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Four versions of the air-cooled flat-four powered the Type 181 between 1969 and 1980: a 44 hp 1.5, then 1.6 units from 44 to 48 hp, all fed by a Solex carburettor. The table gives the engine codes (H, AR, AH, AK), the compression ratios and the 46 hp export version intended for the United States. These details let you identify your engine before buying the matching parts.
| Version | Period | Engine code | Displacement (L) | Power (hp) | Fuel | Carburettor / Injection | Cylinders / Valves | Timing drive | Torque (Nm) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1969-1970 | Flat-4 (boxer), air-cooled, code H | 1.493 | 44 | Petrol | Solex carburettor | 4 / 8 | Gears | 100 at 2 000 rpm | Compression ratio 7.5:1 |
| 1.6 | 1970-1973 | Flat-4, air-cooled | 1.584 | 44 | Petrol | Solex carburettor | 4 / 8 | Gears | 100 at 2 000 rpm | Coccinelle 1302 engine, low compression ratio 6.6:1 (regular petrol) |
| 1.6 | 1973-1974 | Flat-4, air-cooled | 1.584 | 46 | Petrol | Solex carburettor | 4 / 8 | Gears | 96 at 2 800 rpm | Export version (US “Thing”, 1973-1974), compression ratio 7.3:1 |
| 1.6 | 1973-1980 | Flat-4, air-cooled, codes AR, AH and AK | 1.584 | 48 | Petrol | Solex carburettor | 4 / 8 | Gears | 100 at 2 000 rpm | Compression ratio 7.3:1, can run on unleaded |
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