Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 12:39:11 -0700
Reply-To: harald_nancy <harald_nancy@earthlink.net>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: harald_nancy <harald_nancy@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Ti Co Engine Conversion
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Larry Martin,
Thanks for letting us know how the TiCo conversion in
your vanagon worked out. Some questions I have:
How come you did not encounter the same problem Tom
Wayne ran in to, when he converted his auto vanagon with
a TiCo kit? Apparently Tom did not have enough space in the
bellhousing (after installing the TiCo engine) to use the factory bolts
for fastening the torque converter to the flex plate.
How did you overcome this problem he encountered?
How did you fasten the flex plate to the torque converter?
How come he had so much difficulty, and you did not?
You can read his original letter of 7/16/00 at the end of this post.
BTW my 2.1 '90 auto westy turns a smidgen above 4000 rpm
at 70 mph on flat ground.
Other westys with auto trannys I have driven do the
same. 3800 is more like 65 mph on flat ground for
an auto vanagon westy.
The relationship betwen speed and engine RPM should be the
same, no matter what type of engine you are using, if you use the
stock gearing and tires.
Harald
90 westy
Following is original message from Tom Wayne
installing the same TiCo conversion in an automatic vanagon:
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Wayne [mailto:twwayne@altavista.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2000 8:15 PM
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: tiico automatic engine conversion
Hi again list:
I thought I would give you some more specifics regarding my engine
conversion gleaned after some further research today:
The aluminum conversion plate is mounted directly to the 2.0 golf engine.
Also mounted to the engine is the Flex Plate for automatic transmissions.
This plate is about 9/16" thick. When I try to put the torque converter
bolts on the flex plate there is no play to allow the engine to run. My
solution is to countersink a hole the size of the bolt head (approximately
1/4" deep) into the flex plate. This would then leave about 5/16" on the
flex plate. The flex plate and the engine are about as far against the
transmission with no play, and the engine is properly installed in the
engine bay.
So...
Was the flex plate supplied too thick?
and...
If I get another flex plate from Tiico via South Africa that is 1/4" less
thick with a 1/4" spacer in between the conversion plate and the flex plate
will it really make a difference? It seems to me that the plate with the
1/4" counter sinks would be stronger than the plate 1/4" less in width.
For those of you that have done engine conversions does this seem
reasonable? Any advice would certainly be appreciated. Please P-mail me.
Tom Wayne
Martin wrote:
> Date: Sunday, July 30, 2000 4:57 PM
> Dear Listees
>
> I am a do it yourselfer and have recently converted my 2.1 Waterboxer
to
> the TiCo Jetta engine and have run it for 2,000 miles. I am in no way
> affiliated with TiCo and offer the following for those who are
considering
> it.
>
> I found Peter B (I know his last name.., believe me B is easier) to be
100%
> honest, up front and sincere. Yes, I did have to wait and was
> inconvenienced by a lengthy customs delay, but Peter was doing all that
he
> could and never avoided me. My engine did arrive a bit rusty from the
> journey, but it was more complete than I had imagined! Even hose clamps
> were included. I paid zero dollars over the quoted price, and only had
to
> buy oil and antifreeze to convert and run it. Working alone I was able
to
> pull the old engine in a 1/2 day and installed the new one by the end of
> the next day. After doing this once, I feel that I could do it again in
a
> day and a half. I had little (no) auto experience prior to this.
>
> The engine with automatic has averaged about 22.8mpg over the 2000
miles
> now on it. Our last tank was 23, and before that one, we hit 24.1 after
> driving @ 65-70 mph with the a/c on! The old engine averaged about
15mpg
> under the same conditions. We had lots of power at 70mph (3800rpm and
even
> got to 75 a few times, but I personally think that this is too fast for a
> Vanagon, although the engine could easily do it. We even manage to
> accelerate and pass on a hill exceeding 60-65 mph.(fully loaded with 6 of
us
> + bags)!
>
> Our reason for the swap was for reliability ( my wife no longer wonders
if
> she'll get to where she's going) not speed and economy, but that came as
a
> bonus! We did get allot of resistance from VW dealers who claim that the
> ECU cannot be adjusted with a 1551/2. But after telling them exactly how
to
> do it (thanks Peter) they scratched their head and accepted the fact. I
> have since installed my O2 sensor with info provided via Peter. ( Thank
you
> Dave) It took all of about an hour to do. The system recognizes it and
it
> works fine.
>
> I am 100 % satisfied with the conversion and it exceeded my expectations.
> We hope to keep our 87 another 200,000 miles and it is now possible.
>
> If anyone would like advice, help, questions, etc. please email me @
> nitram@tbcnet.com
>
> I live in the Rockford/Chicago area.
>
> Larry Martin
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