Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:07:39 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Buying a Van
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reply-type=original
what a tactful way to put it ! .......
'could be bothersome.'
:-)
that's another vote for the 85 stock legal waterboxer.
which still has to pass a smog check - .that year vehicle in CA though , I
believe.
on the 82 .....he could always say 'I bought it to convert back to a diesel
and I just haven't gotten it rountuit yet.'
you can .........legally get the later engine converted-to gas Diesel
Vanagon examined by a Smog Referee in CA ..and if it's good smog equipment
wise .........then they sniff it ..
if it's legal for the newer gas engine ......they give it their blessing,
and it smogs as the year of the engine from then on. I did it
once.....legally in Ca ....82 DV Westy with 88 Jetta RV code ( 100 hp ...but
they are weak on real guts ...smooth though, and very, very reliable, and
cheap to get used ) . Ran great , passed a smog ref just fine but at 65 on
a hill, there wasn't much there.
Don H. may chime in..he loves his . 2.0 block, 1.8 head.
When I find time I will get my DOHC 16 valve 87 jetta 1.8 inline four going
in one of my vans.
'bothersome' ..that's cool.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sullivan Scott" <se7en.scot@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: Buying a Van
Dan,
On the van that is a diesel converted to gas, you may want to be
cautious. It is illegal to swap an engine that was not originally
approved for that van except in certain already approved or otherwise
bla bla bla legal talk legal talk...
If you buy the van and register it as a diesel and it is really a gas
motor and it can be shown that you did this in order to skirt the CARB
laws it could be bothersome.
On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 12:00 AM, Daniel Rotblatt
<d.rotblatt@verizon.net> wrote:
> Scott,
>
> Thanks for the input. I remember now that it is a 1.8. Good info on
> the difference between CIS and EFI. I'll look to see. From what I
> know on the tranny, the transaxle on the diesel has the starter motor
> on the top while the air cooled one has the starter off to one side.
> The 85 weekender is a westfalia (regular pop top) but weekender
> inside - description says "fold out bed, swing arm table, rear facing
> seat." I figure if I get that with the extra engine I'll rebuild at
> least the top end if the compression, etc. checks out and then swap
> it out and know I have a reliable engine. And while I'm doing that I
> can still drive it!
>
> Dan
> L.A. CA
>
>
> On Apr 13, 2011, at 10:28 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>
>> Hi Dan ..
>> all sounds good.
>> on the 82 Diesel ...Westy I assume..
>> the inline four gas engines are usually a 1.8 ..
>> or sometimes a 2.0 with a 1.8 head on it.
>> there are two kinds of fuel injection it could have ..one is CIS
>> easily
>> identified by numerous braided fuel lines running 'everywhere' almost
>> ....bit of a messy tangled engine compartment..
>> and that fuel injection is regarded as problematic.
>>
>> the 'good kind' of EFI is electronically controlled ...identified
>> by having
>> just wires to a fuel rail..
>> and no braided fuel lines running around. That's the much better
>> set up.
>>
>> the trans on the 82 diesel, if it's a gas engine and it 'goes well'
>> like 65
>> easily ...75 etc it most likely has already had a DK 4 speed from an
>> air-cooled vanagon put in it.
>> that is the standard trans upgrade for 82 diesel vanagons.
>> in 83, in waterboxers they went to a whole other style of shift
>> linkage
>> and somewhat different trans ..in diesels it's the rare 5 speed
>> that year.,
>> also with the improved shift linkage.
>>
>> if it's screamin' its guts out at 60 to 65 ...it's likely the stock
>> 82 DV
>> 'DZ' code trans ..
>> if it'll do 65 to 70, even 75 without extreme strain, it's likely been
>> swapped to the proper DK trans from an air--cooled vanagon.
>>
>> I have heard of random spot checks in Ca to make sure a vehicle is
>> still
>> really a diesel.
>> Don't know first hand of a case..
>> but I have read that before.
>>
>> on the 85 ..
>> Weekenders are in many ways the best body configuration . ( well, not
>> counting Adventurewagons )
>> they have the most interior volume of any factory vanagon ..
>> the head room is nice.. a skylight or bronze-gold plexiglass plain
>> solid
>> skylight is really nice to have in them.
>> 85's usually have a skylight in the poptop. 82's never do that
>> I've seen.
>>
>> the full rear bench seat with big trunk under it in the
>> Weekdender....., all
>> nice.
>> I've had two 85 poptop vans...the first one a Wolfsburg Weekender..
>> very desireable body configuration oin a vanagon I say. Both vans
>> will hold
>> value nicely if they're decent and taken care of.
>>
>> as for he spare used 1.9 wbx ....good to have one ..
>> but unless it's medium fresh ..they usually really need head
>> gaskets and I
>> like to have a regular valve job done on the heads at then too.
>>
>> sounds like fun.
>>
>> re
>> "$5k is my top dollar or i would go for an > '86-91 model."
>>
>> usually $ 5K will not get an 86 to 91 Westy unless it needs a LOT.
>> those can be up to twenty grand even sometimes.
>> 7 passenger no problem ......( $ 5K still on the low side ) but 86
>> to 91
>> Westy's if at all good are most often much more than
>> $5K ...especially on
>> the west coast.
>>
>> Scott
>> www.turbovans.com
>> southern oregon ..
>> long time califiornian.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Daniel Rotblatt" <d.rotblatt@VERIZON.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:55 PM
>> Subject: Buying a Van
>>
>>
>>> Hi all. I'm new here, just now shopping for a vanagon westfalia. I
>>> was wondering if I could get some input on some vans available in the
>>> area that I'm interested in. I'll be looking at them this coming week
>>> and wanted to get some input as to what to look for. I'll modify any
>>> info I get with the condition of the car as i see it - especially
>>> rust (which I know is a real issue). I've done a lot of reading and
>>> I am mechanically inclined - I've just finished rebuilding a 1966
>>> triumph spitfire, and I had a '67 split window van (with the mini-pop
>>> top) back in the day. $5k is my top dollar or i would go for an
>>> '86-91 model.
>>>
>>> The first van is a 1982 diesel with a gas jetta engine from the
>>> nineties (1.8 or 1.9 liter I believe). I know to look to see if the
>>> transaxle (or is it a transmission in these?) is from a later model
>>> cause the diesel ones are geared differently and the 1980-83
>>> transaxle aren't very good. Second I will check the compression on
>>> the engine and look at the plugs to see how worn it is. The
>>> advantage of this van is that the engine is more powerful and there
>>> is no smog check (I'm in california - smog checks are a b**ch). They
>>> want $5k.
>>>
>>> The second is a '85, some body dents in front and a few dings, 1.9
>>> water cooled engine. Also $5K. It's a westy top and weekender
>>> inside, which I like (wider bed, dont need the stove - I set up a
>>> table with a stove when I camp - fridge might be nice). Advantage to
>>> this one is that he has a second 1.9 engine which he says is in
>>> running shape. Also, his other car broke down the other day and he's
>>> using it as a daily driver - which I think indicates some level of
>>> reliability.
>>>
>>> Anything else specific to look for when I look at them?
>>>
>>> Thanks all, I appreciate any input. I'm leaning towards the '82 - I
>>> like the idea of no smog.
>>>
>>> Dan
>>> Los Angeles, CA
>
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