Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 09:49:14 -0400
Reply-To: Bill Knight <Knight.Bill@ESC.STATE.NC.US>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Knight <Knight.Bill@ESC.STATE.NC.US>
Subject: Re: Solved! Re: Having Problem with Overheating (1.9l to 2.1l
conversion)
In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.20000510153616.0081b100@rockisland.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
WHEW!
I've been off the list for six months, I come back and
my first posting gets blasted with this criticism.
Ouch!
Yes, it is a hobby. And yes, I can afford it. And
yes, the kids are well fed.
I know every nut, bolt, clamp and circlip on this
vehicle. I keep this vehicle immaculately maintained
at its peak. It only needs more power. If someone
can design a way to reliably cool the oil, the 2.1
longblock conversion is a reasonable idea when all of
the other 1.9 components are retained. When I did the
upgrade, I installed the VDO temp and pressure gages
to monitor the engine. When I determined that the oil
was getting too hot, I dropped back to the 1.9 engine
rather than attempt a quickie fix. The improvement in
power, however, was dramatic, making the van so much
nicer to drive.
So, yes, some of us here are trying to make
improvements without throwing the baby out with the
bathwater.
Bill Knight
Raleigh, NC
1984 Wolfsburg Westfalia
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List
[mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Doktor Tim
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 6:36 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Solved! Re: Having Problem with
Overheating (1.9l to 2.1l
conversion)
At 04:06 PM 05/10/2000 -0400, you wrote:
>What are you planning to do about oil cooling? I
went
>through the
>same conversion last year but the engine ran too hot
>(260 degrees).
>
>I finally put the 1.9 back in until I could come up
>with a good
>solution.
Seamingly anomalous symptoms from a situation of
everything that normally
goes wrong is right, and it still don't function
nominal are a PITA. But
the bottom line, stick in the mud, quickest way to
results is, GO STOCK.
If the 2.11 liter is the solution to your perception
of something lacking
in the 1.9, sell the 1.9 chassis etal and buy a
factory assembled 2.11.
Take all the wizbang add ons off the 1.9 before you
sell it and swap them
only if you must. Do keep the dashtop pushbutton popup
Bozo. They were
meant to be portable. If you need a new mounting tab,
let me know and I'll
send you one for free. Please add $49.95USD for
shipping and handling.
How many different radiator no's are there from 83 to
91 Wasserboxers?? How
many different iterations of rear heater configuration
and variations of
interacting flow? Single stage radiator fans or dual
stage radiator fans?
Different relays? Extra/different temp swithes? How
much cutting and
splicin' to do a full systems conversion between two
similar on the face
but not in the guts model years and provisions for
different capacities?
Your funding the research, remember? Do you have all
the variables and
existing data thouroughly researched and analysed
before you look for a
transplant candidate? Before you buy the hopefull
candidate? Before you
turn a wrench on the project?
If "conversion" means bolt in the motor, hook up
everything, fire it up and
see what happens, either luck or s**t happens. You
speculate on the ratio.
Conversion, to be successful, must honor some very
simple, mundane rules of
engineering. Engineering requires effort and resources
with skill
regardless the KISS principle it is largely founded
upon.
If there are no precidents to your inspiration, you
have no references.
Proceed on your own with the encouragment the of
testamonials of others, no
real data, just impressions, looking for confirmation
of their inspirations.
Otherwise, you would be best off to research before
hand the data given by
(did you guess?) the Neandereers who designed it, er,
them (the
transplantee SYSTEM and the donor SYSTEM). Identify
all the differences.
Know both SYSTEMS before you turn a wrench. Better,
know all systems
changes through the years to select the best candidate
before you buy the
whole SYSTEM, best SYSTEM being the one that requires
the least efforts for
complete conversion of anything to do with the motor
SYSTEM, ignition
SYSTEM, fuel delivery SYSTEM, exhaust SYSTEM and
COOLING SYSTEM
encompassing a complete engine SYSTEM plus the heater
SYSTEM variables
which impact on the engine COOLING SYSTEM.
There is so much more to it to make it function
nominal than if you just GO
STOCK.
However, if you fund the project as your hobby, 'cause
you love to spend a
few hours regularly figuring out everything and
testing and, heh, finally
find and resolve the last issues, and take pride in
your pioneer attitude
and tenacity, and can afford the hobby, God bless you
and wrench on.
Accomplishing things few can do can have good value,
as long as the kids
are fed.
If cost per mile over life of the vehicle is of close
concern, or you can't
pick up a wrench without drawing blood, GO STOCK.
T.P. Stephens
San Juan Island, WA