Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:29:38 -0800
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Looking for a New or good used Tiico kit
In-Reply-To: <c280e73b1001191403t31013cb7g3762ca73fa54ecff@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hi Miguel,
I am sure there are shops many places that'll work on the Subie
transplants, but finding one whenever and where ever you might need one is
probably more difficult than finding someone who can repair a VW Rabbit,
Jetta, Golf, whatever inline four motor in a VW vehicle...Almost all the
stuff is identical part numbers between a WBX and an inline...VW guys are
familiar with it all and have no qualms diving in...Heck, I found a guy with
a spare alternator bracket and a fitting water pump belt for my inline VW
tranplant in Trona, California...population about 40..one garage only,
middle of the Mojave desert..Sunday morning...I was only delayed about 4
hours, and I needed the sleep anyhow.
For someone capable of doing their own repairs, complicated or not, the
Subies are great...but if you're 'a pay someone to fix it' guy, you gotta
find someone willing to do the job and that is more difficult when you mix
brands in a transplant..
I guess if your problem occurs close to home where you know who to go to
it's not a big deal. And any vehicle can strand you. I guess that is why
people buy brand new ones and pay even more for "extended warrantees and
roadside service coverage" etc etc.. New car breaks, you *try* to continue
on in a rental car and get compensated later for your busted new
car..."under warrantee"...
Me, I've had it with that kinda BS...I prefer a simple vehicle that I've
been through and put into satisfactory working condition, one I can travel
in without unnecessary complications and enjoy my trips...Finding a clever
hardworking mechanic in some of the towns I sometimes frequent might be
somewhat unlikely to happen...grin.
Don Hanson
On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 2:03 PM, miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com>wrote:
> In Durango, the Subaru dealer will not look at a transplant, but there
> are three very good shops that will, no problem.
> Miguel
>
> 'In heaven all the interesting people are missing.'
> - Friedrich Nietzsche
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 2:27 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I'd suggest, if you do find a Tiico "Kit" maybe find one without the SA
> > motor and use an 1.8liter golf, Jetta, rabbit motor. Everyone I have
> talked
> > to seems to be quite happy with this set-up and they are inexpensive as
> well
> > as very much simpler to work on than the Subie conversions seem to be.
> >
> > Now all the Subie guys will say.."bull crap, the subie is simply the
> best
> > and quite easy to deal with.." but I submit that maybe if you did the
> > conversion yourself and really learned everything about the stuff, and
> if
> > you are pretty handy and well versed in troubleshooting electrical
> > cross-connections between different brands of motors, or if you have a
> good
> > AAA tow policy to get it a possible very long tow or flatbed ride to
> someone
> > who will work on a transplant..(VW shop or Subaru shop?...who do you
> think
> > will agree to work on your transplanted subie conversion..)
> > well then maybe they are pretty simple...but on a backroad in Nevada or
> a
> > small town in Montana or anywhere with limited access to good mechanics,
> you
> > are more likely to find a competant VW mechanic that can fix a VW inline
> > water cooled motor in a VW watercooled van than a guy who'll be able to
> > knowledgably and effectivly troubleshoot and repair a cross connected
> > Subaru/
> > VW ... I know the VW guy in my small town won't even look at a
> > transplant...He says...Take it to Portland, about 100 miles away
> >
> > Don Hanson
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 1:54 PM, miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com
> >wrote:
> >
> >> I sold Tiico on TheSamba, early last year. I believe it had 10K on it
> >> when I sold it and never had any problems. The gentleman who purchased
> >> it is very happy with it. It was not even close to what I needed in my
> >> Syncro AW, though. Now it sports an SVX. Vroom, vroom!
> >> In reference to what has already been mentioned, regarding other
> >> conversion options : I drove Maggie Dew's Westy, with the 2.2 Subie
> >> and it felt perfectly suited. A very good driver, that van. Also drove
> >> a Joker Westy high top with the 2.5 Subie. This one was very strong
> >> runner. Beautiful conversion by FAST Automotive (I think that's the
> >> correct name,) in Santa Fe. Now my Syncro AW SVX is simply
> >> amazing.......In short, if you're going to stay with gas, this is a
> >> great way to go, with plenty of resources. Have never driven a Zetec
> >> so I can't comment. Seen one and it looked real nice and at home in
> >> there......
> >> Miguel
> >>
> >> 'In heaven all the interesting people are missing.'
> >> - Friedrich Nietzsche
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 1:55 PM, Troy <colorworks@gci.net> wrote:
> >> > I saw one up on the Samba list a while back. You may have to scroll
> >> through the various pages to find it, although a search may get you
> there
> >> too. I would be very wary about putting a Tiico in my van. You probably
> are
> >> aware the company is out of business and parts are scarce. To my
> >> understanding this was a South African engine brought into the US, and
> it
> >> was never a great engine transplant to begin with. Lots of vibration
> >> problems reported and nightmare after nightmare problems. Personally, I
> >> would put extra money into a Subaru conversion or one of the Ford Zetec
> >> conversions. I have the Subaru 2.2 in my 89 westy, and drive an outback
> as
> >> my daily drive (2.5). Both have been totally reliable, solid engines. No
> >> regrets whatsoever and going through Alaska winters, year after year
> with
> >> this things have proven their dependability.
> >> >
> >> > Good luck with whatever you decide,
> >> >
> >> > Troy
> >> >
> >>
> >
>
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