EA827 or VW R4 engines

The line of 4-cylinder VW EA827 engines was produced by the company from 1972 to 2002 and was installed on almost all mass models of the concern under the Volkswagen, Audi or Seat brands. After the end of production in Europe, the units of this series were assembled in China until 2013.

First engines

The EA827 series of compact 4-cylinder overhead cam engines was developed by an Audi engineering team back in the late 60s of the last century and was first introduced in 1972 simultaneously with its new Audi 80 model in the back of the B1. Soon a similar Volkswagen Passat B1 appeared with the same units under the hood.

The first line consisted of three motors, the brief characteristics of which are summarized in the table:

• ZA (8v, Solex, 55 hp / 92 Nm);
• ZB (8v, Solex, 75 hp / 114 Nm);
• ZC (8v, Solex, 85 hp / 121 Nm).

These engines had a progressive design for their time: on top of the cast-iron block was an SOHC aluminum cylinder head with a camshaft driven by a belt. A distinctive feature of these power units was the presence of an intermediate shaft, which actually pierced through the cylinder block, transferring torque from the belt on one side of the engine to the oil pump shaft or ignition distributor on its other side.

Also, when designing the engine, the distance between the cylinder axes of 88 mm was chosen, which subsequently limited the working volume of engines of this family to two liters. The intake and exhaust here were on the one hand, and the power supply system was naturally carbureted.

Line expansion

The EA 827 series received its first changes just a year after the start of its production. By increasing the cylinder diameter from 76.5 to 79.5 mm, the 1.5-liter engine became a 1.6-liter. Power also increased, the YS modification with Bosch K-Jetronic injection developed 110 hp and 137 Nm.

• YN (8v, Solex, 75 hp / 119 Nm);
• YP (8v, Solex, 85 hp / 124 Nm);
• YS (8v, K-Jetronic, 110 hp / 137 Nm).

Then the working volume of these power units increased more than once. By changing the piston stroke from 80 to 86.4 mm, a rather rare 1.7-liter engine was obtained, which then turned into a 5-cylinder 2.1-liter engine of the EA828 series. In 1981, the cylinder diameter increased again from 79.5 to 81 mm and a new 1.8 liter engine appeared.

• WT (8v, Solex, 73 hp / 122 Nm);
• DS (8v, Solex, 90 hp / 145 Nm);
• DZ (8v, K-Jetronic, 112 hp / 160 Nm).

The last major changes to this engine family came in 1986 and 1988. First, the cylinder diameter was increased from 81 to 82.5 mm and received a 1.9-liter power unit, and then the piston stroke from 86.4 to 92.8 mm and received the largest engine in the line at 2.0 liters. Around the same time, the configuration of the 1.6-liter engine changed from 79.5 × 80 mm to 81.0 × 77.4 mm.

• SD (8v, KE-Jetronic, 113 hp / 160 Nm);
• 3A (8v, KE-Motronic, 113 hp / 170 Nm).

Family Dawn

The real dawn of the EA827 family came in the eighties of the last century. At the same time, dozens of modifications with different displacements, various fuel injection systems and even 16-valve versions with two camshafts were in production.

We summarized the characteristics of the most popular power units in a table:

• PN (8v, Pierburg 2EE, 69 hp / 118 Nm);
• PP (8v, Pierburg 2EE, 69 hp / 123 Nm);
• RF (8v, Pierburg 2e2, 72 hp / 120 Nm);
• EZ (8v, Pierburg 2e2, 75 hp / 125 Nm);
• AEK (8v, Motronic M2.9, 100 hp / 135 Nm);
• AFT (8v, Simos 4S2, 100 hp / 140 Nm);
• ADP (8v, Motronic M3.2, 101 hp / 140 Nm);
• GU (8v, Pierburg 2e2, 90 hp / 145 Nm);
• SF (8v, Keihin, 88 hp / 142 Nm);
• GX (8v, KE-Jetronic, 90 hp / 137 Nm);
• JN (8v, KE-Jetronic, 90 hp / 145 Nm);
• PB (8v, K-Jetronic, 112 hp / 159 Nm);
• PM (8v, Mono-Jetronic, 90 hp / 142 Nm);
• RP (8v, Mono-Jetronic, 90 hp / 142 Nm);
• AAM (8v, Mono-Motronic, 75 hp / 140 Nm);
• ABS (8v, Mono-Motronic, 90 hp / 145 Nm);
• ADZ (8v, Mono-Motronic, 90 hp / 145 Nm);
• PF (8v, Digifant, 107 hp / 154 Nm);
• KR (16v, K-Jetronic, 136 hp / 162 Nm);
• 2E (8v, Digifant, 115 hp / 166 Nm);
• AAD (8v, KE-Motronic, 116 hp / 168 Nm);
• AAE (8v, Mono-Motronic, 101 hp / 157 Nm);
• ABT (8v, Mono-Motronic, 90 hp / 148 Nm);
• ABK (8v, Digifant, 115 hp / 166 Nm);
• ADY (8v, Simos, 115 hp / 166 Nm);
• AGG (8v, Simos, 115 hp / 166 Nm);
• 9A (16v, KE-Jetronic, 136 hp / 180 Nm);
• ABF (16v, Digifant, 150 hp / 180 Nm);
• ACE (16v, KE-Motronic, 140 hp / 181 Nm).

Separately, it is worth talking about the G60 sports power units equipped with a compressor. These rare 1.8-liter engines were installed on the second Golf, Passat B3 and Corrado. In total, there were two versions of the engines: 8-valve for 160 hp and 16-valve for 210 hp.

• PG (8v, Digifant, 160 hp / 225 Nm);
• 3G (16v, Digifant, 210 hp / 252 Nm).

Sunset EA827 series

In 1996, power units of the new EA113 series, similar in terms of displacement, appeared, which, although they were based on their predecessors, received many changes. Firstly, the intermediate shaft disappeared, and the 1.6-liter engine replaced the cast-iron block with aluminum.

Interesting hybrids were the latest 1.8-liter longitudinal engines. They received a 20-valve cylinder head like the engines of the EA113 line, including turbocharged ones.

• ADR (20v, injector, 125 hp / 168 Nm);
• ARG (20v, injector, 125 hp / 168 Nm);
• AEB (20v, injector, 150 hp / 210 Nm);
• ANB (20v, injector, 150 hp / 210 Nm).

The last representatives of the EA827 family were the 2.0-liter ABA, AWG and AWF units, these engines were used to equip the fourth-generation Golf-based convertible until 2002.

However, outside the countries of the first world, the history of the power units of this series continued. In Brazil and South Africa, the Gol and Citi Golf models were equipped with these engines until the end of 2009. And in China, the Santana model, popular in the local market, with such an engine was produced until 2013.