Engine

The engine

Sources: Texts: The big Volkswagen v. Kittler/Kuch, T. Graalmann and P. Moswinkel

Pictures: Unless otherwise stated, members of the VW411-412 Friends and the Association of VW 411/412 Owners



The engine compartment offers the familiar sight of the flat four-cylinder boxer engine with air cooling. When the 411 was launched, its cubic capacity was exactly 1679 ccm, which put the large VW in the 1.7 liter class. With piston dimensions of 90 x 66 mm, the 411 engine was the shortest-stroke of all VW engines; at the rated speed of 4500 rpm, it is subject to a piston speed of only 9.9 m/s. With a low compression ratio of 7.8:1, the engine also got by with regular petrol. The engine concept, however, was completely clear and typically Wolfsburg: namely renouncing high performance in favor of economy and longevity. Even in the upper price range, VW relied on its old trump cards.










Carburettor engine



An air-cooled flat four-cylinder boxer was installed in the VW Type 4. It had a displacement of 1679 cm³ and made 68 hp at 4500 rpm.


Only in the Zyklop series was the crankcase made of magnesium, after which aluminum was used. The fan housing was also made of die-cast magnesium in the first model year.


The fan was in front of the crankcase, which is why the engine was only 408 mm high.


With a speed range of 1800 to 3900 revolutions, the engine was a reliable workhorse with endurance for tens of thousands of kilometers.


Other parameters of the carburetor engine:


- at rated speed of 4500 rpm = piston speed of 9.9 m/s


- Normalbenzin


- max. torque 124.5 Nm at 2800 rpm


- Forged crankshaft in 4 plain bearings with hardened bearing points


The fuel was supplied via 2 Solex PDSIT downdraft carburettors with 34 mm passage and electrically heated automatic starter.


The air filter element floated in an oil bath and was connected to the carburettors by air shafts.







Injection engine



In 1969, after just one year, the 1.7-litre, 68-hp carburettor engine was upgraded to the 80-hp E-model with D-Jetronic by means of electronically controlled Bosch intake manifold injection.


Due to some setbacks in terms of reliability, the carburettor engine was switched back to outside the USA from August 1973.


With the 1974 model year, VW converted to the new L-Jetronic exclusively for North America.


The injection engine installed in the VW 411 E needed premium petrol. Modified pistons and revised cylinder heads enabled the power to be increased to 80 hp.


With this new engine, the VW Type 4 now managed 155 km/h and sprinted from a standing start to 100 km/h in 15 seconds.


Photo source: contemporary advertising
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