Can I Use a Power Pulley To Heat the Engine for Short Trips?

Maybe I will just stick to hat, gloves, a can of de-icer and keep using the stock size pulley.

if you are already using the flaps and thermostat, and all is adjusted properly, you won't really benefit any from a smaller pulley because the flaps block off most of the cooling air...

You will also reduce the CFM or flow of air into the cabin using a power pulley! The heat is created through a transfer of heat coming from the exhaust in the heat exchangers. If you get the exhaust hotter then the heat coming into the cabin should be hotter too.

IF you can find the original (HEAVY) type of heat exchangers, use a stock muffler, make sure the engine is not running too rich, make sure the cabin is pretty air tight, you should find that the heat can be very warm to hot. I have run several Beetles here in Chicago and my '66 with a 1600 engine could literally cook my left shoe at the heat outlet in the front.

Now remember that a good heater produces a lot of fogging of the glass when there is moisture in the air when the heat is kicking! Opening up a window a little helps reduce the fogging but then makes things cooler.

So I vote NO to the power pulley! ;-)

Once upon a time there was a kit with ducting, hoses, switches, wiring and electric fans that would recycle the air from the cabin to the heat exchangers I believe bypassing the main engine fan. That should make the air hotter, a little drier and the flow would be more constant too.

When I set the carb idle mixture, I usually add an additional 1/4 richer/ counterclockwise, to make sure I do not adjust it too lean. Should I not do this for cold weather?

Would a $300.00 air:fuel ratio meter for the dash help or can it be relied upon?

I used to have that kit, but I removed it. It had to be running when the engine was running.

Here is a link to the web site where I got it. Barney's Import Parts

Yep that looks like that kit!

Not sure which engine and carb you are running on your engine. The earlier ones (1967 1500 30 PICT-1) probably took the 1/4 turn richer. I forget if the later ones (1972 1600 34-PICT-3) take the 1/4 turn richer, but I don't think so. IF you can find the original (HEAVY) type of heat exchangers, use a stock

When I set the carb idle mixture, I usually add an additional 1/4 richer/ counterclockwise, to make sure I do not adjust it too lean. Should I not do this for cold weather?

Would a $300.00 air:fuel ratio meter for the dash help or can it be relied upon?

I used to have that kit, but I removed it. It had to be running when the engine was running.

Here is a link to the web site where I got it. Barney's Import Parts

Here are most of the engine specs:

The engine is a 1600cc D.P. It has a shim ring under each cylinder to lower compression as per Gene Berg's recommendations. It uses the stock oil bath air cleaner. The carb is a Brocar 34PICT3. It has a 55 idle jet and a 130M main jet. It has a Tiger CDI. It has the SVDA distributor that I got from aircoolednet. It has the Pertronix Ignitor in the distributor. It has a stock fuel pump set to 3 p.s.i. at idle. Idle speed is set to about 900 rpm. The timing is set close to 7 to 7.5 btdc. It uses Castrol 30HD oil. The transaxle has synthetic GL-4 80 W 90 Amsoil brand. The deck lid is the 1973 four louvre kind. It does not have air conditioning.

I was thinking of swapping the Brocar 34PICT3 carb for a Brosol

I decided against using the power pulley. Even for short trips I will not be using it. I got the idea from reading a recent copy of Dune Buggies and Hot VWs. It was in the Mileage Maker article. But they did say that the power pulley would make the engine run hotter.

Gene Berg promoted low compression ratios. Even lower than stock. He was wrong.

You are only wasting fuel if you run too low compression. The engine will lack power and be harder to tune.

Especially with the quality of the current gas at the pumps!

YES but AFAIK the engine will run hotter due to the reduction of cooling air to the engine!

I decided against using the power pulley. Even for short trips I will not be using it. I got the idea from reading a recent copy of Dune Buggies and Hot VWs. It was in the Mileage Maker article. But they did say that the power pulley would make the engine run hotter.