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Date:         Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:09:20 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon Re-power cheap and reliable...Reply from digest
Comments: To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <71d9cdf90710281138l4e2fa408l5662168ef02b8a7f@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

You got it Don, easily available cheap very bolt-in engines that are tough, and smooth, not 'really' enough power to propel a vanagon with 'real authority' ...but a lot of bang for the buck, smooth, goes well enough etc. I strongly dislike the CIS fuel injection ones - real messy layout in a vanagon, but the EFI ones......the one I'm most familiar with is the 88 jetta RV code 1.8 ...100 hp. Works decently. Anytime you put a cam in an engine like that for more hp, you get it at the top at the cost of the bottom end torque. Makes it peaky. Anyway, glad you like your ride ! Scott www.turbovans.com

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jake de Villiers Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2007 11:39 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Vanagon Re-power cheap and reliable...Reply from digest

Not to be argumentative Don, but I don't think you're qualified to speak on how easy that motor was to install and mate to the van, electrically or otherwise. It was already done, right?

Sounds like it works well in your van, for sure.

On 10/28/07, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote: > > Hi all, > Saw a post outlining alternatives for replacement motors. It 'opined' > that an inline four was a pretty good value and I will second that from my > personal experience. I didn't do the transplant in my 84 vanagon with the > 92 Cabriolet motor, and I am not very much of an authority on everything > Vanagon, so this is a newbie opinion, but from a newbie who's driven the > crap outta his Vanagon for just over a year. > It looks to me like the van I got may originally have been a deisel. It > has a 5 speed with a very low (but useful on rough or steep) first gear > that I use only occasionally. It may have had some of the gearing > changed, > because the ratios seem about right for the 1.8 liter gasoline motor that > now lives in there. > .There is a small notch that had to be cut into the engine compartment > below the lid on the driver's side to clearance the intake, and the > exhaust > system was welded after the end of the manifold flange in a crude manner. > The intake from the stock Vanagon air cleaner is made from large aluminum > sprinkler pipe, but it works fine and the whole beastie has been > remarkably > dependable and inexpensive to drive. > I gained about 12 hp (estimated, using results documented by others with > the same hardware) by changing a camshaft for $120 and I plan on changing > to > an aftermarket exhaust header system said to be worth another 10-12% hp > increase..~$320 for that..So that should up the Bently specified 94hp of > the > little 1.8 liter motor to a whopping 115 or so. Anyhow, no speed demon > but > adequate to keep me rolling ahead of most traffic most of the time. > I see the 1.8 liter 8 valve motor (like mine) for around $300 long > block, > very often. Add the $450 for the easy mods mentioned above and you have > the > "motive lump" to install for under a grand. Find an old blown up diesel > vanagon and you have a cheap and easy pretty nice ride. > I'd guess the stock little 4 banger Rabbit motor is similar in Hp to a > WBX motor, but they are certainly cheaper to run and rebuild..If I had a > blown up WBX motor in a van, I doubt I'd rebuild that one, but would > probably go the inline gas motor route myself. > I am not advocating this particular combo to everyone, just passing on > that it seems to work fine for me..All you Subie guys, don't get all > huffy, > I am not saying your conversion is not the best...I am just saying the > inline 4 vw gas motors seem to be cheap, common and easy to install and > they > work fine in vans, too. > Don Hanson >

-- Jake 1984 Vanagon GL 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" www.crescentbeachguitar.com http://subyjake.googlepages.com/


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