Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 12:33:13 -0800
Reply-To: vgonman@EARTHLINK.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Sean B." <vgonman@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Tiico conversions
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
First off, yes the printed instructions that were included in the kit are
less that complete (or accurate for that matter), However, there is a set
of directions that is on Peter's website that are, albeit not perfect, but
much better than those that came in the box.
After doing the conversion in my driveway (much to the chagrin of some of
my neighbors), I think, based on the pros vs. cons, I would still take
another kit over trying to do a piecemeal conversion. Why?
Pros,
1) Even though all the parts didn't arrive at the same time, the kit is
still the closest to a complete package I've seen. There were a few items I
had to source locally, but these were limited to various nuts and bolts, a
couple generic heater/radiator hoses (yes, a generic radiator hose), and
the heatsink for the ignition control unit (not an issue for anyone
converting a 1.9L, and only an issue to some converting a 2.1L), which is a
standard 1.9L Vanagon part, as well as on many a Gen II Golf/Jetta (Thanks
again Steve Denis for supplying me with one!).
2) I had never before sone something of this magnitude with ANY vehicle,
let alone my van, but was able to get the conversion completed in about 10
days worth of time (2 months of working on this conversion on only the
weekends, weather permitting). With a little help from my friends (hey,
wasn't that a song?) and various listees I was able to get things sorted
out rather nicely. It helped greatly that the motor was already assembled.
All I had to do was pull the old one, and drop in the new one. If I were to
do it again, assuming I had all parts in front of me before I started, I
could do it in at least half that time. I can also see that, given the
right equipment (like a real vehicle lift among other things), the kit can
be installed in 2 days "by a professional mechanic" like the kit directions
say.
3) ZERO MILE MOTOR with ECU and wiring harness already set up to plug right
into the V'gon electricals (except for the OXS, which isn't that big of an
ordeal).
Cons,
1) Some ancillary parts availability, mainly in the wiring harness. Yes,
they are valid VW p/n's, but a few aren't valid VWoA p/n's. Many of the
hoses are diesel specific. Even though the rest of the world (or at least
Europe) was getting diesel vans (I think) throughout the remainder of
production, the US discontinued importing them. This means that we would
need a European (or RSA) source for these parts.
2) CA Emissions... This is the only big complaint I have with the kit. It
is not yet CA smog legal. Yes, the motor runs very clean, but because the
engine and fuel injection system don't match anything that was officially
imported by VWoA, the nice people at CARB want more info (and money) before
they'll put their rubber stamp on the kit. Peter has said that he is
actively pursuing this certification and hopes to have it soon... Only time
will tell.
Sean B.
'90 V'gon, "Happy Bus", pseudo Wolfy
Torrance, CA
Join the TiiCo registry at
HTTP://www.vgonman.com
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