914turbo

I recently purchased a sweeeet '73 914 2.0 with a turbo. It looks bone stock from the outside with the exception of a small "turbo" badge on the rear panel.
I'm still investigating all the features and history of this car, but here's what I know so far. It still has the stock FI installed. The turbo started out as a kit built specifically for 914's ( by Champion Manufacturing, I think they did Corvair mods mainly). Later an intercooler was added as well as a cockpit adjustable boost controller, a TracII ignition/ turbo retard system from J&S Electronics, a Permatune module and water injection. The test drive sold me on the potential of this puppy. When it's cold and the boost comes on around @4000 rpm, it flat ROCKS! I've owned about 15 914's prior and none of them kicked like this one!

There does seem to be some issue with it when it gets warmed up, as it starts to miss intermittantly at a steady crusing rpm (2,000 to 3,000rpm). I think the boost control is cracked or broken as it seems to be sucking air, possibly leaning it out and/or not allowing the wastegate to open.

BTW, anybody know how to contact R.P.M. Custom & High Performance in Winston Salem NC ? The phone number I have is no good. They appear to have done most of the later developement work on this car.

John D.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by 914turbo:
<strong>I recently purchased a sweeeet '73 914 2.0 with a turbo. ....</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Outstanding!!! Congrats!!! There is a friend of mine who may be able to help you out - Ed Villela who has built a 914 Turbo - and it is a terrific car! Let me point Ed to this thread, OK?

914turbo

Absolutely! ...and thanks!

BTW, I goofed on the initial post. The turbo kit was made by CROWN manufacturing, not Champion. I don't think they are in business anymore, but I did see some archive stuff from them on Corvair V-8 conversions.

Evill Ed

Alright, turbo 914's rock!!

Your steady cruise miss sounds like a lean condition, which is really bad and dangerous for air/oil cooled engines.

First find and repair any vacuum leaks, replace any suspect hoses.

If you are sure that there are no vacuum leaks and the problem persist, go through a D-jet check list to see if it is a typical d-jet problem. Usually a bad throttle switch can cause the problem that you describe. You can simply unplug the switch and see if the miss or stumble goes away. Unplugging the switch will make acceleration seem sluggish since it acts as an accelerator pump for the d-jet.

Check your fuel filter(s) too. I just had a situation at Pocono where the car ran fine, but under boost on the straight, it would starve for fuel and lose power. The fuel filter was partially plugged and could not deliver enough fuel for engine under load.

Bottom line is find the problem and fix it before you burn or break something.

BTW- Crown Mfg is long gone and don't think anyone has much info on them. They used to make cool stuff back in the day.

Good luck, and enjoy your turbo 914.

Ed Villela
1973 CIS injected 914 Turbo.

fast951

Hi Everyone,

I own a 72 914 with a 2.0L 4-Cyl. I started accumilating parts for the 914-6 conversion, but it'll take me a while. Meanwhile I wanted to add a turbo to my car. I'm very familiar with turbocharging (951 & 930). However, I have no experience with the VW based engine.

I plan on adding a standalone engine management (if needed), and an intercooler. I was wondering if anyone can share few pics for the exhaust, intake, turbo setup... Anything that might help and reduce the R&D for the project.

Thanks,
John

914turbo

Ed, thanks for the reply.

Would a stripped #3 spark plug with an insert cause a lean condition? I changed the plugs and found the insert parked on the old plug . The plug on #3 didn't look any leaner than the others.

It also seems to idle too high, hot or cold. At first I thought it was just a bad aux. air valve, but it checked out OK. Methinks it has a defective boost valve, as it's making a sucking sound and possibly "leaking" air into the intake. I'm thinking the leak may be leaning it out and/or making it idle high.

Fast 951, I'll try to get some pics for you soon.

Evill Ed

If you have a high idle hot and cold and hear it sucking air, it is a vacuum leak. FIND IT AND FIX IT!!

Check all the hoses real well, especially the aux. air regulator hose and the the boots connecting the intake plenum to the runners, the 4 fat tubes. Fix the leaks and see if the stumble at cruise goes away.

Ed

914turbo

I want to thank everyone for all their info on my husband's turbo issue. As you probably can imagine, i (his wife) is extremely thrilled that the 'honey do' list has taken a back seat to this 914. I am sure he will be back online soon to discuss his latest findings..but he is living, eating, drinking, and dreaming this car. He was especially happy to find out he is the SECOND owner of the car. I am sure we will be developing a website soon dedicated to his 914. But, as long as he is happy, I guess that is all that counts.

Wachuko

What are you doing letting your wife use your same account for posting here!!! Do not mess with our heads man!!!

Seriously, glad to see the wife is part of the project! <img border="0" alt="[byebye]" title="" src="graemlins/wave.gif" />

BTW, Ed! I still go back and read the Excellence where your car was reviewed... that is one sweet car!!! I too, want to virtually shake your hand and take my hat off for creating one sweet car!!!

If I only had the time, the money, the space, the knowledge... so many cars I would love to own! A 914 has always been on my list... I almost bought one when I started college, would have been a mistake then. The car was in a lousy condition and I had no money or time to get it right.

There is a red 914 in my neighborhood that is picking my brain... It has a strange/aggressive body kit. Let me see if the owner will let me take some photos and I will post them here.

(Jaime, knowing he still needs to finish the 951 before taking on any other projects).

The Kelzer

I REALLY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TURBO KIT USING THE STOCK D-JET !! Sorry for the yelling but it may have just saved me from putting in a 350!!! Who has the best info on these kits?
Please advise,
KK

914turbo

Unfortunately the Crown turbo kit hasn't been made since the early 80's and it was rather crude (no wastegate, insuficient enrichment & boost retard, etc.) I doubt Crown or Bernie Bergman sold more than 2 dozen 914 turbo kits between them. Even if a kit was available today, it would probably cost well over $3000. It sounds like alot of $$$$, but a friend of mine built a V-8 914 himself "on the cheap" and had well over that in his car, still had to fab parts, modify lots of stuff AND was disappointed with it when he was done. It's tough to do ANY kind of 914 conversion for less than a couple grand, even doing all the work yourself and spending all you free time at the pull and pick boneyard.

I own a 914 2.0 turbo with d-jet. The Crown turbo kit on it was highly modified by the PO (added wastegate with cockpit boost control, water injection, intercooler, permatune, J&S TracII boost retard module, custom fabbed exhaust, etc.). The only part of The Crown kit left is the "old tech" rayjay turbo and it may be replaced some time later with a more modern one. I can tell you that the car is WICKED FAST on boost. After driving it, I would say that it is a better route to take than the V-8. Remember that the V-8 and associated hardware is adding several hundred pounds to the car, messes up the weight balance, puts the weight higher in the car, etc. V-8's (and other water cooled conversions) also tend to have cooling problems.

If you wanted to try the DIY turbo route, the following link is awesome!
<a href="http://www.dune-buggy.com/turbo/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.dune-buggy.com/turbo/index.htm</a> It has the best explanation of how a turbo works that I have yet read and has TONS of links.

The CB performance book "Turbomania" shows a pic of the Bergman kit and mentions the Crown kit as well. They sell a "turnkey" kit for VW bugs with FI. You could talk to them about modifying one for a 914.

Hope this helps!

fast951

914turbo,

Did you get a chance to take few pics of the setup. Exhaust, intake,..it'll be interesting to see.

Dark Horse Racing

I have a magazine article about a turbocharged 914 in European Car magazine from the 80's. I could scan it and post it if you want to read the article.

fast951

Dark Horse,

I'll be interested in the article. Feel free to email it to me directly if you like.

Thanks

p914

Dark Horse, I'd like to see that article as well.
Thanks in advance!