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Date:         4 Jan 95 08:02:58-0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         /PN=mike.catlin/OU=cdf/PRMD=pb-ccmail/ADMD=pacbell/C=us/@pbconnect.com
Subject:      1982 Westy

Geoffry,

You asked about "performance of diesel vs. gas engines":

My '82 vanagon diesel (before it died) could manage about 40mph in third gear up any grade on the interstates. I've passed a few vanagons, probably aircooled types, but I doubt they were racing. The newer gas watercooleds seem to motor by me uphill at about 50mph. My top speed on the flat, no wind, is 64 mph. It gets 27 miles per U.S. gallon almost every time.

An article in _VW_Motoring (p.66, August 1989) said: "...the power output of the van version...was identical to that of the type 2 1.6 litre flat-four petrol motor...The paper figures may have been the same, but most who drove the diesel van considered performance to be inferior to that delivered by the air-cooled engine." Tested top speed was 64mph. Half loaded, zero to 50mph took 25 seconds. With a five-speed trans., top speed is 68mph.

You also asked about "diesel specific things to watch out for":

Watch out for air bubbles in the coolant and an oil puddle on the block, just below the head gasket. Watch out for things that have been vibrated to death, like the muffler, air filter system, alternator mount, crank pulley. The plastic air filter housing, if damaged by clumsy mechanics, will cost $170 for the new part. Same price for the muffler. Rod bearings can take a beating on these vehicles, too, but you won't hear the knock until it's too late. I always have an oil sample tested for wear elements. It's a very sensitive test-- bearing, piston, and cyl. wear can be differentiated. Diesel truck shops would be able to refer you to a lab. I send mine to Analysts, Inc. in Oakland, Calif.. Their phone is 800-424-0099. Cost was $26.35. They saved me from buying a bad vanagon once.

Finally, you asked about "how long between overhauls"?

Well, I estimate my vanagon made it about 180,000 miles on the original diesel engine before rod bearing failure. (The odometer broke a few years before the engine did.) But, I recall worrying about the engine after 100,000 miles. There was an article in _VW_Motoring_ a few years ago about "The 200,000 Mile Diesel Transporter", but I haven't read the article. If I can find my index, then I'll post the reference to the list sometime in the future.

Thanks for asking, Geoffrey, and best of luck in your purchase.

Please post this to the list if you think the information will be useful to others. I am experiencing technical difficulty posting to the list at this time.

Mike


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