Date:         Fri, 3 Feb 2006 23:31:04 -0500
Reply-To:     John Reddick <SVYOLO@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Reddick <SVYOLO@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine siezed . . . Next steps?

If you can do the swap yourself, by far the best solution is a Subie
swap.  It will also cost you less than a good rebuilt 2.1.  If you have to
pay someone, the question gets much more difficult.
    WBXers, properly maintained, are innefficent, difficult to troubleshoot,
but otherwise long lasting, low maintenance engines.  The biggest problem is
no one know's how to work on one, and new parts are cheaply made in the
orient, killing their long term reliablility.
    It is far better to swap something more modern. A subie or VW I-4 swap,
done yourself, is cheaper than a rebult WBX. Professionally done, it is more
expensive, but the result is vastly superior, especially the newer Subaru
motors.
    Smallcar is a 1 hour drive from you.  If you can't do the swap yourself,
I would recommend you have them put a Subie in your van.  It will drive like
a "Normal" car, get better MPG, and you won't worry about reliability for
many moons. I am sure they will let you drive one of their shop vans to
compare.  Be carefull though, you will fall in love with Vanagons once again.

John