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Date:         Wed, 2 May 2007 00:21:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine conversion..One altermative..
In-Reply-To:  <002001c78c79$4b9d9b20$5b19e442@dhanson>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Don Hansen wrote:

"You don't hear much about the I-4 except that Tiico"

I think that my be in part due to the fact that most of us that own the VW water-cooled inline fours don't have enough negative issues to talk about?

Usually you don't think about an engine if it gives you no trouble, so without the problems common to the WBX, there is'nt much to report .

A broke timing belt, a bad spark plug wire, do not make for sensational headlines as head leaks on the highway.

Yet I don't assume most Vanagon owner's want a engine conversion as I did when I converted my '82 Diesel in 1995. For me it was an easy choice- the 82 Vanagon Diesel engine compartment was burned to a crisp.

Some things that you can do for better MPG at top cruising speed is switch to the air-cooled Vanagon transmission which is the same length as the Diesel 4-speed.

This one still has the Diesel trans yet still gets over 20 mpg.

If you want more torque and hp, you can use the 2 liter block and Digifant intake manifold.

That is. putting the 1.8 liter head on the 2 liter block. The 2 liter engine block is nearly 2 inches taller, so you have to clearance the left firewall extra.

To get the full potential from the 2 liter, the 2 liter exhaust should be used as well as the Motronic system. It's more involved, but has advantages.

The Diesel engine platform has the dual versatility that the other conversions don't have, that is , inline-four Diesel or gas , using most of the same hardware.

It is a stand-alone conversion that looks like what VW should have done from the beginning.

Just what was done in South Africa until they ceased production in 2002, and with larger engine size options, such as five cylnder inline.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

--- Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET> wrote:

> I bought my GL with its I-4 Cabriolet motor > conversion already done, so I can't say for > sure how hard it was, but looking around in > there for almost a whole year now, it doesn't > look like the fellow who did it had to do very > much fabricating or fiddling Lurking over on > the SubieVan list, it seems like that type > conversion calls for lots of messing around, if > you don't get a "full kit"..This is the second > inline four he'd converted, using, I > understand, a motor mount kit for a diesel > motor, but installing a 1.8liter Cabriolet > motor with hydro lifters and digifant > injection..It looks like most of the parts are > 'plug and play' from one motor to the other... > All this new machinery fits very nicely under > the standard deck cover., kinda canted over to > the driver side. The 2.0L inline four, that > may be a different story because the intake is > on the other side of the head and would > probably have clearance issues with the deck > lid. I hear you can use a head from the 1.8 on > the 2.0. There is plenty of room to work on > everything. The motor is much lighter than the > wbx motor, I am guessing here. It is no power > house at a Bentley-rated 94hp only and 100 > ft/lbs of torque..but mine seems stronger than > that without any California smog stuff mandated > here yet in Washington state. I have a mild > camshaft swap that will go in tomorrow when I > pull the head to replace the head gasket..said > to be about half a day's work, motor in > place...General knowledge says expect 10-12 > more hp with the cam and no change in > drivability. > It is ironic that I wanted a conversion > motor because of the WBX motor's widely > acknowledged penchant for head problems. My > first major problem is...a blown head > gasket..Caused, of course, by my unfamiliarity > with the Vanagon's idiosyncrasies. I replaced > the coolant and neglected to purge all the air, > causing overheating, which is a no no for the > inline 4, I have come to learn... > The 5 speed manual trans has a very low low > gear. I understand this is from a diesel > van..Seems just right for the gas motor, and > that crawler 1st gear is useful in the rough > terrain. > So, with the little motor conversion you > won't be blasting over the Grapevine at 85mph > like some guy just mentioned doing in his 2.5l > Subie...just before he blew a rod through the > case...but it will hold 60mph in 4th on a 6% > climb and do a comfortable 75 all day on the > flats, getting about 23mpg at that speed, with > gear aboard... > You don't hear much about the I-4 except that > Tiico (?). So hopefully, the list is a bit > more aware now of another possible choice for > our vehicles driving force..Looks easy (when it > is done) and simple to stick in a Golf, > Cabriolet, new beetle, whatever motor and parts > are real plentiful and cheap and > interchangeable with many other VW models. > Don Hanson >

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