1911 build questions

[saggs]

I presently have a 914 1700 I have converted for upright use in my oval bug. I have pulled the motor for the winter and have purchased some parts for the upgrade. The block seems to be very tight, no oil leaks, good oil pressure and runs quiet. I have a set of rebuilt Porche 2.0 heads with 44x38 valves and still stock springs. These have not been run since they were rebuilt. I have purchased the following from EMW:
"H" cam- .488x286
96 mm KB pistons
96mm AA cylinders

I have a set of just rebuilt 1700 "Q" heads as well as one of Jakes "econo-headers" 4 into 1.
Question is?
Would these larger heads work well with the 1911 displacement and the "H" cam or should I stick with the smaller 1700 heads ( they are opened up for 96mm).

Im just looking for a good torquey daily driver.
Thanks for any help in advance.

[H2OSB]

I have a nearly identical build going on. I will use 96mm KB pistons and the nice cast barrels EMW sells with stock 1.7 heads opened up for 96s, however I'm going to use the stock early 1.7 cam and a creative exhaust.

Good luck with your build
H2OSB

[Piledriver]

It will make more power ~4K and above with the big heads, if you still have a reasonable dynamic compression ratio.
It may make a little less power below ~4k.
The 2L heads chambers are a better design (largely plug location) but they are also ~10cc larger in factory form.
On a street/DD engine the 2L heads are almost wasted on a 2056 or smaller, as its hard to get enough CR with a small motor and a nasty cam, and you really don't want to flycut them.

[saggs]

That makes sense regarding the larger comb chambers in the 2.0 heads. I think I'll stick w/ the 1.7 heads. I have a good set of 94 stock cyls, do you think I'd be better off getting those bored out to 96 vs going with the new 96mm AA's?

[H2OSB]

I've heard bad things about AA cylinders, though nothing actual first hand. I will also say I've seen many engines built using AA parts.

That said, I'm going to use the newish cast 96s made by EMW. They give out a copy of the metallurgical test comparing their cylinders vs AA vs stock. Theirs have superior metallurgy.

If I already had them, though, I'd use AAs. Course, I'm a cheapskate

H2OSB

[saggs]

I ordered mine a few months back maybe they are the same as the cyls you have? I'm also wanting to put an ignition trigger plate behind the rear pulley for an upgraded ignition system. I have a set of Weber 40s I've been using. No fuel injection yet.

[Piledriver]

The EMW jugs are likely to be the correct length...
Considering how hard it will be most places to get jugs shortened correctly locally, and how much shipping and machining at EMW or RIMCO runs, the AA jugs are a waste of time
(unless they started making them the correct length, in that case no issues)

[saggs]

I plan to weigh all the pistons and get them balanced as far as weight. Should the same be done with the rods? I was also considering getting the crank and flywheel balanced at a machine shop, is this worth the extra expense of having done?
Also, I have a new set of lifters from EMW that came w/ the cam, theyre not expensive ones. I saw another thread where Clatter (?) got his OEM lifters reground. Would this be a better option and if so who would do that?

[H2OSB]

It never hurts to have your spinning parts well balanced, particularly with an aircooled engine.

Not sure about having the lifters reground, but I will say, it's generally a good practice to use a cam and lifters from the same source to make sure both have the same hardness.

H2OSB

[saggs]

I'll send you a pic of the box and cyls I got from EMW, I think theyre the same as the ones you have. What are you gonna run for a distributer on your motor?

[H2OSB]

Probably an SVDA with a Pertronix. Though I'm keen to run a DVDA (some how I'm managed to acquire 3 of them),at least to get the car on the road. Eventually I'd like to have electronic fuel and spark set up.

H2OSB

[Piledriver]

Rods need balanced end-to-end.
Not that hard with an accurate scale and a ~simple to fab jig, how-tos on line all over.