Date:         Sun, 24 Feb 2002 02:35:19 -0500
Reply-To:     Warren Chapman <vwsyncroguy@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Warren Chapman <vwsyncroguy@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Subaru wbx reliabilty

Man....here's more of the same bull.

Another rediculous post by someone who doesn't have a Subaru
engine,....hasn't done a Subaru conversion, and frankly........hasn't
earned the right comment on one....much less bash it.  Just don't
understand what some people get from making negative comments about
something they know nothing about and have no experience with.

Ken, sorry,,,but "If you haven't walked the walk....you don't get to talk
the talk" (bashing that is)!

Is a rebuilt waterboxer a new engine?

I bought my Syncro Westy from one of the most dedicated Westy owners I've
ever met .....who finally "gave-up" after his VW REBUILT waterboxer threw a
rod through the top of the block after 20K miles.  My Subaru 2.2 has that
on it since the conversion and all I've had since completing the job is
smiles driving my rejuvenated and fun to drive van.  Biggest smiles come
when passing a waterboxer powered van going uphill.

Sure a few with this conversion have had a problem or two to sort out...(if
you run an engine without oil...it WILL fail....go figure.... but
hey....that's the purpose of our list....to be helpful.......isn't that the
main purpose of this list also....to help those waterboxer owners with a
problem or two.  Maybe thats why there are so many members of this
list....a lot of help is needed to keep one running.

Ken,  I'm sure you're knowlegeable about waterboxers and qualified to talk
about them. Re: Subaru conversions....do one first....then talk about it.
Otherwise leave the comments to those that have.

Warren Chapman
Moderator
SubaruVanagon Group
Yahoo Groups.


On Wed, 20 Feb 2002 09:00:48 EST, KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote:

>I really feel that the Subaru (sp?) conversion is for those of us in the
>Vanagon world who actually are more sado-machistic (sp?) than normal.  I
mean
>all of us own at least one Vanagon which shows that we enjoy pain or
perhaps
>just the occasional adventure.  However the folks with the Subie motors
take
>the cake as far as I am concerned.
>
>1. You have this crazy complicated wiring harness which is like 12 feet
long
>that you have to unravel first.  Many of the weak never make it through
this
>initial rite of passage.  You see their shattered dreams in a FS post to
the
>list or on ebay.
>
>2. After you get past this first hurdle, you still have a used engine.
>Unless you actually drove the Subie, who knows what abuses it has already
>endured.  At least you knew the problems that your waterboxer had.  Now you
>have someone elses problems.
>
>3. Many of the folks that I have talked to who have done this conversion do
>not describe their ownership of a Subie powered Vanagon as "carefree", or
>"low maintenance".  Two folks I have spoken with had their great, reliable
>Subie-boxer lock up on them due to lack of oil.  Several others have
>described exhaust crack chasing, and the idea that your conversion is never
>really done, you are always tweaking something or redesigning something.
>
>4. In spite of all of this none of the people who I have talked to, who
have
>done this conversion were really unhappy with it.  (Which just goes to show
>how warped we all really are:-).
>
>So if you enjoy tinkering, or adventures and want more power, then go for
it.
> But the  reliability is really just an illusion.  Just my opinion.  Feel
>free to comment.
>
>Thanks,
>Ken Wilford
>John 3:16
>http://www.vanagain.com
>Phone: (856)-327-4936
>Fax: (856)-327-2242