Date:         Thu, 30 Mar 2000 08:32:32 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject:      Re: Looking for Subaru conversion info
Comments: To: Gary McEachern <glmce@HOTMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Gary,

I will probably do this conversion someday, I have studied it for a
couple of years now, and seen one conversion that looks and works very
well.

The low oil pan is a serious issue that needs to be resolved to make the
Subaru conversion near *perfect*.  Right now the only solution is to cut
down the oil pan and pick up tube, and this requires some precise
cutting and welding, but I think would be worth it.  Check out the
photos of the clearance at http://www.cycoactive.com/Urabus/ and you
will see the problem.  Forget about every driving on a rutted dirt road
on the way to that camping spot.  (I bought the used engine from this
owner, he loves the conversion and has had no problems.)

Cutting down the pan also reduces the oil capacity to three quarts or
so, so you have to check the oil more frequently, and this requires
opening the engine hatch, as does topping up.  This is a nuisance that
keeps the conversion from reaching total *perfection*, but it is darn
close.

If you haven't already, pick up a copy of the Haynes manual for the
'90-'94 Subaru Legacy and check out this engine.  It truly is what VW
should have put in:  cast-in cylinders and cooling passages in the case,
conventional large head gasket sealing surfaces (no o-rings or rubber
gaskets!), counter balanced crank, overhead cams, plus the low vibration
of a horizontally opposed engine versus in-line.  But, of course, the
2.2 liter twin cam version wasn't made until the Vanagon went out of
production!

Have fun, this is a worthy project but expect to spend over $3000 and
many hours to complete it.
--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext. 8208
Fax: 206-269-6360

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