VW ABF and 9A 2.0 l engines. 16V

Volkswagen ABF and 9A engines performance chart

Build and repair of ABF and 9A engines

In July 1988, the Volkswagen Passat B3 with a 16-valve 2.0-liter 9A engine began to be sold. This engine was based on a 4-cylinder cast iron low block (height 220 mm), in which a crankshaft with a piston stroke of 92.8 mm, connecting rods with a length of 144 mm and pistons with a diameter of 82.5 mm (piston height 30.2 mm) was installed. This makes it possible to get 2 liters of volume, and the compression ratio here is 10.8.

Covered the block with an aluminum 16-valve head with two camshafts. The diameter of the inlet valves is 32 mm, the exhaust valves 28 mm, the valve stem diameter is 7 mm. Characteristics of the 9A camshafts: effective phase 200/226, lift 9.0/10.3 mm. The timing belt rotates the camshafts, its service life is 90 thousand kilometers, if it is not replaced in time, the belt may break. In such cases, the 9A engine bends valves.

The motor is controlled by Bosch KE-Motronic.

It developed 136 hp at 5800 rpm and torque of 180 Nm at 4400 rpm.
This engine was used until 1994, but in 1992 it was replaced by a 16-valve ABF.
The ABF engine differs from the 9A with a taller cylinder block (236 mm), longer connecting rods (159 mm), new pistons (height 31.6 mm) and compression ratio 10.5.

The head was also slightly modified, with the exhaust valve diameter reduced to 27 mm and the camshafts replaced with more aggressive ones. The ABF camshaft specs are 220/228 phase, 10.8/10.8mm lift.
The control unit here is on Digifant 3.0, and since 1994 it is Digifant 3.2.

This had the result: power rose to 150 hp at 6000 rpm, torque 180 Nm at 4800 rpm.

These motors are as close as possible to 1.8 liter KR or PL. and to 2.0 liter 8-valve AGG and ADY.

ABFs were put in until 2000, but they started to be replaced by 1.8 turbos in 1997.

Disadvantages and problems of ABF and 9A engines

These motors have no weaknesses, they are typical reliable engines, but they have seen so much in their lifetime that you can have any fault at any time of the day or night. If your motor is eating oil, there is no need to be surprised, remember how old it is and do a normal overhaul.

The resource of Volkswagen ABF and 9A engines was more than 400 thousand kilometers, but today they all drove it off.

Tuning ABF and 9A engines

Atmo

These motors can be slightly rocked in atmo mode or inflated, if they are in normal condition. Usually for this purpose they are transferred to January or Megasquirt. For a more or less brisk atmospheric you need to buy a 4 throttle intake from 4A-GE, fuel from Audi TT, do porting of the cylinder head, put camshafts Schrick 276 (or so) with split gears, valve springs, valve plates, light flywheel, manifold 4-2-1 and exhaust on 63 mm pipe. This will make a little over 200hp at the flywheel.
You can grind the block for a larger diameter piston, put a crankshaft from a diesel, clamp it to a 14+ compression ratio, etc., but it’s a waste of money and time.

Turbo

To build a good turbo ABF, you need to build a normal bottom end on forged pistons under compression ratio 8. 5 (or on refined pistons from 2E engine), buy H-beam connecting rods, ACL liners, steel cylinder head gasket, ARP studs, do head porting, replace valve plates and springs, buy TD05 turbo from 4G63T with manifold for ABF, intercooler, all necessary piping, block-off and boost controller, Walbro 255 pump, 800 cc injectors, do oil supply and oil drain, tune everything. You will get 300++++ hp without any problems.

But it will be more reliable and faster to buy a used Golf GTI with a good 2.0 TSI motor.

MOTOR RATING: 4+