Date:         Sat, 23 Mar 2002 00:43:15 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Using American engines for Vanagon swap - why the heck not?
In-Reply-To:  <098201c1d154$59f21560$5d086d18@videon70882>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>My question is, other than possible height issues (too tall for the engine
>lid) - why are American engines not used more widely in swaps?
>
>American engines have so much power, and are so cheap. Big engines for $350
>available in every state and community.

American engines have VERY LOW specific power outputs. A hot 5.4liter
smallblock with 300hp? A 2.0 Subaru turbo does this. US engines need
huge capacity to rate the same horsepower as small engines from Japan
or Europe. What big engines have is TORQUE.

Also these US engines are iron, and cause handling problems. They
cause severe understeer at lower cormnering speeds, and at the limit
they act as a massive pendulum and cause the vehicle to snap into
vicious oversteer (particularly in the wet). This is partly why I
ditched my Caravelle's Holden 3.8 V6 in favor of the Subaru EG33,
which also develops 80hp more than the Holden...

>I know that Kennedy Engineering makes transmition adapter plates for them -
>so at least they can be linked into the drivetrain.

Huge torque destroys transmissions...

--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut