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Date:   Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:43:54 -0700
Reply-To:   Matthias Kuster <matthiaskuster@VERIZON.NET>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   Matthias Kuster <matthiaskuster@VERIZON.NET>
Subject:   Subie Power
Content-type:   text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Ok, so I finally jump in here also, and here is what I have to say (I have 2 SubieVanagon, one Wolfy and one Westy, both 84s, manual tranny:

Subaru's EJ22 absolutely rocks in terms of simplicity, reliability, design, power and sound. As for the 2.5 DOHC, might be better to stay away, the 2.5 SOHC again seems to be bulletproof. Mind you however that it is a lot of work and fiddling with variables and unknowns, no matter what. That's why they are expensive, yet cheap in the long run. Even so I did blow a rod bearing on my first install, at 180000 miles, partly maybe because I had overlooked the o-ring on oil pick up tube, and it was burning oil the whole time. Still lasted 20k miles before it went. This first EJ22 also was an 89, which are rumored to have oil control ring issues. Still this is a used engine of unknown origin, me regularly going 80mph and loaded up. Then had to go to the junkyard, find a donor, do compression test, and swap out long block, which took about 3 days (with experience). I'm good to go again with a resealed engine that has 115k miles on it. I don't agree with the Subie being quieter: At idle yes, tooling around town it is definitely louder, and I have the VW WBX exhaust setup. At freeway travelling speeds it's about the same. The rumble is very "boxer", and sounds even better than a WBX (as well as WRX) me thinks. Mine are also louder because I opened up the intake. I have done a lot of soundproofing on the Westy and it is quieter now than any Vanagon I have ever driven. Will set off car alarms when accelerating, easily. Bottom line is: If you can stick to the original WBXers and get them reliable, my hat is off to you. I went through 2 years of absolute nightmares with my 1.9l, two different shops, both recommended on this list at the time, my Wolfy was in the shop constantly, and they both claimed everytime this time it was fixed (under warranty, which means you have to let the same deadbeats get their hands on it again). It sucked. One shop I sued and they ended up selling the shop before I could collect on a possible judgement. Absolute deadbeats, both of them. European mechanics, and especially German ones, are better trained than mechanics here in the states, by far. They have to be. (I know this is a generalization, and there certainly are exceptions). Add to that a finicky design by Oettinger, which slapped plumbing on an aircooled engine and added rubber gaskets, for chrissake, and you have your work cut out for yourself. The Vanagon is an amazing piece of automobile, from the days when Volkswagen still had a spic left of imagination and innovation. Thesedays VW only has those qualities regarding marketing. Their products have been inferior since at least the mid 90s, and Toyota and Honda (especially) whoop their bums. The Honda Element or Toyota Prius are cars VW might have come up with in their glory days, certainly now they seem lost with all their involvement in Bugatti, Bentley. They lost touch with their roots. Maybe Porsche can sort them out, but I doubt they will ever be what they once were again. I doubt there will ever be a book "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" again. Tons of internal company memos however, without a doubt, will bear that title in the next couple years. So for you die hard Vanagonauts, keep up the good work. After all our Vanagons are from a time worth remembering, and keeping them original makes sense also.

UNITY - RESPECT

Matthias


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