Date:         Sun, 11 Jun 2000 19:25:56 -0700
Reply-To:     David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Why convert to a engine that is not better than WBX?
Comments: To: Van Driver <drivervan@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20000606013805.941.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I'm going to assume you mean inline engines in general and not any one
particular vendor out there.

At 09:38 PM 05/06/2000 EDT, Van Driver wrote:
>Why do you want to go to a conversion that is not time tested and most likey
>will not pass emissions testing, both visual and sniffer?

The inline four cylinder engines that are found in the Golf and Jetta
series of Volkswagens have been around since 1973 when the Dasher came out
- true they wern't a 1.8L or 2.0L block but the entire design of the engine
is the same - you can actually take a 1999 Jetta III engine and bolt it
into a Dasher or a Rabbit - same motor mount locations, same flywheel bolt
up, same bellhousing.  The inline fours are a lot more tested than the WBX
ever was.

ALL inline four cylinders will pass emission testing assuming that the swap
is done right.  Using California for an example, as long as you get a
California engine from a VW that is as old or newer than your Vanagon and
install it using all the emission equipment it is a legal swap.  All you
have to do is go to a "referee station" and get your van reclassified.  For
example if you install a 1992 Jetta engine in your 1986 Syncro the '86
Syncro will be tested as a '92 Jetta and must pass all requirements that
'92 Jetta would have to pass.  Here in British Columbia the rules are
different, if your Vanagon produces "X" pollutants, they don't care what is
in there as long as it produces "X" or less.  The 86 Jetta GLI engine with
no cat. in my 84 Westie passes emission tests!

>Why not make what is there better?

This is a valid point.  The WBX can be made better with some bolt on stuff
- but, is the bolt on stuff like different rocker arms etc legal where you
live?  You always have to live with the fact that the head design of the
WBX is very bad and after repairing / replacing the heads you will have a
leak problem in the future.

>There must be a better way to get more power and be legal?
>
>Wanting legal power...

The inline four cylinder conversion, if done correctly, will give you LOTS
more power, better emissions and be 100% legal.


-- David Marshall - Volkswagen Enthusiast - Quesnel, BC, Canada   --
-- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Iltis, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westfalia        --
-- 85 VW Cabriolet, 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 VW Syncro Double Cab --
-- David's Volkswagen Home Page        http://www.volkswagen.org  --
-- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning  http://www.fastforward.ca  --
-- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list)  --