VW Type 4 engine

[Theoderich]

Hi to everybody! Happy new year!
It would be awesome if I could get infos about vwtype 4 engine in the sonerai. The case is bulletproof. Many thanks to you!

 

[Sonerai 1]

The type 4 weighs a ton!

 

[Theoderich]

right but with nickies you can bring it down to 80 kilos or so . is there nobody who know some who worked on type 4. thank you

 

[Sonerai 1]

Look at the crankshaft end compared to the type 1-3. It is a tapered end and does not lend itself to attaching a prop hub. I worked on the type 4 in the late 70's... decided it was not a good workable choice... especially for the Sonerai. BTW, AeroVee has a custom crankshaft that is designed for a prop hub compared to type 1-3 stock or stroker cranks.

 

[BillP]

I flew a type 4 about 300 trouble free hrs all around Florida. 1915cc with stock crank and Great Planes hub...and yes the crank had a really short nose. Solid lifters, stock sodium valves. Posa Super Carb (had mixture control and took some serious tweaking) elec start and single mag on accessory case. I replaced the mag, pulled the heads and had them checked at a VW shop after purchase and they were basically like new. I bought it from an estate where the owner died of a heart attack on the first day of taxi trials after repowering from a type 1...no logs or info to go by and it took over a yr to get the FAA to reissue the existing AW cert. I sold the plane 20+ yrs ago and the engine was still excellent at 300+ hrs. Yes it was heavy but I never had case or head problems like a Type 1. Not a bad motor if you can deal with the weight.

 

[Theoderich]

Thank you Billp! Very nice of you! Thinking of getting 2.4 l type 4 with nickies and valley reduction drive.
Will see just puzzling around with ideas. But yes thank you!

 

[subnoize1]

Type 4 is nice for a VW bus. I remember when my dad got the Type 4 for his. That was back in 1978 I think.

I did the math a while back myself and the Type 1 engine only makes sense in a narrow range. The 2180cc with a starter is about the top of that range. You can play around the edges but in the end, adding more weight had better add more power to carry it.

Otherwise you are losing weight somewhere else, usually fuel.

While I am nowhere near in a position to talk on this topic but aren't Sonerai Nose heavy anyways?

 

[Theoderich]

Hi! Yes its all about weight to power ration. It needs to make sense. people with totax 912 wet with everything are at 90 kilos. The reduction drive gives more torque thats what is interesting to me.

 

[subnoize1]

Hi! ... rotax 912 ..

I like the Rotax 912. Smooth, buzzy little thing but it delivers power and has a great track record. The 912 and the Sonerai might be a good match.