and would like to know what i'm running.
Forgive me again if this makes no sense at all. :roll: Seb
 
quite easily could be a TP [twin port] built onto a SP case - it's not exactly a bodge it's just the case might be single relief and not quite so robust.

I'm sure it should be running a 34 pict3 so it might be a 1300 carb on it [hence the manifold size]

what did it / does it run like?

my concern would be that it's a 1300 not a 1600? iirc the only way to check is measure the bore which is heads off which is engine out [but I could be wrong? ]

it may be possible from the part no actually on the heads - whip the valve cover off and report back!
 
my concern would be that it's a 1300 not a 1600?
My point exactly, it seems to run fine but for the fact it seems to struggle top end. That said i've no experience of driving these as this is the first aircooled i've owned so nothing to compare it too but it seems like it's screeming for it's life at 55-60mph, although the exhaust noise doesn't help!!
it may be possible from the part no actually on the heads - whip the valve cover off and report back!
where would i find this :oops: , i'll try and have a look but not tonight.
Cheers,Seb.
 
Hiya Seb,

Over here in the States, VW first introduced their 1600 engine in the 1969 production year. This was the "B5" engine. The "B5" case sported 8mm oil passages and a single relief. This was a single port engine developing 57 hp SAE. Carburetion was handled by a Solex 30PICT2.

I have not run into (in fact was completely unaware of) a "B" series engine with anything but a 5 or 6 as a first digit in the serial number. But I'm guessing that your "B3" engine corresponds closely to the "B5"s we had over on this side of the pond.

Truth be told, it is EXTREMELY rare to run into a VW aircooled engine that has not been rebuilt. Matter of fact, most have been rebuilt multiple times. That being the case, even with the serial number intact, one never really knows exactly what the engine is. Many, many 1500s have been rebuilt as 1600s. I'd imagine that is likely the case for 1300s also. So, it is really not surprising (at all!) for you to find what should be a single port engine sporting a dual port manifold and a 30/31 (which is the wrong carburetor - look at the base of the carburetor. Do you see an adaptor plate there to match that 30/31 with the dual port manifold? Throwing a 30/31 on a dual port is pretty common. As was noted, the correct carburetor should be a 34PICT3 with the dual port set-up.

The long and the short of it is this............ if you really want to know what engine you are dealing with you are going to have to tear the engine down and do some measuring.
 
There's no adaptor the carb bolts straight onto the manifold, so does this mean i can't put the correct 34Pict3 back on?? Does this also mean that the manifold isn't right?? Still a bit confused by the B3 engine code though, if anybody on here has come across this engine code before i'd be gratefull if any info. Just concerned still that it's a 1300??
Thanks mike, atleast it's put my mind at ease it's not been thrown together.
Seb
 
I once bought an AD code engine - sold to me as a 1600. When I took it apart it (it was for rebuild anyway)
was in fact a 1300. I don't think the guy that sold it to me knew. It was clearly a rebuild and the heads were
correct for the bores and the manifolds were indeed smaller than teh 1600 TP ones.

As someone said if you take off the rocker covers the code cast into the head may give some clues.
NOt sure if you have to remove rocker arms to read it mind you.

Good luck

James
 
sebroberts83 said:
There's no adaptor the carb bolts straight onto the manifold, so does this mean i can't put the correct 34Pict3 back on?? Does this also mean that the manifold isn't right?? Still a bit confused by the B3 engine code though, if anybody on here has come across this engine code before i'd be gratefull if any info. Just concerned still that it's a 1300??
Thanks mike, atleast it's put my mind at ease it's not been thrown together.
Seb

If the 31 Pict bolts straight on to the manifold then you have a modified sp manifold that's been cut and grafted on to the twin port intakes. So you need a later PICT 3 manifold.
The B3 code is a 1600sp case but the X at the end signifies a VW exchange engine. Does it have a single or dual relief valve? 1600sp engines could have either. It's unlikely to be a 1300 but the only sure way to tell is to remove a head and measure the bore.
Brian
 

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