JBugs 2024 Engine Battle - EMPI Engine Battle 2024 - Recap

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What could have been, what was, and what will be. Sam is back home after what seems like forever after a vacation, a quick week back at the shop, then 8 days out in California. It all started on June 9th at The Prado Show and Shine. Then things really got cooking on June 11th when the engine that Sam spent so many hours on was started up to go for it's first dyno pull. Somehow, a small nut or metal spacer of some sort ended up in the #1 cylinder and made a mess of the piston, cylinder and cylinder head. Not one to throw in the towel, Sam (with the help of so many great people at EMPI including many of the other Engine Battle competitors) pulled the engine apart and got it back together to go for another attempt. That attempt was somewhat short lived as during the first run, the stock cooling fan (only meant to rev up to 5500-6000 engine RPM) decided it didn't like the high (7800+ rpm) revs the engine was turning. It flew apart in a wonderful display of sparks and an puffed up fan shroud. Fortunately, no one was injured by the flying debris, but the engine didn't seem to like the revs. So, once the engine is back home, Sam will go through it and bring it back to life yet again.
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Videos are intended for entertainment purposes. Factory specifications should be followed when performing any task on your vehicle.

[@pattafta7135]

It was great meeting you. While we didn't end up where we wanted, we wouldn't have gotten anything done without your help. You're a scholar, and a gentleman sir.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Pat, Josh, it was absolutely my pleasure to help. I was blessed to be there and able to assist. Til we meet again!

[@Salamander-wm5kv]

I began with a tour of EMPI's warehouse and Sam saw me and pulled me in for a front-row seat to the engine battle. I can honestly say this competition never felt contentious. There were no superiority complexes among the engine builders and no animosity toward other shops. I was awestruck by the spirit of brotherhood and the positive energy shared by all the participants. Such an awesome experience. I have so much respect for all the engine builders who competed.

[@Sam_Mebane]

I even snuck a little shot of you in there too! Thanks for hanging with me!

[@allareasindex7984]

My late father went on a business trip to West Germany (as it was then known) in 1961 and surprise! brought home a VW Beetle. Since then I’ve had an affinity for them. Great to see people still enjoying them.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Ah, back in the good(?) old days of East & West Germany....we're showing our age there! There's a reason why Disney used the Beetle as the car in the Herbie series. Very few cars invoke the emotions that a Beetle does!

[@mattbiscotti6656]

Your attitude through all this was excellent.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thank you Matt, that’s God given maturity learned through years of adversity. Bouncing from foster home to adoptive home, and back and forth numerous times until I signed my own adoption papers as an adult will do that I guess! Thank the Lord that at this point He’s taught me that I can’t change the past and my attitude can make the difference in the future. To God be the glory!

[@brianw8963]

Watched the entire event while working on my 69 project . Really enjoyable. Sorry to see the unfortunate problems You had Sam, but that’s just how it goes sometimes, we’ve all been there and learn from it and move on. Already looking forward to next year. 👍👍🇺🇸

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thank you Brian, yeah. Everyone gets knocked down, I got back up and I'll keep getting back up!

[@jeffschueler1304]

I had a blast watching the engine battle live last week! Killed me to watch the issues you ran into, but was great to see your comeback and what a real streetable motor can do. I'm confident you'll get that motor sorted out, Sam. Your engine videos were a lot of help when we were building a new motor for my son's baja last fall (his name happens to be Sam as well). You definitely know your way around VW's.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thanks Jeff, it was all together an enjoyable experience despite the troubles!

[@stuck1000]

Great job and what a great event. You still put up awesome numbers. Like the lowbugget guy said in your interview after your. A square build. I hope to achieve the same with a 2275 soon. Reliable and cool running with pretty equal hp and torque.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Absolutely, it might not put out huge numbers like some of the engines on the dyno did but it will scoot a car down the road plenty well!

[@johnwerner7194]

AWESOME video. Lots of hard work. We all learn every day or the day wasn't complete. I don't think there is any machine on the planet Loved more than the volkswagon. Again thank you very much for a real life experience in the shop

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thank you John, I agree with you 100%. Beetles just have a way of evoking emotion!

[@FixinBugsNStuff]

Great job! No fear just put yourself out there and take a chance.

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thank you, yeah I had nothing to prove and nothing to lose so we just went for it. It could have been better and it could have been much worse! I chalk it all up as a learning experience and thank God for the opportunity!

[@vintage76vipergreenBeetle]

Happy late birthday. I'm 3 months older than you.🎂

[@Sam_Mebane]

Thank you sir! A very late Happy Birthday to you!

[@alexhuevera939]

did you find out where the piece of metal came from that damaged your engine?

[@Sam_Mebane]

No, no clue!

[@Fahrfrumlosin]

You think someone sabotaged you when you had the engine on display?

[@Sam_Mebane]

@@Fahrfrumlosin no clue. Could have been but only God knows for sure.

[@67VWForever]

It looks like a key for a key way..

[@Sam_Mebane]

It's much bigger, and collapsed. My best guess is an 8mm (wrench size) nut or a collar of some sort.

[@johncollins5552]

​@@Sam_Mebanelooked like a valve adjuster nut tbh, maybe it dropped into the gas tank or straight on the carb top, any filters used on that engine?

[@Sam_Mebane]

@@johncollins5552 good eye, yes. That's about exactly what it looks like. There were filters on it from the last 30 minutes I ran it here in the shop, and to the best of my knowledge until it got started on the dyno at EMPI.

[@ianbrown9082]

Here in the UK my vintage road racing 1965 Beetle is getting 126hp@7700rpm from its twin carb 1285cc with stock sized (33x30mm) valves though a regulation (105db max) silencer, so it should be 100hp/litre with a stinger fitted. Gathering parts for a 1299cc (60x83mm) which will allow much larger valves. Currently runs high 14's on the 1/4 and the low gearing means it tops out at 113mph Love to know if there's any quick 1300's over there in the US

[@rickmartin7062]

60 mm crankshaft is 25 or 36 horse crank

[@rickmartin7062]

3.88 ring and pinion should give you more top end speed

[@ianbrown9082]

@@rickmartin7062 If I use a 3.88 the 'theoretical' top speed would be 141mph, but my motor doesn't have the correct torque curve to pull that gear at any speed. It currently has a 4.86 due to it being a circuit racer. The tracks in the UK have very few long straights, so you have to sacrifice top speed for acceleration, from a slow corner I can match the acceleration of the 400hp Mustangs upto 70mph after which they pull away, but you make back the time lost under braking and cornering

[@Sam_Mebane]

There isn't a big push on the lower displacement engines here stateside, outside of land speed races.

[@ianbrown9082]

@@Sam_Mebane Seems to be a European thing. I'm limited to 1300cc by vintage racing rules. There's also a 1584cc drag racing challenge based in Sweden but covers all of Europe, cars must also use stock valve sizes, quickest in the street class so far is 11.1@126mph quickest race car 9.4@150mph

[@rickstine7107]

What RPM did the fan explode?

[@Sam_Mebane]

Somewhere at about 7800 rpm!

[@Itsa_Mea]

I guess there's something to say about my Berg tig welded fan. It's seen 8200.

[@Sam_Mebane]

@@Itsa_Mea Yeah, although I've had a "welded and balanced" Bugpack fan explode on me as well!

[@user-ff5ge7hx2c]

Mine looks better, hasnt got all that weired looking stuff on it😊

[@Sam_Mebane]

I don't know what is weird (not weired) about a fan shroud and dual carburetor linkage. It doesn't matter as this one isn't yours. You like what you have, and that's the important part. Being happy with what you've got is a good place to be!

[@user-ff5ge7hx2c]

@@Sam_Mebanesorry, wasn't trying to be sarcastic

[@Sam_Mebane]

@@user-ff5ge7hx2c nor was I, you are happy with what you have and that's saying something! Most are jealous of something that someone else has.