Date:         Fri, 22 Jun 2007 18:27:11 -0400
Reply-To:     John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Reddick <svyolo@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: New Engine Conversion

Our goals for using a different engine than Subaru were as follows and in
this order;

1. Reliability
2. Cost
3. Availability of engines
4. Does it fit?
5. Power and MPG
 The ECOTEC and ZETEC are far more alike than different for this
application. For 1,3,4 the two are almost a dead heat.  The only major
advantage in the ECOTEC was a bit more power and torque, and the
availability of more powerful factory engines than the 142 hp base engine.
  The the other slight advantage for the ECOTEC was the engine is slightly
less expensive to install. The intake and exhaust are in more convenient
locations to make a simpler installation. The lifetime timing chain will
also reduce our cost for installation, and reduce the lifetime cost of
owning the engine, assuming that the two engines have the same projected
life (I don't know that they do).
   In a perfect world we would prefer to just do more Subaru's, but we have
gotten our cost down to the lowest we can. Getting more than 3-5 complete
engines a month is also proving difficult.  Our large and growing backlog of
orders necessitates us offering an additionl conversion option.
   TIICO still outsells Vanaru and Bostig combined, some months by a factor
of 2.  I think a highly reliable conversion to compete with the TIICO on
price is the way to go, and I am betting on it.
   We will continue to sell Subaru's as well.
   The only selling point I will stress is this: we have a mechanic that
worked at a GM dealer for several years before working for us. He has never
removed an ECOTEC engine from any GM car.  Ever.  He said they never break.
Good enough for me.

   John
   East Coast Vanagon