Date:         Tue, 12 Mar 96 18:04 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         khooper@wsp1.wspice.com (Ken Hooper)
Subject:      Re: Rebuilt or Re"Buy"?


thorsland@bigvax.alfred.edu wrote:

>I plan on just pulling it apart and hopping

I've never tried but I don't think hopping will fix it. ;)

>I plan on just pulling it apart and hopping it just has a
>stuck valve or it needs new rings, but if a whole rebuild is needed, wouldn't
>it be better to spend a little more and get a professionally rebuilt engine?

Professionally rebuilt by what professional? Don't know, do ya?

You can spend more and get an engine built by a stranger who doesn't care a
jot about the engine or you either, or you can spend less and do it
yourself and *know* it's right. This is a hard choice?

It takes a long time. My current rebuild project is at about three months.
But once it's done it will be as good as I'm capable of making it. I guaran
damn tee you the assembly-line professional rebuilder can't say the same.

The cost estimates for rebuilding your own vary wildly because there are a
lot of things you can do to tweak (or wallop) and some of them cost a lot.
Crank balancing and performance upgrades and suchlike. But beyond
rebuilding to spec, you decide how much to spend, the engine doesn't.

(OK, I don't decide, the Cruise Director does, but...um...the point remains
the same!)

--Ken
  '71 Bus, '68 Westy