Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Mon, 3 Jan 2000 18:41:47 EST
Reply-To:     FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Some Comments on Engine Conversion Eurospec vs. non -
Comments: To: tyg@oz.net
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I have been following the new emerging thread about the Eurospec conversion and the "waterboxer-to-be or not-to-be" and am surprised at the level of problems reported. Particularly the recent hobby car statement.

To qualify my comments, I have never owned a waterboxer and can only offer my sympathy. I had the misfortune (summer of 1988) to rent a vanagon in Germany for my family through National Car Rental in Frankfurt. We had planned a driving tour of Germany, Austria and Macedonia. Over three weeks, I went through three vanagons, each losing head gaskets. When I dumped the last one in Berlin, the mechanic pointed to six others in the back of the facility and told me that they were a disaster. He said they couldn't handle rental service. I didn't try to translate further. When these vehicles were running, I was unimpressed with the fuel efficiency compared to the Peugeot stationwagon I ended up with.

I do own a 1982 VW Vanagon Westfalia Diesel delivered new in Weidenbrück, which I converted to power by a 1990 GTI 8V Digifant engine nearly 4 years ago. From what I understand this GTI installation is similar to the Eurospec system except for the fact that they used a Motronic engine control system. Since I engineered the installation largely myself, with significant help from Alistair Bell, I am "intimately" familiar with the details. Now to address the comments as per this thread:

1). Incurable electrical problems... NADA None. Didn't have any! Of course, I did spend several weeks intently reviewing the Vanagon and Golf/GTi/Jetta Bentleys to design a wiring scheme that became a harness. In fact the only problems I have had of an electrical nature are either self-inflicted from new gauge monitoring I implemented incorrectly (O2 sensor monitor), or from my reoccurring starter replacements. (Aside: I note a reoccurring fiction here that a solenoid addition will reduce or eliminate the starter problem. BS Been there, done that! I have replaced the starter 12 times in the past 17 years. Went to the solenoid mod seven years ago. No statistically relevant change over a well maintained electrical system. Problem seems to be heat. I thought originally that this was a diesel curse. Nope. Frequency the same after gas conversion, and I still use diesel starters. I now have a heat blanket around the starter. BTW, I am using gauge 2 wire from battery to solenoid, starter, front fuse junction etc.)

This electrical problem can only be from poor implementation, but the situation is so straightforward that I can't understand how such a mistake is made. Or ... the Motronic system is more susceptible to gremlins. Unlikely. Should be much more robust as compared to Digifant.

2). Loud droning at 3900 rpm. Had this problem as I worked out the exhaust system. Part of the problem comes to mechanical vibration resonances from the coupling of the exhaust to the engine. Finally solved with thick rubber hangers which allowed considerable movement of the exhaust, but which also passively decouple the vibration from exhaust to engine. The final level of quietude was achieved when I coupled a muffler designed for a Dodge Durango to a 18 inch long resonator. Spookily quiet. Now you hear only the clatter of the loud (damn) lifter at startup. The intake roar from the p-flow air filter was quenched when I closed off the area behind the drivers side air plenum with 1/8 inch neoprene. (I mounted the air filter here and use a soft seal around the coupling of p-flow to AFM. The base of the neoprene is ducted to the rear so no pressure build-up occurs. This was done to ensure only cold air to the air intake.

3). Intermittent hesitation/rough idle. The only time I have encountered this was with a vacuum leak. The hose going to the vacuum buffer canister for my aftermarket speed control split. Too close to the muffler area. I reinstalled the heat shield and changed the hose to fuel injection rated hose. Problem gone.

To summarize, my Diesel to GTI conversion has been more trouble free than the original diesel. Maintenance, reliability, pleasure of driving all meet or drastically exceed my experience with the diesel, the vanagon wb and my 72 Sundance high top loaf. Reliability and maintenance are on a par with my long gone but well loved '67 camper. The ability to push the Westfalia to 100 mph when necessary, to cruise at 80 mph, enjoy the Air Conditioner with a roughly 500 mile cruising range (26 gallon fuel capacity including reserve tank), all add up to a very non hobby transportation experience. The car is routinely used as a daily driver and has been called upon to transport the family from SoCal to Canada, Mexico and the east coast. My major system reliability has been the starter (as I said) and the transmission (repaired once under warranty and 3 times after).

Frankly, the in-line four is such a nice package match I just can't understand why VW didn't provide it as the base engine. BTW, all this said, if the TDI had been available at current prices, I would have converted to that instead.

Hopes this helps someone,

Frank Grunthaner


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