Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 14:24:19 -0700
Reply-To: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Need advice with buying a westy. have a couple in mind (new
to list)
In-Reply-To: <NBBBLKPACPEEKLBIBDMMEEMBELAA.laurence@alanasmith.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
i dunno, laurence.
my subaru engine and harness are in two crates in the galley of my van,
so i may not be as qualified as others to comment, but i don't see that
the points you raise are any different than life with a wasserboxer.
to wit:
On Friday, August 16, 2002, at 01:54 PM, Laurence Smith wrote:
> A local mechanic would have to go through a unique learning
> curve every time you need service - and this would be expensive.
depending upon where you live, this could/would be the same with the
wbx. and if the horror stories of vw dealers are true (i know, they
are), i can't imagine a subaru mechanic/dealer would be much worse.
remember, the 2.2l engines are pretty simple, even for an advanced
engine.
> Examples:
> * timing belt replacement - needs mechanical aptitude (eg. the custom
> cooling system may be in the way)
true about the cooling system, but any competent mechanic ought to be
able to do this pretty simply. yes, the cost of the parts is there,
too, but what do you pay when the wbx hall sender goes bad? or the
ecu? or the icu?
> * custom cooling system - not easy to bleed the system, (eg.
> thermostat sometimes needs a little wee hole drilled in it, the custom
> heater lines may need TLC at some point)
well, having experience with the vanagon cooling system, i can say it's
just about the most complex thing i've ever encountered to cool an
engine. the subaru system (custom though it may be) is much simpler;
i've looked at a number of solutions to this and unless it was hacked,
it's an easier system to troubleshoot than that of the vanagon. many
fewer connections, for one thing. and tell me, just how easy is it to
bleed a vanagon, anyway?
> * custom wiring - makes electrical / computer problems harder to
> diagnose (eg. fuel pump and ignition relays are from Subaru, there
> are more use of shielded wires - which is voodoo to lots of people)
this is the worst of it, i think. if the PO gives you the wiring
information and the schematics, then a good auto electrical mechanic
ought to be able to straighten things out...if not, then the subaru
dealer (it's reading fully subaru for the error codes, for example).
> * custom exhaust system - may eventually wear out, custom hangers are
> needed (muffler shop will make you bend over)
i believe all these are available from smallcar.com. and again, given
the system on the vanagon, they can't be any *worse*, can they? i saw
gary trovinger's subaru'd syncro westy last week, and i believe his
muffler mounts were stainless, anyway.
> * custom air intake system - need to remember to buy certain air
> filters
well, if one writes down the necessary information in the owner's
manual, mileage book, or somewhere easily found, you don't have to
remember any more than for the wbx. and if you get a k&n filter, you
have to remember *much* less frequently.
> If you are not into mechanics so that you can take care of the above
> yourself then I think the conversion would be painfull and costly in
> the long run.
i don't believe the original poster is doing the conversion. i believe
it's completed, and it's a question of which would be less of a problem
for the non-mechanically inclined. i believe the subaru isn't as bad
as you've made it out to be, and though there may be problems they'd be
different, not necessarily worse, than those encountered with a wbx (or
an I4, for that matter).
best,
bill kasper
'87 syncro westfalia
soon to be subaru'd
