Date:         Wed, 27 Mar 2002 12:25:43 EST
Reply-To:     KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject:      Gas Vanagon to Diesel Conversion?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

OK, I hate to open another can of worms but the other day I was talking to
some folks who are selling engine conversion kits that allow you to install
1.9l NA or turbo diesel engines into waterboxer Vanagons.

They are located in California and have already done a few vans this way.
When they first told me about this, I thought, "No way, you can't put a
diesel in a gas van because you would still have to meet the emission
standards for the gas van and the diesel can't do that."  The company that is
selling the kits insist that it is only a matter of going to the referee and
telling them that you have swapped a diesel engine into your originally gas
powered van and now you are held to the same emissions requirements of diesel
powered vehicles (which are pretty much non-exsistant).  I didn't believe
them, so I called my New Jersey emissions testing folks and asked them what
they thought about the idea.  Our emissions testing is pretty similar to
California now as we have hired a company from California to come and do
emissions testing in NJ.  They said all I would have to do for this
conversion would be to fill out a "Reconstruction form" and then be sure that
the emissions euipment of the diesel engine is the same as that year
standards.  I don't think this is a big problem for most Vangons as I don't
think they started requiring diesels to have catalytic convertors, etc. until
after 91 (I guess I'll have to do more research if I am actually going to do
one of these conversions).

Here is the information on the kits:
They come in two flavors, 1.9l NA (naturally aspirated) or 1.9l Turbo (AAZ).
Both kits come with brand new motors, complete with injection pumps,
injectors, timing belt, turbo (if applicable), intake and exhaust.   They
also come with coolant hoses, and an expansion tank with mounting bracket.
Engine carrier bars, engine mounts, liquid filled rubber mounts (supposed to
help vibration), flywheel, and adapter plate (I am not sure if they are
making these kits for automatic).  The engines are mounted at the stock angle
of the car installation and not tilted like the diesel Vanagon or Tiico
conversion.  This, of course, makes the engine come up above the stock rear
deck.  However the kit includes a raised rear deck (about three inches
higher) that gives you a stock look (it appears to be carpeted and you can
use your stock fiberglass engine cover with it).  If you have a Westy I
believe you can get a different hinge for the bed to allow for this higher
deck and still be able to use your bed.

The kits are $4950 for the 1.9l NA and $5950 for the 1.9l TD.  This includes
shipping to anywhere in the US.  They are claiming 26 mpg with the 1.9l NA
and 28 mpg with the 1.9l Turbo.

So what do you think?  The coolest part about this conversion is the lack of
any wiring mods to make it work.  You would have to send a power wire to the
fuel pump solenoid and that is it.  Then your engine management would be
completely mechanical.

I have compared a few of the hp and torque numbers that are available for the
diesel and waterboxer engines.  The TD looks like the nicer choice of the two
having slightly less hp than the 1.9l waterboxer, but more low end torque
(about the same as the 2.1l waterboxer).  The 1.9l NA diesel would be closer
to the performance of an aircooled Vanagon (according the numbers I have
anyway).

Any comments would be appreciated.  If there is alot of interest I could post
the few pictures I have to the net to give you a better idea of what this
conversion looks like (looks pretty stock to me).

Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
http://www.vanagain.com
Phone: (856)-765-1583
Fax: (856)-327-2242