Date:         Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:53:02 -0500
Reply-To:     B Feddish <bfeddish@NETREACH.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         B Feddish <bfeddish@NETREACH.NET>
Subject:      Rebuilt Engine is DONE! The saga continues...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

If you missed our last episode, here is review. I bought a 1.9 from Chris at
JordanVW about 18 months ago for my mechanic to rebuild for my '83 wc Westy.
Why did I buy a new core when I already had one? Because my mechanic is so
slow that I knew he would take forever to rebuild it and I did not want my
van rotting in front of his shop with the engine out.  I also bought some
good slightly used AMC heads from Ken at VanAgain.  My mechanic had a heart
attack right after getting the engine apart and is out of commission for
awhile. I was going to head down to Annapolis to get an inexpesive rebuild
after that and posted such plans with some questions to the list. I got a
barrage of emails with all kinds of suggestions, etc.  Jim Arnott forwarded
my email to Stan at Boston Engine (who I met this past summer at a RI
campout) and forwarded it to Gary (From Boston Bob's) at Suburban Engine.
Lots of emails went back and forth then after he agreed to rebuild a 1.9 I
mailed it up to him in 3 big boxes.  My fingers were crossed as he said the
case needed to be able to take a new set of bearings but it turned out OK.
I got squeamish about having the original valves on the AMC and Gary put on
some "better breathing" German ones. I don't to kick off that debate again,
it was just cheap insurance.

OK, now I have an engine sitting up in Cambridge, MA that Gary probably
wants out of his shop. I'm going to have to plan a trip to go get it.  My
wife wants to come so we'll probably spend more on a mini vacation then if I
just had him ship it here.  sigh... OK, how am I going to get this engine in
the back of my van?  I have several options. One is a current list member
here was so adamant about me not getting a cheap rebuild that he said he'd
come to my house and put a good one in for free.  He may regret offering
that as I may take him up on it. :) I'd help or course. The other option is
me putting it in by myself.  That could be difficult.  I guess what I would
like to know is if there are any shops within say 75 miles that could put it
in at a reasonable price?  None near me will do it.  I'm in the western
suburbs of Philadelphia. What are the odds that Benny Boy is traveling south
this month and is dying to do a 1.9 R&R? :) :)

I appreciated all the rebuild ideas everyone like "Get a 2.1", "Do a
Subaru", etc. but you have to remember I already bought a 1.9 core, I was
not going to go spend another $400 on another core. And why did I do another
WBX? Because it is the least expensive route at the time and my current one,
rebuilt in a local garage, lasted 12 years and always got me where I wanted
to go.

I will have running 1.9 that needs a water pump and head gasket leak fix for
sale shortly for cheap...

I also will have the 2.1 core that I got from from Ron this past summer.
It's down to the case (but has issues) and I'll be offering that free in a
separate thread.

Thanks,
Bryan