<VV> Engine identification.

[Hugo Miller]

I am comparing like with like. The two cars I have been using are both 
PG. The car with the best bodyshell has an engine that is not really 
happy. Apart from being slower, it has an occasional slight knock when 
hot. And the transmission is fierce when shifting.
The other car is good. I think it may have a recon transmission, as it 
is all painted blue. The engine is good also, or good enough, anyway, as 
I don't particularly want to get bogged down with an engine rebuild at 
this stage.
Where it gets complicated is that I have two other potential donor 
cars, one of which I have driven. It runs like a dog, but that is due to 
carburettor issues. And it overheats, but that I think is due to some 
missing sheet metal shrouds. This car has a harmonic balancer.
The final car is a 4 speed manual, but I haven't driven it. It has a 
pulley instead of a balancer.
I will get engine numbers off these last two presently, but the engine 
compartment seems to have become home to some creature(s) judging by the 
amount of nesting material in there. That is not the first time this has 
happened to Corvairs in my possession. Do critters have a preference for 
Corvair engine compartments or what?
In response to your last sentence, I have been driving the two PG cars 
for a couple of years, and the time has now come to restore one properly 
and sell the other.
What I am trying to avoid is doing an engine swap and then finding out 
that one of the other cars has a better engine in it.
I have learned a lot in the last few days from contributors to this 
list - thank you all.

On 2019-05-13 12:51, roboman91324--- via VirtualVairs wrote:
> Doug is correct.  The reasons that one engine may seem to perform
> better than another has more factors to consider than CID.  Of 
> course,
> CID is important.  There are reasons GM increased the displacement in
> 1964.  Other reasons could include the following.
> 1.  A worn out 164 could perform worse than a fresh 145.
> 2.  Gear ratio differences from one car to another could make you
> think one has a more powerful engine than another.
> 3.  The performance difference between a 4 speed and a 2 speed will
> be significant.  Both number 2 and 3 here are car related.  You might
> swap what you think is the more powerful engine from one car into
> another and actually get worse performance.
> 4.  Obviously, there were a wide range of horsepower offerings within
> 164 CID and 145 CID engines  A turbo 145 CID will likely outperform a
> lower HP 164.
> 5.  Over the decades, any number of modifications may have taken
> place with a particular engine.  There are 145 engines out there that
> have been modified to be 164 CID engines internally.  Some Corvair
> gurus could have made carb modifications, swapped in more radical
> cams, etc. 
>
> All of these possible explanations and more could be difficult to
> confirm without going inside the engine and investigating its
> components.  I also suggest that you buy a few books and publications
> for reference.  You will find that they will help you identify some 
> of
> the differences between generations and varieties of engines.
> It sounds like you are just enjoying your cars as drivers.  Maybe you
> should just leave your favorite as-is and take your time to build the
> drive train of your dreams for a swap some day down the road.  You
> might find that you will get more pleasure from improving the
> cosmetics of your daily driver than swapping in another motor for a 
> 10
> or 20 HP improvement.
> Doc
>
>
> Date: Mon, 13 May 2019 01:13:15 +0000 (UTC)From: Doug Mackintosh
> <dougmackintosh at yahoo.com>To: "hugo at aruncoaches.co.uk"
> <hugo at aruncoaches.co.uk>Cc: Virtual Vairs
> <virtualvairs at corvair.org>Subject: Re: <VV> Engine
> identification.Message-ID:
> <375167132.12862718.1557709995193 at mail.yahoo.com>Content-Type:
> text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> That does "suggest" a 145 and a 164 (possibly a '65 or newer). Check
> the numbers before counting your chickens!Hugo said:<<Date: Sun, 12
> May 2019 19:51:20 -0400From: Hugo Miller <hugo at aruncoaches.co.uk>To:
> <virtualvairs at corvair.org>Subject: Re: <VV> Engine
> identification.Message-ID:
> <9928b218888ef759738d8a0fdb58856c at aruncoaches.co.uk>Content-Type:
> text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> Ok, we're getting somewhere; I have one engine (the slower one) with
> a?pulley and a 0.64" (approx) fan shaft; the other (the engine
> I'm?thinking of putting in that car) has a harmonic balancer and a
> 0.74"?(approx) fan shaft. I'll grovel & get some numbers presently,
> but I'm?guessing that points to my having one 145" and one 164"
> engine? Both?cars have alternators.>>
>
>
> -- Doug Mackintosh Corsa member since 1996 Corsa/NC member since
> 1996, Virtual Vairs member Corvair owner 1969-1971 and 1996-on
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