Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 19:34:50 -0700
Reply-To: "Bergin, Richard" <bergin@MARSHALL.USC.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Bergin, Richard" <bergin@MARSHALL.USC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Utopia finally found
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Thank you for the concern, I have been throught one bout with an insurance company this year and did prevail.
What I have learned is that until the van is 30 years old and can be insurred as a classic, not much I can do.
The only company that I found that would work with me is 21st Century. They added a $5,000 special equipment item.
Which translates into me being able to get about 12-13K for the van is disaster strikes. This is still only 1/3 of my investment, but
I have 4 seperate theft preventions systems, drive like and old man and spend more time looking out the rear window than the front.
I hope it is enought.
Take Care
PS: Make one wonder whether I own the van or it own me. :)
-----Original Message-----
From: JordanVw@aol.com [mailto:JordanVw@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 7:15 PM
To: Bergin, Richard; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Vanagon Utopia finally found
In a message dated 9/16/03 9:59:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time, bergin@MARSHALL.USC.EDU writes:
Over the past two years, I have been in a perpetual trial and error mode. Everything from tires, engines, suspension to fuel systems. My mantra has been to achieve enough power to climb the freeway grades along the cost of California Hwys 1 and 101 for the most part, achieve a smooth but stable ride and keep the mileage around between 17-20.
After spending 6 times what the Vanagon is worth adding sway bars, going through two sets of springs and shocks, two engine rebuilds, various component swaps within my Fuel system (ECU's, AFM's, Sensors, etc.), two sets of tires, a completely new cooling system, Transaxle, two exhaust systems an (a partridge and pear tree). I have discovered a few things I would like to share.
Engines
1. Lots of knowledgably people, lots of very kind and helpful people, many creative and interesting experiments are being conducted only two systems that work.
A. Stock and nothing but stock "Actual Factory Compression" so help you a "closed loop fuel injection system"
B. Re-engineered as a system (compression, stroke, displacement, cam timing, matched to limitations of factory fuel systems etc..) by a team of both degreed engineers (using sound scientific principles of physics and math) and field engineers (build, test and validate)
2. Compression and displacement talk and everything else walks.
* I finally found option A & B at GoWesty. "Lucas" the owner has designed four engines based on item #2. They really do produce more power, meet emission standards, idle smoothly and have good mileage. After going through my second rebuild experiences and having a multitude of problems with both efforts. I was thrilled to locate an organization that has truely engineerd a group of systems based on sound objective principles, extensively tested their designs both in the lab and on the street, do things when they promise to, are willing to educate the customer and have a team of people that really understand what great customer service is.
I
Transmissions
1. This is best place to invest in " 5 speed with a lower 4th (1.02) for the hills and a fifth for the flat lands (.85 or .77) depending on your engine. The Germans understood this and equipped the Vans in Germany accordingly (Drew Derek is an expert on this).
Exhaust
1. S&S headers "ceramic coated" look great, sound great, and are lot cheaper if you buy them directly from S&S, but in many cases are a pain to install and the performance increase is a ? ""Some say yes, some say no, IIIII don't know"
2. The 2.1 stock exhaust system is probably your best bet, 1.9's can be converted easily if replacement is required.
* I have the S&S system, well they look nice :)
Rims and Tires
1. Changes in tire diameter, ring and pinion ratio and or transmission gear ratios will all move toward a an equilibrium call "factory spec" to achieve optimal power and mileage. The only exception is when significant changes are made to the engine and this must be designed as a system. Once again, Drew Derek has spent a fair amount of time thinking about this are far as tires, rim, transaxles are concerned. When adding an Engine to the equation. I have only spoken to one person who has both designed, built, tested and produced consistently successful configurations
* I an using Drew Derek's 16" rims look great perfectly balanced and strong. The only intelligent decision I made during the first round of my restoration project."
Suspension:
If the goal is handling and smooth ride "2W".
1. Only one way to go; Front and rear ADDCO Sway bars, Boge Shocks front and rear, Carat / Wolfsburg springs for the front and the rear ones from Bus Depot if you can not find a good set or used rear Carat / Wolfsburg springs. But whatever you do, take the front springs from Bus Depot set and file them in round file cabinet.
* As mentioned above, The ride is great, the van is about 1.25 lower and handles like no other van you have seen. :)
Fuel Systems:
1. Do not and I repeat do not open the cover of the AFM and attempt to adjust it to work with so called high performance ECU's or in-line with the readings from your O2 sensor The system is closed and dynamic "not linear". You change one thing it will change three others and they in turn will adjust something else. The problems becomes exponential. The truth is that only a very small group of people in the world have enough experience to perform dynamic adjustment successfully. Be warned, if you attempt to adjust the inside of a AFM, it will significantly complicate your tuning efforts.
* My AFM is a new Bosch, the cover is sealed and will remain so. The ECU is a brand new Bosch from the dealer about $560.00, but hey it works.
my friend, i hope you have had your van appraised...and have it in writing what your insurance company will give you for your van if something (god forbid) should happen to it.. of course this should be said about every special interest auto or classic car..
just something for all of us who have put more $$ into our vans that theyre really worth (worth to insurance companies that is) to think about..
chris
