Date:         Sun, 7 May 2000 21:23:51 -0700
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      Re: Instant horsepower (Pinwheel)
In-Reply-To:  <23587-39161A44-1275@storefull-134.iap.bryant.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 08:37 PM 05/07/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Doktor Tim,
>I was in no way attempting to compare a BMW 325 ETA engine to a
>waterboxer.
>The point was, if I can simply add a computer chip, and gain some 20
>horses why can't I do it to  1.9 VW?

The Motronic system on the Bimmer is designed for such, the DigiJunk is
not. The Bimmer 6 cylinder has been shown to be reliable from 2.0 liter to
3.7 liter. If you boost a 2.5 liter iteration by 20 hp, the strain is no
big deal. The Wasserboxer was based upon a 2.0 liter air cooled design that
was the top iteration of an original 1.2 liter design. There are basic
aspects of the design that are already maxed out at 75 hp. Adding 15 or 20
more pushes it past any purpose ever intended or demonstrated by the basic
compromises of this converted design.

>I agree that most certainly one could overstress anything, but I'm not
>looking for 100 horses, I'm thinking more like 15 to 20.

15 or 20 hp increase over an original 75 hp design is a boost of 20%+. Your
pushing the safety margins big time. And the Bimmer does not have the
weakness of the unique design of the Wasserboxer, ie, wholesale conversion
of an air cooled design to water cooled.

I wasn't
>considering turning this thing into the "Little Red Wagon"!
>I feel this way about the safety issue; I think it is unsafe, not being
>able to avoid a situation, with a little burst of speed, when you want
>it to be there.

Much safer to know what you got and accept it that put yourself in a
situation where you need more than you got.

>I didn't purchase the Vanagon, because I wanted to go fast, I bought it
>because it is fun to drive, and here (Chicago area) it is an oddity, and
>I think it's neat.
>However, when I push the throttle down (especially with the AC on) I
>want to be able to move, when I want to move, as fast as I want to move.

If you want to move faster than an A/C Vanagon, get an Explorer.

>If power and safety is in question, then why in the heck are other
>Vanagonites, playing Dr. Frankenstein,and installing Subaru, or inline
>motors?

Because the nature of man is to experiment. Failed experiments are quickly
forgotten, like trying to convince someone that you saved money when you
sold out your improved design.

>Because they are thinking about how unsafe their Vans are going to be
>with all this new found horsepower?

That new found hoursepower comes at the loss of old time reliability,
typically.


T.P. Stephens
San Juan Island, WA