Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 10:46:26 -0400
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Tom Forhan <tforhan@usa.pipeline.com>
Subject: Re (2): Hoo Boy! (1990 - engine transplant)
John said:
>The G60 BTW makes best power and torque from 3000-5500 rpm, aside from >supercharger propganda, in reality you got to have her spooled up >pretty high to get the power, and
in that range particularly pulling >from 3500-5000 or so its power is tremendous.
My biggest frustration with Syncro Westy power is not being able to
maintain at least 70MPH on the Interstate going up mountain passes. Thats
about 4000 RPM for me, so the Corrado G60 power curve sounds great.
Todd said:
>I have been considering installing a late 911 engine in my Westy (snip)
>I read a magazine article about a outfit in CA. that offers a kit to insatall one.
This is Martin Schnieder Design Systems, check the archives. You need a 3.2l (1984) or
later 911 engine -not cheap- if want it to fit under the existing engine deck lid, a
real concern for Westfalias but no real concern for Vanagon trucks, which have extra
space above the engine lid and below the truck bed. About $2500 for the conversion kit,
plus say $6500 for the engine and components. Clean, well thought out. Bill Kennedy has
posted on how to do it without the kit, again, archives. But that heating problem...a
watercooled muffler - what will that do to the emissions? Martin suggests electric
heaters, or including a MBenz electric water heater (designed to warm the Benz before
the engine coolant is up to temp). You might also tap some waste heat from
the oil by using water to oil the 911 oil rather than air. Anyway, this looks like a
$10K solution, to me.
Patrick said:
EA> anyway: what's this about a porsche water cooled six
EA> i guess i better start saving now?
To which John replied:
>Might just be cheaper to see if Oettinger still makes their watercooled 6 which they
>did put in Syncro's likely without even changing the gas tank.
Of course, no one I know has even seen the Boxster engine or knows what problems
the installation faces. But the Oettinger engine sold for $30K. A Boxster will be $50K,
figure half that for a brand new engine at the Porsche parts counter, minus your
Internet discount, of course. Half that from a salvage yard, when the first one is
smashed up? $20K for this 208hp project?
John further said:
>my G60 Corrado has only 158hp stock, this thing must have
>all the typical bells and whistels
The Corrado pages tell me that 158hp is stock, 175hp typical for rechipping,
and 200hp for rechip plus smaller diameter blower pulley and other minor tweaks.
So John, would you like to drive your Corrado for hours at 4000 RPM? How would the
noise level be? Do you think it would hold together?
>Awesome but should be a lot cheaper, heck a G60 motor with all injection components
>goes for $2500 with blower if you scrounge.
Plus, us syncronauts need the bellhousing and stuff, plus figure $1000 for the
groovy fuel tank direct from Germany. $4000 for parts, sounds pretty good compared
to all the viable alternatives, except the dreaded Subaru conversion :-).
>I thought it was a no go (for the syncros) based on engine length and the fact diesels
>had the trannyshoved forward or somesuch.
So we heard. I guess there are about three questions for the next phone call to the the
seller/converter (if he is willing to share his knowledge):
(1) What is the part number for the fuel tank?
(2) Besides the bellhousing, any other mod required to the drivetrain?
(3) What else should a potential converter have to look out for?
Tom F.
