Date:         Tue, 5 Sep 2000 20:53:11 EDT
Reply-To:     RallyXer@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Heath Vogt <RallyXer@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Thinking swap?  Engine options are only half the story...What
              ...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 9/5/00 7:32:53 PM Central Daylight Time, Wolfvan88@AOL.COM
writes:

> Plus I have read and heard of people buying a NEW car and have the engine
>  REMOVED and BLUEPRINTED and then put back in because the factory engines do
>  not last.
>
>  Another point is that engineers are paid to make an engine cheaper and not
>  last as long.
>

Sorry, but this has got to be this biggest piece of bullshit I've seen in a
while.  If a person is taking out a NEW engine to have it ballance and
blueprinted then put back in a NEW car, it's for racing purposes, not because
new engines don't last or they are inbred.

Engineers (I am one thank you very much) are paid to make proffit for the
company making good product.  Engines that don't last, don't sell cars.  Just
ask anyone that is a repeat customer of Toyota or Honda (or VW's "other"
cars).  You obviously have no clue as to what engineers do.

Yes, if you hand build an engine you can do things that are otherwise
impracticle on an assembly line.  They are also largely unecessary on a
modern engine for a non-competition vehicle.  Gains from matching heads and
ports ect. are really only noticed when you are running 10/10th on an engine.
 If you are running your engine in the rpm range that your match porting
effects the engine, your reving that engine higher than a normal use of the
I-4.  Remember, whenever you start pushing an engine beyond it's origional HP
ratings (with your chips ecu's ect), you're probably reducing it's life as
well - to what degree is debatable....

As far as how a smaller engine is going to push a vehicle better than a large
one, it's called efficency... that's why smaller Japanese engines make more
horsepower and torque than their larger american brothers.  It's also called
technology.  The difference between a 1985 design and a 2000 design.

You may have a well built long lasting engine (but I too ask where your dyno
sheets are), and that's fine, but for most people, a swap is probably an
easier solution.

I'm impressed that you were able to make "the engine VW should have"
especially since there engineers can defy air conditioning physics.

Heath