Date:         Mon, 9 Dec 2002 23:23:56 -0600
Reply-To:     Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MTS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MTS.NET>
Subject:      Re: Wasserboxer Reputation  . long
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

When I went looking for a newer Westfalia to replace my 1973 Type II Safari
(Safare?) I found that all the air cooled vans had their motors rebuilt at
about 90k miles.  Why is that?

I ultimately went with the 1.9l wbx because it had heat (or so I thought!)
and more power.  I'm up to 100k miles and going strong on this engine.
Relatively speaking of course.

I love the hum of an aircooled engine and they just seem so straightforward
compared to the wbx.  If I could find a nice clean 80-82 around here I'd
probably go back.  And that idle!   My wbx never idled as smoothly as my old
Safari.  What is the solution to the 90k rebuild problem?  Or is that as
predicable as the head gasket failure?

Until then I guess I'll have to be happy driving my 69 notchback around the
block.

Jeff
85 westfalia
69 type III notchback
winnipeg