Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:44:05 -0500
Reply-To: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: <no subject> was piston wear, should be conversion issues
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=original
I think the air-cooled engine can be a dependable power plant IF you
know the limits of the air-cooled engine and add an oil cooler To keep the
oil temp and the head temp in check
The lack of reliability is due to poor maintenance lack of proper tuning
and the practice of using rebuilt heads
Bob Donalds
Boston Engine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nathaniel Poole" <npoole@TELUS.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 3:44 PM
Subject: Re: <no subject> was piston wear, should be conversion issues
> The thing about this rig is that it is in fabulous shape -I had to get a
> 60+
> point Prov inspection when I brought it into Canada, and there was one
> (1!)
> thing that needed work, a leaky rear wheel cylinder. Body in fabulous
> shape.
> You just don't find these vehicles up here very often at this age and in
> this good shape, for as little money as I got this one. Expensive rust
> buckets seemed the norm, at least when I was looking. That I got such a
> good
> vehicle so cheap was part of my considering a conversion, although I know
> the water-cooled vehicles are more suitable. It's like an excellent basic
> frame upon which I could do almost anything.
>
> Having said that, comments like yours are what I need to decide. At this
> point I'm just acquiring info. I really like the AC powerplant but
> concerned
> about reliability issues. I posted the same question on Samba, and found
> that some folks take the issue of engines very seriously, even personally.
> Some are rather offended when I express my concern regarding the AC
> engine's
> shortcomings, while other folks think the Subie is the only way to go.
> What
> is really needed is more factual info to decide if it's worth shoehorning
> in
> a Subie or just keep the AC and trust in God, keep a rabbit's foot on my
> keychain, sacrifice a goat and make sure my CAA membership is in good
> standing.
>
> Nathaniel
>
>
> On 11/14/06 9:17 AM, "Sam Walters" <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET> wrote:
>
>> Nathaniel,
>>
>> The larger issue here is that you have predicated your questions on the
>> notion that you want to remove the 2.0l AC engine and put a Subaru (or
>> other water-cooled) conversion into your van.
>>
>> This discussion of ring wear is largely irrelevant to that. No one has
>> addressed this.
>>
>> While a review of the archives of the subaruvanagon yahoo list will show
>> that a few people have done this successfully, it is a lot of extra work
>> and expense compared to doing the conversion on a van that already had a
>> water cooled engine. The cost estimates that are typically associated
>> with DIY or shop Subaru conversions will be much lower than what this
>> project would cost you. The whole cooling system, heating system, etc.,
>> would have to be created and installed in the van. Most folks,
>> including some who have done it advise against it, suggesting that you
>> sell the AC vanagon and find a diesel or WBX upon which to base the
>> conversion.
>>
>> Sam
>>
>> --
>> Sam Walters
>>
>> Baltimore, MD
>
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