Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 15:28:23 -0700
Reply-To: Steve <laurasdog@WEIRDSTUFFWEMAKE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve <laurasdog@WEIRDSTUFFWEMAKE.COM>
Subject: Re: engineering nightmares vehicles was: cruise control
speedometer sensor
In-Reply-To: <417E6ABC.4000707@fyi.net>
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-65EF36B9;
At 08:18 AM 10/26/2004, Eric Zeno wrote:
>I'm suprized at the trouble you subaru people will go
>thru, (like making these circuits), to fit a cross bread
>engine.
What trouble? In one year, the average VW engine user
will spend more time fiddling around with distributor parts
than I spent designing and building that VSS circuit.
I seem to have a lot of extra time to sit around and
design fun stuff like that now that I'm not spending all
my time trying to keep a VW motor running decently
and get it past the CA smog man....
I've got 18 months and 13K+ miles on my conversion
and the only thing I've had to do besides change an O2
sensor is change oil and filter.
I don't even have to add oil between changes.
I've almost forgotten what it's like to have grease under
my fingernails all the time.
Yessir, got a helluva lot of spare time now that I no
longer have a VW motor to work on.
> IF a Subaru is so good just go buy one.
If Subaru made a vehicle with a stove, a fridge, a poptop,
that can haul 12' lumber and is as fun to drive as the
Vanagon, I'd be all over it. But to my knowledge they don't.
>There are no issues like this with an inline vw
>engines to solve.
Uhhh... yeah. No issues like THAT...plenty of other issues though.
I've seen the problems and complaints the I-4 installers have.
> Good engineering does things as
>simple as possible. VW kept things simple. You
>need to keep it that way.
Tell it to all the new VW's that have a speed sensor.
It's an OBD2 requirement and pretty much every new car
has got one. Including VW's.
If you want to convert a vanagon with a late model OBD2
VW engine you're going to need a speed sensor.
And no Eric, simpler is not always better. If the end result is
the same, then simpler is better. But if added complexity gives
clearly superior results, then simple loses.
>PS There is only 2 type's of people: VW type engineering
>people, and then there are engineering nightmares.
The WBX *IS* an engineering nightmare. The cooling system
alone is probably one of the worst automotive designs on the
planet.If the WBX is "VW type engineering" then you can have
it and I hope I never see it again.
I spent more time screwing around with the WBX trying to get
it to be a real motor than I spent doing the Subaru conversion.
And now, for my trouble, I have a REAL motor, with REAL
performance, and REAL reliability, instead of the silly
pretend motor that the marvelous VW engineering people
tried to stick me with. You have NO idea how much better
the vehicle is to drive now.
It turns a very good vehicle into an EXCELLENT vehicle.
Keep your I-4's. I have nothing against folks who put one in their
van. Put a Harley Davidson motor in for all I care. I'd even help
do it if they're friendly and buy me a beer.
If you've got such a big problem with subaru conversions, I
suggest you set your filters to toss everything with the word
"subaru" or "subie" directly into the trash. It'll keep you
from displaying your ignorance to the list quite as often.
Steve
'86 Westy "Escape Pod" (EJ22)
'73 Beetle "ain't got a name yet"
++++++++++
Universal Hall effect VSS fits '86 and later speedo. Works with 2WD or Syncro.
http://www.weirdstuffwemake.com/weird/stuff/automotive/vanagon/vss.html
Need a cure for the Subie-Westy "alternator light problem"?
http://www.weirdstuffwemake.com/weird/stuff/automotive/vanagon/alt_fix.html