Date:         Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:15:15 +0000
Reply-To:     mtbiker62@COMCAST.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: GoWesty2.3--how do you like it?
Comments: To: miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com>

The reason I finally got rid of my TIICO was that the cam belt tensioner siezed while I was on my way home and 500 miles away. The tensioner had been replaced 700 miles before and since the engine is an interference type, the valves and pistons greeted each other.

The alternator bracket broke while I was on another trip to AZ, another 600 miles from home, and the alternator fell off onto the water pump belt and the engine immediately over heated. The TIICO authorized shop in Phoenix, put a 1.8 head gasket on it (it's a 2.0 bore) so that gave up about 1000 miles later. Long story short for me is that while I had about 6K miles of trouble-free use, it all began to unravel and I was only able to complete 1/2 of the long trips I went on in the last 3-4 years of using this motor in my van. Very expensive experience for moi.

One of the instigators of that Yahoo TIICO group was Matthew and he has since gone diesel due to the multiple service and performance problems he had with TIICO. He even helped Julianna and others install their TIICO's so he was a very valuable resource. In the end he even had to ask me to order some parts for him as Peter was very "selective" about who he would accommodate with ongoing service and warranty matters.

I know that you (Miguel) and several others have had great experiences with this motor, that just was not mine.

Bob

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