Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 12:16:31 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Advice on possible engine replacement
In-Reply-To: <431F062C.1060105@sbcglobal.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
How does it run?? Operate fairly smoothly? Any valve rattle or knocking
sounds? What is the oil consumption? How are the operating temperature?
Depending on the answers to those questions, I would be inclined to run
it some more, and save my sheckles for the time I know is coming that
the engine will need to be overhauled/replaced.
For an overhaul of your own engine or exchange replacement my first
choice would be a reliable local rebuilder if one can be found. The
reason for that is if there are problems he is right there and you can
cut his desk in half with your Stihl if you have to to get problems
dealt with. Kind of hard to do that long distance.
If you have to get an engine from out of the area, I would use Bob
Donalds of Boston Engines. Can't say enough about his engines and service.
Then there are others engine suppliers in decending order of reliability.
Bob has been at the business of overhauling WBX engines a long time and
has developed a whole series fo little tricks to tweak up and get the
best out of a WBX engine, heading off problems before they start. Plus,
he gives enormous personal support.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Sam Stone wrote:
> Hi all,
> It looks as though my new '85 Westy might need a new engine. The current
> engine has 135k miles, the cylinder has a compression of 80 psi and a
> leak down of 15% (the mechanic said he was expecting more leakage given
> the compression) and another cylinder has a compression of 105 psi and a
> leak down of 10%. While the mechanic believes the current engine can be
> repaired but given the age/mileage of the engine and the cost to repair
> the engine (he hasn't taken the heads off or really torn into the engine
> to fully diagnose the problem but I am apparently looking at several
> hours (i.e. 2 -3 hrs.) worth of labor to fully diagnose), he has advised
> to go ahead and replace the existing engine. Advice I leaning toward
> taking. So I have a couple of question:
>
> 1) Is it worth it to fully diagnose this problem? Or save that money for
> the new engine?
>
> 2) My research has me leaning toward the 2200cc GoWesty replacement
> engine. What peoples experience with these engines? What are some of the
> other replacement egines out there (i.e. Boston Bob) worth considering?
> I am aware for the current discussion on the Bay Window forum concerning
> Bob but others seem to have had good luck with him in the past.
>
> 3) Should I condider swapping the engine for a different engine
> altogether (i.e. Subaru) engine? How much more expensive is the option
> than a rebuilt waterboxer? How reliable are these conversions? I want
> decent performance, better than the stock engine, but I am not willing
> to trade reliability.
>
> Thanks,
> Sam
>
>
