Date:         Fri, 22 Jun 2001 19:42:37 EDT
Reply-To:     FOTAR2@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob Nugent <FOTAR2@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Save the WBX
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

    Well, I finally broke down and joined the list so I could get some
answers -- and opinions -- and because I couldn't figure out the search
function in the archives. I feel like I should be writing this incognito - I
think I'll probably be eating some flak.
    Here's my dilemma. I have an '87 Syncro GL which I've converted into a
camper. I love the camper, but I don't use the Syncro capabilities any to
speak of. And, of course, Murphy's law being what it is, all the Syncro stuff
works perfectly. What I personally like about the bus is the additional
ground clearance and what appears to be a bulletproof front suspension. I've
been in some serious crosswinds and this thing doesn't budge, all the time
getting 20-23 MPG. Do you suppose it's the thin air? Did I fail to mention
that I live at 7000 ft. which probably nets me about 75 horses instead of 95
from the WBX? Kind of a reverse turbo. Anybody ever heard of Crow Hill,
southwest of Denver. I get up it at 25-30 MPH. Nobody else does -- nobody!
    After reading some of the horror stories about the cost of replacing the
Syncro stuff when it does go bad, I'm considering the sacrilege of stripping
out all the Syncro running gear and selling it off piecemeal and putting the
money towards a stronger engine. Not to mention the loss of a bunch of extra
weight. (Anybody know how much?)
    I really can't see the point of going to a Subaru 2.2 engine with such a
small increase of displacement and a possibly large increase in non-stock
hassles. From what I've been able to gather, if you do everything that's
possible (or reasonable) to a WBX engine, you should be able to get pretty
close to the same amount of power as the Subaru. (flak?)  Oh, and the
advantage of taking it into a VW place and not having them say "What the hell
is that?" If I resort to putting another engine in this thing, it's going to
have to be big enough to make it worth the hassle -- and the subsequent
hassle, too. (Anybody ever stuck a turbo on a WBX engine?)
    I've even considered switching it over to an automatic transmission to
save what's left of my arthritic right shoulder. (more flak?)
    I got my gatherings about the WBX from reading some information in the
archives from Robert Lilley, but couldn't track it down again. Anybody have a
compilation of his techniques? Or are there even more ideas out there about
souping up the WBX? Especially some way of increasing the displacement.

Well, that's probably enough nutty ideas at one time -- but I have others.

Bob Nugent