Date:         Tue, 04 Jun 1996 14:33:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      Re: G60 in a Vanagon


>There is a major issue in putting "high performance" VW watercooled engines 

>in Vanagons, etc....and that is the rpms and torque production.
>
>HP doesn't really mean squat for a van....what is necessesary is to produce 

>the torque down on the low end...as opposed to the high end necessary for a 

>"pocket rocket" to cruise down the autobahn.
>
>For example, the 5 cyl gas engine in the Eurovan is an Audi unit, which in
>the Audi 5000 puts out something like 125 hp....the EV unit is "detuned" to 

>105 hp...but its torque band kicks in at about 2000 rpm and stays pretty
>flat....


I agree. In my example, the Chevy 2.8L in the V6anagon is rated at only
112 hp, but has strong low-end torque, enabling the van to keep up easily
with traffic. In an all-out race, I'm sure it would run out of revs over
80 mph or so (I've never tried)... but I don't drive the van at that speed!
If I wanted that, I'd get a Mitsu Eclipse or something.

I used to own a '77 Datsun 810-- a 4-seat sedan with a fuel-injected
240Z engine. That engine had zero torque off the line-- VW buses outran
it from stoplights. The automatic transmission didn't help. But when it
got above 3000 RPM, The torque just got stronger and stronger. It would
cruise at 90 with plenty of throttle left-- an astonishing performance.

That engine is an extreme example of what NOT to put in a VW bus (it's
a straight six-- probably wouldn't fit anyway). Engines with hefty torque
through their lower and middle RPM ranges, are much more suitable. The one
in the V6anagon is like that-- it's a pleasure to drive. Now if the clutch
would only outlast the spark plugs...   :-\

P.S. No, not a torque problem. It's a vibration/alignment problem.

.  *        .       *           .     *  .     *   .     *    *     . 
      *
  .     *     _        .   *     *    .  .   *    .     *    .         *   .
    *  .    _/ \   *   _   .      .  *      *       *    .       *     .
\          /    \_   _/ \      *         *    *        smaher@gi.com
 \   . * _/  /\   \ / () \_       /\_       *      *   .       *    .    .
^ \_    /   _     _/       \    _/   \_ .  .       S T E V E   M A H E R .
    \ /`   ( )   /   <>     \_ /   <>  \      .   *     *    .    .     *
\    \_  ()   __/        ^    \  /\     \_ *    http://www.wp.com/IrishMafia
   /\  \_   _/ ()       / \    \_     ^   \_   *     .    *     *   .   *