Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 22:16:41 -0500
Reply-To: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Longevity of Conversion Engines
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<P>I was just talking to my local vanagon mechanic the other day about this. He does TOns of the I-4 conversion (had 4 motors in crates waiting for installs, and 1 in the shop in progress.). He said 90% or more of customers have had nothing but good things. He has had a couple of header pipes crack (pipe is very long he said), but thats about it. He also pointed out that these conversion kits have only come about over the past 5 years or so. So it's a bit early in the game to detect any major "trends" or problems. All his conversions have been with Tiico. They use a 1.8L block with the heads ect off a 2.0L. This allows you to install with no engine lid modification. I hope to put this engine in by the end of the summer. By then I will have well over 100,000 miles. We also live in Colorado and travel a lot in the in the mountain, and through talking to people with the conversion it makes a huge difference (4th gear over passes instead of 2nd!). Anyways I'm always absorbing info on this, so I will continue to follow and see what others have to say.</P>
<P>Randy Charrette</P>
<P>87 Syncro weekender</P>
<P>211K<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Kim Howe <KHOWE@OMNINET.NET.AU>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Kim Howe <KHOWE@OMNINET.NET.AU>
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Longevity of Conversion Engines
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 10:56:34 +0800
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>As a teenager I worked as a VW mechanic (late 70s). We would often
<DIV></DIV>>see
<DIV></DIV>>loaf vans, only a few years old, with 80,000 to 100,000 km (ie
<DIV></DIV>>50,000 to
<DIV></DIV>>60,000) miles come in for an engine rebuild, if they had the type 1
<DIV></DIV>>engine. The vans would be in beautiful condition, with all the right
<DIV></DIV>>maintenance done, but the type 1 motor just wasn't heavy duty enough
<DIV></DIV>>to
<DIV></DIV>>push around the van and live for any length of time. However we'd
<DIV></DIV>>never
<DIV></DIV>>see a later model Beetle come in like that. In fact my 74 Beetle is
<DIV></DIV>>still on it's original engine after 300,000km, though it is showing
<DIV></DIV>>some
<DIV></DIV>>signs of age.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>To get to the point. The Type IV and Wasserboxer are heavy duty
<DIV></DIV>>engines,
<DIV></DIV>>and barring overheating in the type IV and head gaskets in the WB
<DIV></DIV>>seem
<DIV></DIV>>to last a long time pushing around a heavy van. In my experience
<DIV></DIV>>with VW
<DIV></DIV>>inline fours (in Golfs and Passats) their engines lasted about as
<DIV></DIV>>long
<DIV></DIV>>as a type 1 engine in a Beetle (or less), and they were pushing
<DIV></DIV>>around a
<DIV></DIV>>light weight, aerodynamic body. This causes me to wonder what the
<DIV></DIV>>life
<DIV></DIV>>expectancy is for an inline 4 in a Vanagon, or for a Subaru
<DIV></DIV>>conversion,
<DIV></DIV>>for that matter, since it is also an engine designed for a much
<DIV></DIV>>lighter
<DIV></DIV>>and more aerodynamic vehicle.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Just because the engine is good in a smaller vehicle doesn't mean
<DIV></DIV>>it's
<DIV></DIV>>going to push our heavy vans around reliably for a good amount of
<DIV></DIV>>time.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Any thoughts, comments or experiences?
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Kim Howe
<DIV></DIV>>khowe@omninet.net.au
<DIV></DIV>>82 Air Cooled
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