Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:37:18 -0400
Reply-To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: contemplating engine upgrade
Contemplating? why? problem with your engine?
Let's say that going Subi (or other good conversion) is one thing to "not
Worry" for a wile, engine!
Westy are money pit for most of us, an almost perfect westy will cost more
than 20k, anything under is not perfect, and if you think it is, your wrong
big time, it's a bomb ready to explode.
I always tell people that they will end up putting 20+K, they pay 10 for the
van, they will end up putting 10 on the van, at least. They pay 15, they put
5 easily. Now when they reach 23K, they get tired and they sell it for 17,
now the next owner put 5 on that 17 and so on....
Anything can be fix with money, if your not to... esthetic, put a Subi, fix
the front end and go travel in peace.
I have decided yesterday that i'm not driving a VW powered westy no more.
I'm done with low power and unreliability. As much as i can built good
engine, there is still to much risk (especially for those who go on long
roadttrip like i do). Rods (even rebush) are still 20yo, crank, case...
Yesterday i had to throw 2 cases in the garbage because they were to warped,
one was so bad at the trany mating junction because of rust (auto trany
side) that we could do nothing about it. Yesterday i bought the last
availble 1.9L pistons kit from my supplier that told me that the may become
NLA soon, I will know for sure next week.
This morning i was talking to a customer/friend in the shop wile drinking a
cofee and he was telling me about his 84 Westy life that he bought new in 84
(sold it once and bought it back 3 years ago), when new, and in a 60k miles
period he had to go through 3 set of heads and heads gasket, after 90kmiles
he sold the westy to a friend, they had to go through 2 engine rebuilt... so
this morning i was looking at the heads gasket leaking again, the van as now
about 140k mile. Anyway, many had better luck but what is the % of those...
who knows. The conclusion is simply that they are getting old, as much i we
can save and rebuilt the van itself (body, steering, suspension), the power
plant (including the FI and cooling system)is getting obsolete.
I love the Vanagon Camper, it's an outstanding little camper and most
shell/body are still very solid and salvagable and that for many year to
come, so with a nice rebuilt trany and a new modern and reliable powerplant
it can be a superb van for many years to come. I AM NOT SAYING that a nice
rebuilt wasser is NOT ok, for most people it's more than fine. I would trust
and drive a B.Bob engine anywhere.
So, that said, the choice for me was Subi or ZTEC (sorry, i'm NOT going back
to VW), even if i now don't need anyone to built a Subi conversion, or even
any conversion (believe me, if i had the time i would do something crasy...
but i don't) i have decided to go with one one those company, they did the
testing for us, and that is a VERY big +... Hans is a friend, a good one so
i had kind of no choice (he he) to go with him and to give him my full
support (for this van at least...), but i had NO doubt on the very nice ZTEC
convertion and i was very tempted at thise one.
The conclusion, i'm going 2.5L with a rebuilt AA Transaxle high gear tranny.
167hp is way more than needed for me, but will be nice in the steep hills of
Mexico/USA next year. Not keeping a VW engine is not so much a "business
wise" choice for me, much of my customers may say that i'm kind (in a way)
of a traitor and i should drive one of my engine... But there is no way for
me to do my dream next year with an almost stock VW engine... pulling my
Suzuki SV1000S in the back in the bad Mexico hills. I try to be open minded
about all that!
Cheers, Ben
http://www.benplace.com/
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