Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 10:26:30 -0800
Reply-To: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Vngns ARE junk! Wilder's Law
In-Reply-To: 6667
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
-Larry Chase wrote:" Ticco, Subie, TDI fans ... Please
"No Flames". I
still feel that
a trip of such proportions, where you are often in the
middle of
no-where .. is best served by a stock 2.1L Waterboxer
engine that
is easier to get serviced."
No flames here Larry, this response is offered at room
temperature. Man it's hot in here!
Serviced? Is this 1.Oil change
2.Air filter change
3.Belt adjustment
Or is it? 1. Bar's leak for head gasket
2. Water pump replacment
3. Pushrod seal replacement
Easier in that any dealer can do this?
VW shops that work on water-cooled VW can easily
recognize the familiar components of a US inline four.
Most of the techs I know that work at VW don't have a
problem with it.
"- If I wasn't headed off on such an extended trip I
would have run
the stock engine to the end or upgraded to a Tiico,
Subie, or TDI."
You left out a Golf-Jetta conversion !Motronic! Hook
up you lap-top to the data link connector and watch
how it's doing in real time.
No need to "set-up " the parameters like on the SA
version or Tweako.
Far superior to the Tiico as it has US specification
hardware and electronics , and a fuel injection system
with on-board diagnostics if you do '93-later. A US
2.0 engine is a real tall block 2.0, not a short block
1.8 bored to 2.0 like the Tiico. The longer rods of
the 2.0 lessen engine vibration.
Ah, but you figured you were going to need a lot of
servicing.
A "scratch" custom conversion done right doesn't need
to depend on finding shops that will be able to
service it.I had to pull into a shop one time - to
have them weld the muffler.
My biggest problems to date? After six years? Dirt in
the tank that came from a cheapo gas station in
Bakersfield
and bad (carbon fiber) plug wires.
And the timing belt broke from oil contamination. That
belt was four years old, and I knew about the
intermediate seal leak, and ignored it.
Another time the PS/WP belt broke .
And the differential housing broke in the
transmission, which was repaired after I drove it
2,000 miles like that.
So what adjustment? The serpentine belt is self
adjusted. One belt , the v-belt for the PS to adjust,
and I haven't had to adjust it in 3 years.
With the Motronic FI, you can know what's wrong before
the mechanic does -the software will interpret the
error codes for you.
SO far it told me my O2 sensor was worn out. Any
water-cooled VW shop can replace a 02 sensor, and it's
much easier on a Vanagon than a Golf-or Jetta.
There aren't any screws to tweak, except the basic
throttle body adjustment at initial set-up.
From that point there is no tweaking -Motronic US
tweaks itself.
SO, you would have made the best decision to have a
Golf-Jetta engine installed on the Diesel platform .
But it would not have worked for you as you should not
drive off on a long trip with any new motor.
It needs to be "broke" in.
Usually there are adjustments and things need to be
fine tuned .
But the inline -four conversion is a reliable one.
Even Ken Morgan knows this, who did your Eurocars, and
he even wrote a pamphlet on conversions. He doesn't do
them anymore because they take a long time to do. He
told me that there's more money to be made fixing WBX
engines.
A lot of owners in the end just put the WBX back in as
it's the fastest way out.
Tiico is fast but it has a lot of crap hardware that
should be replaced before using it.
The fuel rail, the ALT AC bracket, the crank pulley,
map sensor's fail in cold weather, etc.
Having been a air-cooled VW only driver for 15 years,
and having gone thru six engines in that time period,
I was determined to rid myself of the classic
breakdowns the flat-four is famous for when I
converted my Vanagon in 1995.
And I have. The last six years , the 2.0 has gone all
over the US and Canada over 90,000 miles .
I don't worry about saying no leaks, no tweaks,
because if it all fell apart tomorrow I would feel it
deserved it after going over 160,000 miles .
I have done a lot of work on my Westfalia- like a new
gas tank and five-speed transmission and exhaust
system.
The breather hose broke and it's time to replace the
serpentine belt after six years. Engine stuff wears
out- but new motors these days should at least get you
1-150,000 miles. But the work is spread out of ten
years, not ten months.
Any time you are in the NW Larry you can take it for
drive. That's goes for anyone who is interested.
Robert
1982 Westfalia
I should note here that Jerry at Northwest Connecting
Rod takes credit for part my conversion by servicing
the head and flywheel before installation. I highly
recommend this machine shop if you are doing your own
conversion in the Seattle area.
Without his help, I would'nt have this great reliable
engine.
Do it right, have the head reconditioned /rebuilt and
have the bottom end checked out , before you bolt it
back together.
>
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