Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 12:24:56 -0500
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: drew@interport.net (Derek Drew)
Subject: Big Motor Homework/Syncro Glitch--Oettinger, etc.
We've been wondering why the South African Syncros don't use the larger Audi
2.5 litre motor that their 2WD Vanagons use and I recalled something that
suggests the answer.
I remember when I used to correspond with ultra-high-end aftermarket company
Oettinger (germany) that their six cylinder Vanagon motors came in a 180HP
version and a 135HP version (approx. going from memory). They wouldn't
install the higher HP of these two motors in any Syncro as they said the 4x4
transmission could not stand it.
:-(
(I have a 90 Syncro Westy with beautiful paint job on the outside and bashed
up skidplates underneath)
Now, since *somebody* is bound to ask...
1. Oettinger is bankrupt though they still sell some parts
2. Oettinger *did* make a 6-cyl motor for Vanagons (developed on contract
for VW but never put into VW production cause VW decided to cancel the
Vanagon line) but the prices were out of this world. I can't remember now,
but you're probably talking about $20,000 in parts alone, plus duty, plus a
few other mods, (different exhaust, brain, wiring) etc., plus they wouln't
sell for shipment to the USA...
...in other words FORGET ABOUT IT.
There is still a possibility, though, for us to get the parts needed to
transform our Vanagon motors from 2.1 litre size to 2.5 litre size with kits
that Oettinger was selling (parts only) as recently as a few years ago when
I last wrote to them. I believe the kit was something like $2,000. It is
common in Germany to increase the size of these motors from 2.1 litre to 2.5
litre, and Oettinger isn't the only game in town. I cannot recall who else
there does this, however, without going into my files.
A question is how these 2.5 litre motors compare in torque, etc., to the
Audi motors we've talked about.
I spoke to a fellow in Indiana who lived in Germany and moved here in the
USA to run a Bicycle shop he owned. When his Vanagon 2.1 litre motor when
bad he put it in a box and took it to Germany with him because a used motor
was needed as exchange to buy a 2.5 litre motor from one of the shops other
there that do this kind of work. He said he selected a different shop than
Oettinger, partly cause it was cheaper, and then did the exchange. He
brought the motor back into the USA on some kind of freight shipment thing
and installed it in his Vanagon in Indiana. Then, about a year later, he
lost interest in his vehicle and sold it to a young couple in California
somewhere near San Francisco.
I begged him for the phone number of this couple and he complied to give it
to me. When I spoke to them on the phone they sounded happy to talk to me
about their car but didn't know much about the motor. "Did you know that you
have the only Vanagon in North America with a 2.5 litre motor?" I asked.
"No," they responded. And then something to the effect of: "We *thought* it
seemed peppier than our other Vanagon going up hill. That's neet." But then
they related that they weren't comfortable having a van with non-standard
parts and what if they needed a part that their dealer didn't have.
They said they had been very pleased with the vehicle but that for some
reason (YOU GUESSED IT!) the transmission had broken down (My comment: too
much power broke the Trans????????). They said they had taken it to a
transmission shop which had spent so many hours on it, and such frustration,
that they would refuse to ever again work on a syncro trans though they
would take 2WD transmissions gladly.
end of data dump--hope you're glad to hear it
--Derek
___________________________________
Derek Drew
drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail)
derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup address, checked infrequently)