Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2001 13:07:30 -0700
Reply-To: Garth Woolstenhulme <garth@RGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Garth Woolstenhulme <garth@RGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Considering I4 swap: 1.8 89 Golf vs. 1.8 VW Fox (90?)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
My first vanagon that I bought was a diesel that the PO had converted to
gasoline using a Weber 32/36. Because the diesel in a vanagon is tilted
over so much, he could not use the intake manifold meant for Rabbits--
carb fuel bowl would not sit level in normal driving conditions. He had
an intske manifold custom fabricated, much like a header, and it worked,
except it leaked air somewhere in the system. Probably still have the
manifold somewhere in all my junk. I took off the carb and put on a
CIS-fuel injection system from a 86 Golf. The van now belongs to a
friend of mine and he still drives it 10 years after the conversion
(different motor after my mom literally melted the pistons "what does
that red light mean?"--the water pump belt broke and the battery allowed
the car to keep running long after the coolant had boiled away).
I also have the Rabbit Weber carb/intake manifold set up that I bought
new, for another VW diesel to gas conversion of mine, and never used
because I figured out the fuel injection on the rabbits/golfs before I
installed it. I decided to install the VW fuel injection because it was
a good system, easy to install, to diagnose problems and to work on.
Garth
"M.R. Nimmo" wrote:
> Found a rusty diesel vanagon complete that can be had
> for a nice price, but still considering buying the
> conversion kit from Fastforward. Found two 1.8's, a
> Golf 88 or 89 and a VW Fox, same vintage I believe.
> My mechanic really, Really, REALLY doesn't want to
> switch over the FI, and wants to bolt on a Weber 32/36
> or the Solex 34/5 kit (shows rabbit, golf, but not
> "crossflow" head, whatever that is) assuming they fit.
> (It will be cheaper than the ECU for the 1.8's
> anyway, right?) The mechanics cheap and I trust him
> with my life or wife, but FI is not his thing. And
> there's no other option anyway.
>
>
> Any thoughts on this conversion? Those 1.8's bolt up
> ok to the diesel/Fastforward kit? Proper oil pan?
> Will the carbs bolt up to that head? (I know I will
> have to modify the engine cover.)
>
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