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Date:         Tue, 20 Jan 2004 11:57:02 -0500
Reply-To:     Mark Carrig <stratmanx@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Carrig <stratmanx@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Boston Bob? or GoWesty?
Comments: To: Robert Donalds <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>

I can vouch for the Boston Bob motors.

I bought my 1.9 from him in Sept. for my 85 Westfalia GL.

Installation was a breeze, and Bob's reccomendations and instructions where top notch.

So far I've got about 2600 miles on it and it purrs like a kitten. Well balanced, and so smooth !!!

(I still need to get of my A$$ and send the old short block back for my core refund !!)

But the motor is a work of art. The day I got it in, myself and a friend spent a few hours just eyeballing it and ooo'ing and aaaa'ing..

Money well spent and highly reccomended...

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:16:05 -0500, ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET> wrote:

>Fellow vanagon types > >I cant tell you about what Go Westy does as I have never seen there work. I >have spoken with them on the phone they have called me looking for main >bearings and other sometimes hard to find parts. I have taken the >opportunity and asked questions about the different engines they build. > I would like to say a few words about the engines I build. Yes I >assemble every engine and I do all my own machine work with the exception of >the cam grinding and the crank grinding. I rarely use a reground crank most >used cranks polish up very nicely. I also use new lifters on every engine >and I hone each cylinder for few reasons first is that I find the piston to >cylinder fit on the all piston and cylinder sets to tight .001th to .0015th >I like to see a little more .002th to .003th. Also I have found the finish >on the cylinders to be to coarse for the rings used and I have also seen to >many cylinders that are not as round as they could be and often see that as >I am honing them . the other things I have a chance to do when the pistons >are out of the cylinder is check for broken rings, oil the ring lands and >properly clean and oil the cylinders. All this extra attention to the >pistons and cylinders is something I first started to do with the Zamboni >engines to prevent piston and ring damage and increase the chance's that the >rings will seal in what can only be called a severe duty application. Lets >face it there's no such thing as a brake in period in a zamboni they just >jump in and go make ice. The other things I would point out is the attention >to the small details such as the prep work on the engine case. I have >developed tools to bring the case into true as I bolt the case halves >together much the same as would the main bearings if they where installed. >This gives me a chance to measure the main bearing saddles, look for the >true size of each saddle to assure proper bearing crush, check each for >signs of shifting at the parting line in each saddle and align bore the case >if needed. All my cases are degreased wire brushed painted and then I debur >and repair the gasket seal surface's as needed this includes the water pump >and water jacket surface for the head this take allot of time to do >correctly. > > I have a local shop that only does balancing and they explained to me >that the need to balance is minor in the WBX engine because they have found >that they are already within the specs that the balancing machine >manufacture's has listed. So if you check the piston weights, the rod >weights and you are using an unground crankshaft there is no need to balance >what is already a smooth spinning engine. The WBX engine also has the >feature of a nice heavy front pulley that adds extra weight to the noise of >the crank this smooths out the crank vibrations much the same as a vibration >dampener would in a V8. All that said I do balance engines at the customer >request at an additional cost. > > Other things I do with each engine is to make oil pressure' check for >oil leaks and check compression before the engine is taken off the assembly >stand. All gaskets and some hard to find hardware is included with each >engine. I also install the front pulley and torque the front bolt to 252 >pds. so the customer does not have to deal with this. I also shim the rocker >stands so the adjusters have the correct geometry for a 0 lash hot valve >adjustment. > >THINGS I DON'T DO >I choose not to build engine's with welded crankshaft journals as is often >done to increase the stroke of the 2.1 cranks or to repair burned rod >journals. >I don't put used parts that should not be put back into service not all >blocks and cranks are reusable and sometimes you find this out after having >spent allot of time and sometimes money on it. >I never use rebuilt OEM heads > >I build only the very best engine I know how every time without compromise > >going faster miles an hour I remain >Boston Bob >http://www.bostonengine.com > >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "jesse johnson" <jjmojo@BLAZENET.NET> >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >> Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2004 5:07 PM >> Subject: Boston Bob? or GoWesty? >> >> >> > Hey all.. >> > Going to be buying a 2.1 liter engine in the spring... >> > Thoughts or comments about Boston Bob engines vs. GoWesty? They seem to >> > both have there strengths and weaknesses... >> > I am sure they are both good rebuilds.. but any real world advice would >> > be great... >> > Does anyone know if either balance all parts in the engine during >> > rebuild? I know from building inline fours.. balancing makes for a much >> > better engine rebuild.. >> > thoughts? >> > thanks all, >> > jesse >> > 89 carat >> > >>

I can vouch for the Boston Bob motors.

I bought my 1.9 from him in Sept. for my 85 Westfalia GL.

Installation was a breeze, and Bob's reccomendations and instructions where top notch.

So far I've got about 2600 miles on it and it purrs like a kitten. Well balanced, and so smooth !!!

(I still need to get of my A$$ and send the old short block back for my core refund !!)

But the motor is a work of art. The day I got it in, myself and a friend spent a few hours just eyeballing it and ooo'ing and aaaa'ing..

Money well spent and highly reccomended...


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