Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 15:11:55 -0500
Reply-To: Grant Braddish <braddish@MAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Grant Braddish <braddish@MAIL.COM>
Subject: Eurocars 2.2L Engine - another catastrophic failure
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Larry,
I have enjoyed your updates and love the website.
You are an inspiration to all of us that have broken down along the road and then bitched and moaned about the cost of the repair.
After being let down by one vendor, you are not willing to ditch your dream roadtrip, but instead look to another way to 'upgrade' your van. Bravo!
May the road rise up to meet you and may your forearm never cramp whilst mixing those 'ritas!!
Best of luck,
Grant
'89 Westy
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Larry Chase [mailto:roadguy@roadhaus.com]
> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 10:27 AM
> To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com; vanagon@yahoogroups.com; wetwesties@yahoogroups.; Syncro@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Eurocars 2.2L Engine - another catastrophic failure
>
>
> Volks,
>
> I have had another failure with the Eurocars 2.2L Revision "E" engine
>
> The RoadHaus was at Competition Egr here in PHX for A/C repair and a Transmission leak.
>
> Picked her up and got 10 miles before catastrophe.
>
> As I was tooling down the freeway at 65 mph ... she suddenly lost power. Glanced over and noticed the High Temp Red LED was on "solid".
>
> Shut her down and found coolant boiling and lots of oil on the ground.
>
> Back to the shop on a flatbed she went.
>
> After tear down we found that the number one piston had failed.
>
> BTW .... Dan Larson owner of Competition Egr is working on the engine now. Has an awful lot of experience building Vee Dub racing engines ... so hopefully I'm in good hands.
>
> Surprisingly I was able to contact Ken Morgan of Eurocars and get "the last set of 2.2L Revision "E" pistons" in existence sent out via Overnight Fed-Ex.
>
> Over the phone Ken stated that the pistons he was sending had a slight design change from the ones currently in my engine.
>
> The difference "supposedly" .... he moved the ring position down lower to create more mass at the top.
>
> However .... based on a visual inspection upon receipt .... they look identical to the old ones with the exception of some weird slots in the top.
>
> The slots concern me as a potential weak point in a high stress area.
>
> But other than a complete engine rebuild ... it's the only option at this time.
>
> With any luck ... RoadHaus will be back on the road by tomorrow.
>
> After a couple of hundred test miles I'll resume my"North American Roadtrip" with an engine I have no confidence in.
>
> As you are driving down the highway ..... please occasionally glance to the side of the road.
>
> You may see me with a portable blender making Margaritas as I wait for the next tow truck :)
>
> Stop by for a refreshing libation.
>
> Here's a link to pictures of the failed piston and one of the new "redesigned" replacement pistons.
>
> http://www.roadhaus.com/images/Eurocars%202.2L%20Engine/Sept%202003%20Failure/index.htm
>
>
> P/S,
>
> One of the future engine options I'm considering is the 2.4L engine being marketed by Go Westy. If anyone has "direct" experience with this engine .... please contact me.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Don't let your Dreams be Dreams."
> - Jack Johnson
>
>
>
>
> Larry Chase
> Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com
> Web: <http://www.roadhaus.com/> www.RoadHaus.com
> Cell: 480 620 8966
> What: North American Road Trip
> How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro
> Today: Arizona
>
--
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