Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 07:48:41 -0800
Reply-To: Al Knoll <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Al Knoll <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Subject: Re: 2.4l Rebuilds
In-Reply-To: <200402100505.i1A55nJk011121@mtaw2.prodigy.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 20:57:23 -0800
>From: Kirk van Druten <kirk@LANSHARKS.NET>
>Subject: 2.4L Rebuilds?
>
>Hello All,
>
>I was chatting with a local VW van repair place today (BusLab,
>Berkeley, CA)
>and they mentioned that someone in Los Osos is producing rebuilt motors in
>several sizes: 2.1L, 2.2L, 2.3L and 2.4L...yada..
The folks in question are gowesty.com. The 2.4 must use premium fuel. It
is a CUSTOM motor with all that that may entail.
If you choose the subaru 2.2 or 2.5 you will get a modern OBD motor with
modern FI and Engine management. The fingerpointing issue is nebulous.
Find a mechanic, not a 'technician'. Buslab would more than likely be happy
to learn of the evolution and work on your bus should motor issues arise.
There is a wealth of support on the subaruvanagon group and it is increasing
by the day. I can recommend Seth Hatfield at H&R Motors in Santa Barbara as
a fine conversion vendor. 1.805.965.6757. Give him a call. There are
other vendors of lesser quality out there too, I recommend H&R.
I can see no reason other than deutche-pride to continue to monkey with the
2.1 based motor system. It has design flaws that are not overcome by adding
300cc. I can provide torque curves comparing the subaru and vw stock
motors.
The subaru in my 180K syncro has a 'flat' torque curve yielding more torque
from 1500 to 6000 rpm than the peak torque of the 2.1. Remember horsepower
is essentially a derivative of torque at a particular rpm. The "thrust" is
the force that moves your brick. It is the child of torque multiplied by
the gearing and tire size parameters.
Cuddle up to your favorite physics-person and have them do the math for you
to give you a thrust vs gear vs rpm curve set. Knowing how much your bus
weighs ready to rock (~5000lbs) I'd guess you can figure out how much thrust
it will take to climb a 4% grade at 60MPH. Run that number backwards
through the fine stuff the fizzixdude did and you will know how much engine
shaft torque is required to do the deed. Then make your call on which
powerplant will do what you want.
"Its just fizzix, its always just fizzix" -- R. Feynmann