# 1.7 carb love?



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

So I have a 84rabbit l with a 1.7. I have found a few threads on here,but is this motor worth rebuilding when the time comes?I like running a carb. And I am in a major budget. I plan on getting a weber 32/36. 

My main question is how many out there still have the 1.7?

Is it worth keeping?


----------



## antichristonwheels (Jun 14, 2001)

the 1.7 is just as good as the other early motors. You need to keep an eye on the valve clearances, change the oil and they will go for a long time. the 1.7 is not really "worth" rebuilding as the countryside is littered with 1.8s and especially 2.0 ABAs that will bolt right in. The standard is get a good ABA shortblock and top it with a 1.8 GTI head and you get great power on the cheap. It will run great on the 1.7 ignition, injection or a 32/36 weber. 

If it still runs well I would concentrate on keeping it that way and forget the carb. The CIS injection is pretty much perfect if it is working.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

More or less agree with the major points stated above except as things relate to what you have not said. Do you want to keep the car original or as original as possible or do you want to just keep the car running and drive it because you like the car? They have license plates here, I'm sure in many places, for "Historic Cars". To get these plates the vehicle has to be maintained in as close to original as is possible condition given what is available to maintain and repair the vehicle. That's why I state the question because doing an engine swap might lower the value of the car, keep it out of a show class or out of a historic rallye if your goal is to keep it original.


----------



## antichristonwheels (Jun 14, 2001)

You are so full of BS you should change your name to WaterDiarrhea.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

Again due to the non-involvement, or interest, of the people who are tasked with making sure the forum stays friendly and clean, I’ll address this in my own terms and way. Would be interesting however to see just how others here feel about this type of behavior. Feel free to jump in with any questions or comments, or start a new topic if you think you would be “high jacking” the original posted topic (too late I think though).

“WaterDiarrhea.” Wow, just how long did it take to come up with that one?

I’m sure you read posts that I make and I’m just as sure I stepped on your toes a time or two. Is that your basic problem? Are you another one of those who have a problem with people disagreeing with you or asking tough questions which require a little insight? Sorry, but there is really no Camelot and unlike Burger King, you can’t always have it your way (sorry for any copy write infringement). Not everyone in this world is going to tremble and the sound of your keyboard. Sometime you just have to listen to what others say, regardless of what it is, and let it go in one ear and out the other. Other times you have to make a stand if you have something to say or need to be heard.

As hard as I try though, I just don’t see this being the case with your latest useless comment. Are you yet another person that can’t seem to be able to convey their thoughts in an intelligent adult manner? Is reading comprehension one of your weaker points in life? I believe that any intelligent person who read what I posted, followed by what you posted, would be greatly challenged to come up with an answer as to “why” you posted it. It just stinks of someone looking for some reason, any reason, to throw in a dumb harassing comment. Problem is, aside from being so ridicules, it really has no harassment effect if the other party just thinks it is foolish.

So pamper me a little if you can, but I’m not going to hold my breath waiting, and answer a few simple questions about your last grand post. 
> Did you read what I posted prior to your comments?
> If yes, did you fully understand what I wrote?
> If yes then what part of my post did you determine to be incorrect (one of the adult words a person uses in place of censor avoiding things like BS)?
> If you have an answer to the above then we now have something to talk about. Our isagreement can then be discussed, here or anywhere else that is possible, to reach a mutual conclusion (don’t ask me to fly to where ever you live).
> If you don’t have an answer to the third question directly above, then what was the reason for your post? What were you thinking at the time you typed and sent what you did?

You can’t have it both ways, either you found something I wrote that was not correct or you just felt like being an idiot or something. Which is it?


----------



## antichristonwheels (Jun 14, 2001)

its hard to defend rambling lines of BS with more of the same. No one reads them anyway. Perhaps you should pursue a career with the government.


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

this thread is SOO FULL OF WIN!!!

but yea, just get the CIS running good, and fix all the vacuum leaks.. 

CIS will run WAY BETTER than a carb could ever dream of. will get better economy also..

what do you think you are going to gain, by going with a carb?

CIS is honestly easier to tune than a carburator, if you understand CIS.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

antichristonwheels said:


> its hard to defend rambling lines of BS with more of the same. No one reads them anyway.


I guess the simple little, easy to boot, questions were a bit too much for ya, huh? I'll post them again in case it was a matter of just not reading them or if a little more time is required to understand them. And by the way, I currently do work for the government, and you help with my paycheck 



WaterWheels said:


> > Did you read what I posted prior to your comments?
> > If yes, did you fully understand what I wrote?
> > If yes then what part of my post did you determine to be incorrect (one of the adult words a person uses in place of censor avoiding things like BS)?
> > If you have an answer to the above then we now have something to talk about. Our isagreement can then be discussed, here or anywhere else that is possible, to reach a mutual conclusion (don’t ask me to fly to where ever you live).
> > If you don’t have an answer to the third question directly above, then what was the reason for your post? What were you thinking at the time you typed and sent what you did?


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

Glegor said:


> this thread is SOO FULL OF WIN!!!
> 
> but yea, just get the CIS running good, and fix all the vacuum leaks..
> 
> ...


I already have a carbureted engine.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

The car is almost 30 years old so you have to decide just what you plan to do with it. There are a number of different options you can do, but they all revolve around your plans for the car. All motors are "worth" rebuilding from a mechanical standpoint, it is just a matter of whether that is your desire. You can keep it original if that's your thing or modify it if you like in a number of different ways. You have to make the decission as to which direction you want to take and then ask for help as needed once you decided. For some here the word "enthusiast" means "Hot Rod" and for others it means excitement or a great interest in something. So just what do you see your car being in the near or distant future?


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

I am not looking for speed. I just want decent mileage, with a little bit of pep. I am thinking with a cam, header, cat back, and weber 32/36? The motor is currently running very well, and not burning any oil.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

Jesse-B said:


> I am not looking for speed. I just want decent mileage, with a little bit of pep. I am thinking with a cam, header, cat back, and weber 32/36? The motor is currently running very well, and not burning any oil.


OK, that brings up the "Why did you ask about rebuilding"? I know it was not 100% of what you asked up front but it was a big question for a very well running engine that is not smoking. And yes, a 1.7L will respond the same as 1.8L when you do add-ons like a camshaft or header or open exhaust. You might have to do some learning about carburetors and adjusting them (Webers are different from Holleys). A 32/36 if adjusted well should give you rather good gas milage and good throttle response. You will have to set a little money off to the side for tuning the Weber as it is not tuned by turning a screw but by swapping in parts, like jets and emulsion tubes. Seeing as you goal is not to keep it original, there are may options and most can be transfered from say your 1.7L to a 1.8L or even a 2.0L.


----------



## antichristonwheels (Jun 14, 2001)

that brings up the question: Why be a constant arsch leck?


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

antichristonwheels said:


> that brings up the question: Why be a constant arsch leck?


This is only an educational response, nothing more and nothing less. Thought it might be nice to correct a mistake if you intend to use the phrase later in life. The word is "loch" not leck. Leck in English is "leak" so I think what you really wanted was loch which is "hole".


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

Jesse-B said:


> I am not looking for speed. I just want decent mileage, with a little bit of pep. I am thinking with a cam, header, cat back, and weber 32/36? The motor is currently running very well, and not burning any oil.


some of those engines came with 32/36 webers factory.. so thats not an upgrade at all.

and when you buy a weber carb, unless you buy it used, pre-jetted, then you will have to jet it to your particular application for best results..

and the new weber carbs are JUNK compared to the old ones i cut teeth tuning.. now days, i tell people to get a known good quality, old weber, and rebuild it, rather than buying a brand new, junk carb..

if your engine runs good, then why do you want to change anything? just itching to fix something that isnt broken?

or is your car equipped with one of those gay 1bbl solex carbs? if it is, i suggest getting an intake off a car with a factory 32/36 carb, install that, and then buy an older electric choke weber (32/36 DGEV to be exact, the electric choke is MUCH NICER/easier to operate than the old ghetto hot water chokes) and rebuild it. buy jets that match your engine. 

i can not stress it enough, the importance of jetting the carb to your engine.. there are about 8 million different jet combos for these 32/36 webers, and getting it just right is the KEY to good power/economy..

my old weber wasnt jetted quite fat enough for my engine. it got really good mileage because the primary was jetted right. even made decent power, but it would make the manifold glow if you left the secondaries open for too long.. the secondaries just werent fat enough, i should have stepped the jets up a size or 3 on the secondary.

there should be a guide out there to what jets an old 1.7/1.8 VW 8v will take to make it run good.. you still might want to mess with jet sizes, once you get it tuned decent.. you can jet the carbs for maximum power, maximum economy, or a mix of both..


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

BTW, pretty sure that a 1.7/carb engine was not STOCK, or even an option in 84...


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

antichristonwheels said:


> the 1.7 is just as good as the other early motors. You need to keep an eye on the valve clearances, change the oil and they will go for a long time. the 1.7 is not really "worth" rebuilding as the countryside is littered with 1.8s and especially 2.0 ABAs that will bolt right in. The standard is get a good ABA shortblock and top it with a 1.8 GTI head and you get great power on the cheap. It will run great on the 1.7 ignition, injection or a 32/36 weber.
> 
> If it still runs well I would concentrate on keeping it that way and forget the carb. The CIS injection is pretty much perfect if it is working.


this is my favorite response here soo far..

the ABA bottom end, topped with a hydro GTI head, and a 32/36 carb could be FUN.

but, then again, if the 1.7 RUNS AS GOOD AS YOU SAY, then there really isnt a reason to mess with anything.. what kinda economy is it getting now? its never going to get as good of economy as a CIS car would get. CIS gets AMAZING mileage when its tuned properly. my 86 GTI regularly gets 30mpg in town/35+mpg on the freeway..

one thing tho.. about webers:

they ALWAYS diesel after you shut the car off. even if they are tuned right, and the engine is timed properly, they STILL diesel.. ive never seen one that didnt, except the ones with the fuel cut-off solenoid on the idle circuit.. those ones didnt diesel, but they werent very common either, they were used more for OEM applications..


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

Glegor said:


> BTW, pretty sure that a 1.7/carb engine was not STOCK, or even an option in 84...


Um no it is stock! I am sure of it!


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

This is my carb. The reason I am thinking all of this is because the rubber piece that connects the carb to the intake is going bad! Cracked! And I just want I decide what to do with it? Can't find the replacement for it anywhere.


----------



## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

That's either a 31 PICT or 34 PICT which was original to that year for one or two 1.7L engine models. No the flange is no longer produced and would be very hard to find new, or even a good used one. To use the Weber DGV 32/36 you will need a different intake manifold also as the one you have uses a single round small hole. Maybe there is an adapter but to go from a 31/34 PICT to a DGV I really don't think so. There are kits and adapters to go from the older 1.8L (and others) that used the 2E2, and other two barrel, factory carburetors. If the Weber DGV is a desire then you need to look at getting another intake. That could be a little hard in North America as they converted to fuel injection years before most cars did here in Europe.


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

I can order the intake and carb 32/36 for like 470.00!


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

Jesse-B said:


> I can order the intake and carb 32/36 for like 470.00!


thats ALOT..

you could get a used (good castings and such, better quality than the NEW spanish ones) weber for about 50 bucks. get a 30 dollar rebuild kit, and buy a 30 dollar adapter and use the manifold you already have..

that manifold you got, take the carb off it, you might get lucky.. some of those had weber flanges under the rubber isolator..

and yes, its definitely a solex 1bbl..


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

Glegor said:


> thats ALOT..
> 
> you could get a used (good castings and such, better quality than the NEW spanish ones) weber for about 50 bucks. get a 30 dollar rebuild kit, and buy a 30 dollar adapter and use the manifold you already have..
> 
> ...










7700 Cypress Lake Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33907, USA


----------



## Jesse-B (Dec 4, 2011)

Anyone have a used weber they want to sell?


----------



## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

Jesse-B said:


> Anyone have a used weber they want to sell?


might try the classified section of the carburator section..


----------

