Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 11:58:18 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: Re: 1.9L VW Remanufactured engines
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SpaceKommander wrote:
> Went to a VW dealership on Saturday and was told that yes, 1.9L
> remanufactured wasserleakers are available for $3,048.00 - part number
> 025-100-031AX that has 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty. They seemed to have
> no further information, however. For example I asked if they were new or
> remanufactured heads - they had no clue.
I would be very wary of ANY rebuilt engine that was ordered in from someplace
else, with the exception of an engine from Bob Donalds of Boston Engine. Call
the man. He will be glad to talk to you, and when you are done I think you will
be satisfied as to where to get your replacement engine.
My experience with the WBX engine rebuild replacement has bee like this. When I
bought my present van, a 1988 GL, I had to have some work done on it and went
to the local VW dealership. It became apparent those people didn't have a clue.
It became evident attrition in the automotive maintenance was eliminating those
few mechanics that know and understand Vanagons. That dealership had men
learning about my machine and I was paying for their education. Lesson learned.
I didn't go back. With that lesson under my belt i spent some effort searching
out independent shops and mechanics that understood and could service my van
properly.
I found a very good mechanic in Bessemer, Alabama by the name of Roger
Williams, and he now does all the maintenance on my van. He gets his price, but
it's not unreasonable. And he warrants his work.
As for engine changes I ran into this situation. My WBX had a piston burn
through on a trip out west, and when I got the vehicle back to Alabama, I had
Roger remove the engine and do a teardown.
To backtrack a bit, when I first bought the van it had 86,000 miles on it. In
another thousand miles I had to have the transmission rebuilt. Roger did the
job. He called me in to have a look at what he found, and it was obvious that
the tranny had been abused. For one thing, the tranny had NEVER EVER been
service. The fluid level (manualy tranny) inspection and fill plug had never
been removed from the tansmission since it was new. Well that gave me some
small insite into what the future held, but not the specifics. But I know I
could expect other things to have a short life, for while the van looked good
and everything worked, it certainly raised the issue of how good/bad the van
had been treated, especially the engine. Which brings me to the engine change.
Roger tore down the engine, and he found the burned piston. Hold right through
the top on one side, scoring the cylinder wall as well. No other obvious
damage. One thing really intrigued me. There was a sticker on the side of the
case that said "Remanufactured by VW of Canada" . Now that really intrigued me.
It appeared that Sometime between the van being brand new, and the 86,000 mile
mark, the engine had to be replaced, and now at about 89,000 miles I'm
replacing the engine again. Evidently the PO had really run the snot of this
van. The van came from Georgia, was exposed to the interstates and commuter
routes there, and I suspect the PO just ran it at the max with all the other
traffic you find in places like Atlanta. Anyway, I was destined to have a
replacement engine.
I did not have Roger rebuild my engine. He was about to, and it would be some
time before he would get to it, and I needed the van. he told me of a local
rebuilder whom he highly regarded, and suggested I give him a call about an
engine. I did, and found there was a 2.1L WBX ready to go. All new pistons,
cylinders, rings, bearings top and bottom end, valves, guides, lifters, etc....
my old heads plus $1500 outright leaving me with my old engine minus the heads
- which was fine with me.
The bargain was struck, and Roger installed the new engine. It's been running
for over two years now virtually untouched The exception was a rear seal leak
or by the book, clutch seal. Thereby hangs a small tale of its own.
The seal began to seep a few months after the engine was installed. It was
clearly not the installers fault. I went to the rebuilder. I was out of
luck.....out of warranty period. I bit the bullet and had Roger install new
seals. The parts were less that $10 but the labor to pull the tranny, make the
repair, and re-install the tranny were another matter.Being out of warrenty, I
simply bit the bullet, anted up and paid Roger for the work. It's never leaked
since.
Now to a major point about geting an engine replacement.
If you go to a rebuilder that also does the installation, you have someone to
fall back on if something goes wrong.
If you go to an outside source for the engine, then the engine supplier is
responsible for the warrenty on the engine itself, while the installer is
obligated only for the labor, and only then if somehow his labor contributed to
the problem.
If you go to a shop and they supply an engine acquired outside their
organization, then they have an obligation for the labor for repair, and also a
liability for replacement parts at no cost (includes engine)
I suggest the following.
1) find a local rebuilder, and have it done in your own community including
installation. That way, you have someone local to go to to complain, local desk
to bash with your baseball bat or saw through with your chainsaw when you don't
get satisfaction for the work.
2) Exchange engines with Boston Bob or other source of your choice, Bob being
at the top of my list as his reputation for excellence in his work preceeds
him.
Have your local mechanic do the R&R.
Finally, I would be cautious of purchases from my FLAP for anything like this
that is major. My experience with Autozone specifically is that you can get up
to four items in a row that won't run right out of the box, or will fail with
in a few days and require replacement. You definitely don't want this to happen
on something as big as an engine change out.
An lastly, it does appear indeed that engines made available through American
VW dealers are now remanufactured engines done in Canada. And who knows where
FLAPS engines come from.
Good Luck.
BTW, before installing your new engine, besure to have the flywheel refinished
at the machine shop. Now is the time to install at least a new clutch disc, or
perhaps even a new clutch assembly. That way you won't have to go back into all
this for a very long time
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
