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Date:         Wed, 25 Dec 2013 14:40:12 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine woes - what to do? Cars with more possiblities!
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Yes! Any car with a conventional front engine driving the rear wheels via drive shaft and solid rear axle. On all of these use most any engine-transmission assembly your wish and even change the rear axle!

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jim Felder Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 3:08 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Engine woes - what to do?

Does anyone know of a car that has more engine swap possibilities than a Vanagon?

Jim

On Tue, Dec 24, 2013 at 6:28 AM, Jack R <jack007@comcast.net> wrote:

> I know a couple volks who are very pleased with their Bostig conversion. > http://www.bostig.com/ > > In my case, I came very close to putting in a 2.5l 5 cly TDI (owned > the motor, and was ready to proceed), but the cost to beef up the > trans due to the torque of a diesel among many other things, resulted > in converting my > 84 > Wolfie to a 2.1L out of a 91 in tip top shape. Very pleased in all. > As I use my Westie for a few weekends of Michigan Camping, and put > about 5,000 miles on it a year, the ROI from the costly conversion to > get more MPG or performance is not there for me. > > Each conversion is a unique decision, and Scott makes some valid > points on your current situation. > > Good luck with whatever you do... I'll speak for everyone on this > list, we ALL hate to see any Vanagon leave circulation!! > > Jack R. > 84 Westy Wolfie with a 2.1L (owned since 87, and restored to original > splendor) > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On > Behalf Of Scott Daniel > Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 7:14 AM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Engine woes - what to do? > > I'll have to second this. Inline 4 gasser didn't pop into my mind as a > solution out of the poster's current delema .. > but yeah .. > simple , cheap, durable, easily repalced, all VW , good fuel economy, > decent power .. > there is a lot to like in a VW-based I4 gasser conversion. > > ...if I ever find time to my to play with my 3 actually.... ..mutter > mutter. > > > On 12/23/2013 4:07 PM, Don Hanson wrote: > > I'll chime in for the inline VW swap as probably the simplest and most > > economical way to go. Like Jim, I really like the power, the fuel > > economy and the overall simplicity of having a VW motor on VW parts in > > my VW van. I did keep the Digifant 1.8 liter head and all the wires > > do plug right in, pretty much. It bolts right in using VW diesel > > parts that are available and proven...the diesel VW engine is the > > same block as the gasser, so all the parts for mounting it are factory > > stock. ABA blocks are also identical. My motor cost me about $600 > > to build from a $300 Jetta ABA and I sold off the extra parts to > > almost make a profit. > > You can find almost unlimited inline VW motors for under $500 > > all over everywhere. The only downside is there is no one source of > > information on this particular swap, not that it needs a lot of > > explaining. Inline parts are dirt cheap, they are simple to work on > > and quite robust. I was a VW rookie when I got mine already > > converted, but the fellow who did the conversion was a carpenter and > > not a mechanic. I've since done a lot of swapping around and > > messing with it, mainly to learn and because they are so cheap and > > simple....They are easy to mess with....I never HAD to work on mine > > much, but I chose to go to the ABA 2.0 liter block after reading > > about it and finding one for $300...Took me 2 days, about to swap all the > > stuff over and re-install it into my van. I have a spare motor now, > > too...should I ever need one. > > > > On Mon, Dec 23, 2013 at 1:09 PM, Todd Last <rubatoguy@comcast.net> > wrote: > >> After almost 230,00 miles my '88 Vanagon is displaying symptoms of > >> a > head > leak - I have not yet confirmed this or done a recent compression > test, but plan to do so. I have concluded that one of the worst > things you can do to your van is not use it. Bad things happen when they are left sitting! > >> In any case I am looking at my options, and started out thinking > >> about > replacing the heads, then thought if I was going to do that, I might > as well put in new piston rings too, and well, once you do that you > might as well go a step farther and do an engine rebuild. Of course, > once you get there, the question becomes, stock, modified (like > GoWesty) or engine swap. In looking at these options, it looks like a > cost of $5,000 or more. From what I have seen, Subaru conversions can > reach over $10K. Yikes! > >> > >> I was wondering if I could get opinions on the best course of > >> action in > this situation, not wanting to spend tens of thousands of dollars. > Would list memebers give me their 2 cents worth and if possible, what > the aproximate costs for the various solutions range from? I'm not > sure if it makes more sence to just install new heads and hope for the > best, or go full bore and swap the engine. > >> > >> What does the voice of experience say? Anyone out there have > >> opinions on > the GoWesty performance engines vs. a Subaru transplant? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Todd > >> '88 Westy > >> >


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