# ABA Engine History



## wrenchtosser (Oct 25, 2010)

Hey everyone, I have a couple of questions that have been bugging me for years. Everyone knows that it was fairly common for OBD1 ABA engines to have forged internals (and that subject has been well documented) but here is where I am dumbfounded:

1. Why did they do this in the first place? The additional costs on a non-performance engine must have been HUGE. 
2. Why did they stop? I can only assume that it has something to do with OBD2 since that is when the change happened.


Any history buffs out there?


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

Well first only the crank was forged, and the other addition was oil squirters that put oil on the bottom of the piston (to cools the piston and lubricate the wrist pin). On OBDII both of those went away. We can only assume it was cost cutting at that point.

But to answer you question, you already did. As electronics got better the engines didn't need to be as strong. The chance of severe knock basically went away. There was better control over fuel and spark, and better knock sensing. 

All older VW engines had a forged crank, so ABA OBD1, and going back to the 16v, the g60, the 1.8,1.7,1.6 8v motors all had forged cranks. It wasn't uncommon for cars to have forged cranks back then, and even the 350 SBC, had a mix of years with and without forged cranks. Part of these going away might also have to do with improvements in the casting processing. Like pressure casting, etc. You will also beefier rods and pistons in the old engines. Same material, but thicker beams/piston crows, fully skirted, etc., again as they got better control over fuel and ignition, they could stop over building them. To that end you'll find similiar rods in a old 1.8 16v, than you will a 1.8t. Now consider the 1.8t made nearly 100hp more in certain applications.

You want to see a beefy engine, look at old BMW engines like the M10. They can hold a ton of power (see a few boosted on alcohol at over 400whp) but only came with 100hp stock. Why did BMW feel the need to overbuild them so much? :screwy:

This is a 1.8 8v piston and rod, notice the bottom of the piston is fully skirted.



















This is an ABA piston and rod.











Stock 1.8t piston on right.


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