Anyone know if the early late cranks are actually the same, just the case thats different? (I know the case is different, but dont have an early and late crank to check against easch other..
Not for me (although it would give me a couple of options)...
1.9 cranks??
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tencentlife
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:13 am
Early to late meaning 1.9 vs. 2.1? They're way different. The 2.1 has a 76mm stroke, 1.9 only 69mm. That's what they did to increase the displacement. Bore sizes are the same.
2.1 crank fits in a 1.9 case with very slight clearancing.
I can get 1.9 cranks practically for free here, as they are nearly worthless. 2.1's are hard to find. No one in their right mind would go to the expense to rebuild a 1.9, when if you just get the 2.1 crank, all the other costs are the same to build a 2.1. I went to the Albuquerque VW wrecker and went thru a stack of at least 20 cranks, and pulled 3 2.1's out of it. All the rest were 1.9's or T4's. My machinist worked all three so I have some stock ready to use now. Just need to get some undersize bearings for two of them. The third was perfect as is. But I'm still on the lookout for more!
2.1 crank fits in a 1.9 case with very slight clearancing.
I can get 1.9 cranks practically for free here, as they are nearly worthless. 2.1's are hard to find. No one in their right mind would go to the expense to rebuild a 1.9, when if you just get the 2.1 crank, all the other costs are the same to build a 2.1. I went to the Albuquerque VW wrecker and went thru a stack of at least 20 cranks, and pulled 3 2.1's out of it. All the rest were 1.9's or T4's. My machinist worked all three so I have some stock ready to use now. Just need to get some undersize bearings for two of them. The third was perfect as is. But I'm still on the lookout for more!
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51MAN
- Posts: 645
- Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2001 12:01 am
Yes Chris I know the difference in stroke etc... we (in Europe) still had the 1.9 right up to the end in 1992... and 1.9's are readily available... (like my 1992 syncro doka)
so a 2.1 crank goes in the early case with the early bearings... the crank mains are the same then, just the case diameters are different... its the bearing question I was after answering..
there are a lot more 1.9's in Europe too.. so getting a 2.1 crank is always harder and costs so stops a lot of people upgrading to 2.1 power.. + you need the 2.1 pistons too...
When I wanted a 2.1 crank I bought a brand new VW one for 300 UK£ as I couldnt get a used one...
so a 2.1 crank goes in the early case with the early bearings... the crank mains are the same then, just the case diameters are different... its the bearing question I was after answering..
there are a lot more 1.9's in Europe too.. so getting a 2.1 crank is always harder and costs so stops a lot of people upgrading to 2.1 power.. + you need the 2.1 pistons too...
When I wanted a 2.1 crank I bought a brand new VW one for 300 UK£ as I couldnt get a used one...
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tencentlife
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:13 am
Oh, I forgot they still sold the 1.9 in Europe after '86. Did they switch to the late-style bearings like are in the 2.1 cases, is that why there's early and late? VW superceded the early case with the late for all rebuilds, but I don't know what year that was done. But they wouldn't have needed to make any changes to the 1.9 cranks, even if they were putting them into late cases with late bearings, so I suppose they're the same, or interchangeable. They didn't change the crank journal sizes 1.9 to 2.1. Just the style of the bearings, and the case changed to match. The 2.1 case has more interior volume as well.