Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 10:03:35 -0500
Reply-To: "Myers, Thomas A" <Thomas.Myers@USA.XEROX.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Myers, Thomas A" <Thomas.Myers@USA.XEROX.COM>
Subject: Re: Boston Bob? or GoWesty?
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I have had very good luck with my Boston Bob engine. Bob was very helpful
on the phone with my many questions before and during installation. Bob
was also very accommodating with my time frame in the summer of 2002.
The engine has 2000 miles on it now and is running well. So well in
fact it earned me a speeding ticket ON THE WAY to Westies at Watkins :O(
http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/waw/ww37.jpg
[ I should have saved the lead foot for the race track the next day...:O) ]
Tom
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...