Date:         Sat, 26 May 2012 06:24:30 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Why no bolt-on HP upgrades to the 2.1 WBX?
In-Reply-To:  <CAB2Rwfg_SreYZwDeXe2341PxjSTMXMHQ3Xcct-CMYw2Ls=1a7w@mail.gmail.com>
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  The engine managment system seems to be the 'hold-back' when it comes to
adding performance options to motors like the Vanagon.   In order to take
advantage of anything else that you may bolt on, you first have to consider
how it will 'look' to your electronic engine controller.....The factory
Brain, it wants to adjust things to the way the factory programmed it...if
you bolt in a new cam, say, that might give a performance increase....if
the Brain left it alone, didn't compensate the system back to as close to
'stock'  as it could.   It strives for  the parameters that the factory
programmed into it.

You need a programmable Brain to allow the motor to take advantage of
engine and exhaust mods.  Some tuners advertise performance gains from
"chips" you can somehow install into your factory Brain,  but these don't
seem to perform as well as the ads say...according to people who use them...

   There are multiple options for aftermarket engine control systems that
are user or tuner programmable...but they all are costly.  They all require
some pretty sophisticated tuning and the interface with the wiring and
sensors in the vehicle, that is 'fiddly'...Some of the common EMS systems
in wide use, (like for the inline VW motors the 'Fast and Furious' set
likes to build) there are free programs that other tuners have developed
that are 'floating around' in Cyberspace for the free downloading....but I
doubt there are many for modified Waterboxer motors...so you would need to
bolt on your performance enhancing hardware and then go to the dyno with
your aftermarket EMS and re-program the parameters of the motor to take
advantage of the performance enhancements...Costly, time-consuming, and
often frustrating when all the sensors and inputs do not perform exactly
perfectly and give you frustrating "Glitches" in the system that can be
very difficult to correct.

   Not so cost or time-effective when there are semi-bolt on engine changes
that increase HP fairly cheaply and  also get around the WBX's designed
dependability shortcomings....no offense meant to WBX motor enthusiasts
when I mention the "design shortcomings" that are mentioned frequently when
discussing these motors...

  If you are going to try to get more power by changing or adding hardware
you have to  put install an engine management system that is programmable
to take full advantage of the bolt-on mods, really.   Makes it less
attractive, less actually 'bolt on' if you first have to drop a couple of
grand and a few days at the dyno to get your motor to 'accept' the bolt ons.

On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 11:54 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> I saw that article.
>
> Anyone know if this is Mega Squirt engine management with some variations?
>
>
> On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 2:32 PM, pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> I found this:
> > http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=1532
> >
> > For some reason when they say it it sounds less exciting than when Jim
> was
> > discussing a similar possibility.
>