# What is an ABA motor ?



## XDrewX (Jul 29, 2001)

Sorry, I am new to VW stuff, so please bear with me.
I keep hearing this ABA stuff, what is it ?
My guess is it has something to do with Audi. 
Please fill me in


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## 88JETTEXTREME (Jan 1, 2000)

*Re: What is an ABA motor ? (XDrewX)*

The aba block is from the 1993-current 2.0L crossflow motors. It's just a engine code if I remember correctly. Dave


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## vwpat (Oct 25, 2000)

*Re: What is an ABA motor ? (88JETTEXTREME)*

quote:[HR][/HR]The aba block is from the 1993-current 2.0L crossflow motors. It's just a engine code if I remember correctly. Dave [HR][/HR]​It is the 93-99 engine code, 99.5+ is AEG and is a different design.


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## 87GolfKart (Apr 3, 2001)

*Re: What is an ABA motor ? (vwpat)*

Any engine that have that kind of intake manifold from 93-99.5...dubbed the crossflow (xflow) because the intake feed from the front and the exhaust come out the back or visa versa...bascially, any engine with the configeration is an xflow...non exflow is when the intake feed from the same size the exhaust exit from...which is found on the 1.8L 8v engine previous to the ABA (2.0 8v)...the aba gets the xtra displacement from longer rods...it's basically the same engine as the predcesor 1.8L...even mounts up an swappable between the 4 cylidner cars from '85 to 99.5....this has nothing to do with audi...although components are shared...it is mainly found on VW (i dunno if audi ever use it or not)...


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## Ron P (Oct 31, 2000)

*Re: What is an ABA motor ? (XDrewX)*

The ABA is a 2.0L block that is a bit (16mm, iirc) taller than a 'normal' VW block. As such, it's a nice torque producer. I just finished a rebuild for a friend, he chose a 38mm hydraulic lifter head. We put it in his '81 Cabby and it has some seriously nice grunt, even with stock cams. Totally transformed the car - it kicked my Scirocco 16V's butt (stock, exc. 4K tranny).
I used the ABA headgasket, FWIW.


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## 155VERT83 (Aug 1, 2000)

*Re: What is an ABA motor ? (Ron P)*

quote:[HR][/HR] .... it kicked my Scirocco 16V's butt (stock, exc. 4K tranny). [HR][/HR]​Those are fighting words on another forum....


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## Cabby1988 (Oct 6, 2021)

Ron P said:


> *Re: What is an ABA motor ? (XDrewX)*
> 
> The ABA is a 2.0L block that is a bit (16mm, iirc) taller than a 'normal' VW block. As such, it's a nice torque producer. I just finished a rebuild for a friend, he chose a 38mm hydraulic lifter head. We put it in his '81 Cabby and it has some seriously nice grunt, even with stock cams. Totally transformed the car - it kicked my Scirocco 16V's butt (stock, exc. 4K tranny).
> I used the ABA headgasket, FWIW.





Ron P said:


> Hi Ron, just picked up an 88 Cabby swapped with the same 2.0L ABA. I am new to a lot of this and have some questions. Will take any help I can get!
> Thanks


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## SeanPorter (Mar 23, 2021)

...and becoming more and more difficult to find. I took me 6 months to find a bare ABA block for the right price of $150.


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## exceleratejasona (11 mo ago)

Hi there. I'm a tech at a performance shop and I got put onto a job that has been going on for 3 years before me. It's a 84 rabbit that started as a 1.8 and now has a 2.0 aba motor with a turbo setup, Running a standalone ecu. Car will not run. I have gotten to kick over and idle for about 20 sec. Physical timing is good, firing order is right. Injectors (new) are firing and have fuel. The tps sensor on the tb does not have power, so far that's the only thing I have found out of place. Wondering if anyone has any insight?


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## Colton N (6 mo ago)

exceleratejasona said:


> Hi there. I'm a tech at a performance shop and I got put onto a job that has been going on for 3 years before me. It's a 84 rabbit that started as a 1.8 and now has a 2.0 aba motor with a turbo setup, Running a standalone ecu. Car will not run. I have gotten to kick over and idle for about 20 sec. Physical timing is good, firing order is right. Injectors (new) are firing and have fuel. The tps sensor on the tb does not have power, so far that's the only thing I have found out of place. Wondering if anyone has any insight?


Hey I have a similar setup with a 1982 rabbit caddy with the 2.0l aba swap but no turbo and a ems standalone ecu. Mine idles fine but timing seems to be off when accelerating. Any luck programming your ecu?


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## Evdawg42 (5 mo ago)

exceleratejasona said:


> Hi there. I'm a tech at a performance shop and I got put onto a job that has been going on for 3 years before me. It's a 84 rabbit that started as a 1.8 and now has a 2.0 aba motor with a turbo setup, Running a standalone ecu. Car will not run. I have gotten to kick over and idle for about 20 sec. Physical timing is good, firing order is right. Injectors (new) are firing and have fuel. The tps sensor on the tb does not have power, so far that's the only thing I have found out of place. Wondering if anyone has any insight?


I pretty much do the same as you. Local small business dealership and family owned but also do alot of domestic (USA) classic hot rods and a bunch of LS conversions in many random vehicles. If its on a standalone system cant you trace back your wires and find the issue? Might even be a bunk part. I see that often.


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## Evdawg42 (5 mo ago)

exceleratejasona said:


> Hi there. I'm a tech at a performance shop and I got put onto a job that has been going on for 3 years before me. It's a 84 rabbit that started as a 1.8 and now has a 2.0 aba motor with a turbo setup, Running a standalone ecu. Car will not run. I have gotten to kick over and idle for about 20 sec. Physical timing is good, firing order is right. Injectors (new) are firing and have fuel. The tps sensor on the tb does not have power, so far that's the only thing I have found out of place. Wondering if anyone has any insight?


To add in why I'm here tho, I recently picked up a 1992 cab with an ABA swap also with random dead cylinders.


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