crankshaft end play also needs to be checked/adjusted ( via shims behind the flywheel ) for this operation. Natureally you want a very high quality new Rear Main Oil seal too.

also ...be aware that the lower engine mounting studs are different lengths between manual and auto trans. Not hard to swap over.. just do it before you're sliding the engine onto the trans and realize you have too long or too short lower engine mounting studs ( that screw into the block ) . it's an easy detail to overlook.

you can go either way .. adapt the 2.1 to having a 1.9 cooling system , so it fits right to your van.

or ..more involved, but better actually .. is convert the van to 2.1 cooling system. There are downsides to that too though, such as many more cooling system parts made of plastic.

here's a nice upgrade I've one on my 85 ..which has a 2.1 converted to 1.9 cooling system. I used the entire 2.1 exhaust system ..so I have room for the 2.1 oil cooler/heat exchanger. All I had to do it plumb it into the 1.9 cooling system somehow.

it just happens that a 1.9 waterboxer vanagon with auto trans has two extra coolant hose nipples on the forward side of that 4 hose junction on the firewall ( they are used to connect to the auto trans oil cooler ) .

all you have to do is plumb that to the 2.1 oil cooler/heat exchanger .. A worth while improvement IMO.

re 'which cooling system' .. for sure .. the 1.9 waterpump and thermostat housing arrangement is just stupid ... the engineers were drunk when they designed that. The long bolts easily get badly corroded in the t-stat housing ...break off, won't come out, etc. sometimes the t-stat cover won't quite clear the exhaust pipe there either to change the t-stat.

( 2.1 has it's weaknesses too .. the plastic t-stat housings just warp and fail .. same with the very nicely hidden Coolant Distribution Tower for 2.1's. )

oh...if keeping the 1.9 Fuel Injection and Ignition , ecu etc... you'll need to swap your 1.9 distributor into your 2.1 block ..not hard to do. AND ..if you want to do it right.. you need to put the 1.9 crankshaft pulley onto the 2.1 , as the timing marks are in different places for those two engines. It 'will work' if you don't swap the pulley over.. but then 'forever' if anyone is trying to actually time it right using the crank pulley marks ..., it won't be right at all.

and ...see how it really goes ON and ON if you want to do it really right.

Crank pulley oil seals don't leak very often .. but ...you should change that wear item too while you have the crank pulley off.

I would say ....if keeping the 1.9 cooling system in the van, and converting the 2.1 engine to be happy as an 'enhanced 1.9' .....8 to 10 hours just prepping the engine so it's ready to go into the van ...doing things right. Sloppy or slam dunk, less of course. I also do things like paint the exhaust in high temp paint ...that all takes time.

my joke saying is that it really takes 3 times as long to do it right. I'm sure I forgot a few details too.

Scott

On 8/17/2015 6:01 PM, C B wrote: > What's the list wisdom on best Portland OR shop for the following engine > swap? Due to a pedestrian-vehicle accident, I can't do this myself. I'm > happy to hire listmembers if they want to pick up some cash for the job. > BBQ and beverages included. > > It's time to swap Cunegonde's 1.9l for her recently rebuilt 2.1l complete > engine and exhaust pre-mounted on engine rails. I'll be retaining the > 1.9l's manual transmission. The 2.1l torque converter and related parts > needs to be removed, and the 1.9l flywheel needs to be bolted in its place. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > I'm aware mating the 1.9l cooling and fuel injection systems to the 2.1 is > a bit of a project. If the shop can't do that custom work, just the > engine/transmission swap is fine; I have the online directions for the swap > and have purchased the relevant parts, such as the 1.9-style waterpump and > a variety of hoses and electrical connectors. I think I can do all the > little bits, even in my current state. > > I have a complete 2.1l ECU and intake set, but would rather not deal with > that since the current fuel injection has been massaged into reliability. > > -- > Bretts > > 1982.5 Manual 1.9l WBX Ivory Westfalia "Cunegonde" >