[T3] I'M BACK !

[Dennis Stiefel]

On 3 Dec 2013 at 22:04, Dennis Stiefel wrote:

> That all being said I think the rating of HP for a 72 like mine is in 
> the low 50s from the wheels.  If I'm correct that's around a 30hp bump 
> in power. So not bad.

I believe VW gave all the FI engines a 65 hp rating. This is probably not
true all across the line, however, because some years seem to be stronger
than others.  

--
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************

_______________________________________________

True for 71 and back it is 65 because they were taken at the crank.  If you
look at any general shop manual that you find in most automotive repair
shops across the US like motor, Mitchel, and Chilton you will see the HP
ratings go down on all cars 72 and later not just our T-3s.  Some will even
say horse power was taken at the wheels with all accessories in car after
1972.  Some people think the HP goes down at that time because a lot of the
manufactory's start cutting back on compression just like VW did. But the
main reason is because is how they took it.  That's why when my friends who
have and are in the muscle car era cars start bragging about how their cars
have 350-400 + HP I tell them that's not as impressive as modern cars that
have that kind of HP because what I just mention.  The old Chilton manual
says our cars had 65 HP between 68-71 then it drops to 52HP for 72-73.  It
looks like the Bentley just gives the European's DIN rating of 54 and the
US's SAE of 65 but no specific year like other manuals I have worked with.
To go back with what Keith was saying with the 85 HP.  That number was taken
from the wheels just like the 72 and later numbers were.  But I could be
wrong (wouldn't be the first time).  To muddy up the water some more I
believe Bill Fisher said in how to hot rod your Volkswagen engine that he
thought VW under rated all their engines at least at the time he wrote that
in 71 so who knows.


Dennis