Date:         Mon, 30 Jun 1997 13:54:46 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         mholser@Adobe.COM (Malcolm Holser)
Subject:      Re: Lumberyard carb conversion

>     Don't fiddle with a half-baked solution.  Chuck the duals (apologies 
>     to anyone named Charles) and buy a Weber progressive conversion kit.  
>     Consists of a complete manifold set (two pair of runners, center 
>     plenum, hardware) and a dual stage progressive carb.  The carb is 
>     usually "spec'ed" to the application by the importer/seller, but 
>     better check.
 
This is especially good advice if you live in a wet or humid area, because
it makes you part of the large group that spends their time discussing their
carb ice problems.  Gives you more of a comraderie and gets you closer to
the true and mystical hobby of Volkswagen fiddling.

I have yet to see one of these setups that addresses the very real problems
of carb ice and everyday driving.  Carb ice typically shows up on cool, wet,
rainy nights.  When you *least* want to be playing with your car.  The duals
generally have no problems since they sit right on top of the hot heads, and
there are no bends in the intake stream.

So if you want to join the VW hobby, go ahead.  If you want a cool ride for
sunny warm California days, go ahead.  If you are taking this to the track
for best time in a bus, go ahead.  If driving on muggy midwest rainy nights, 
and lying under your bus trying to figure out why it drove so well this 
afternoon to the lake, and why it won't drive you home appeals to the macho 
guy in you, spend your money!

If not, then figure out what is wrong with your stock system.  VW managed
to get single carbs to work on these with exhaust-heated intakes, and the
requisite fitting on the exhaust pipes, and hot air intake.  Maybe you can
too.  They never did this on the typeIV.  I wonder why?

You can go to dual Webers or Dells, and still not have carb ice problems.
And if you have a single carb aftermarket setup, and have experienced carb
icing, and have found good solutions, I'd love to hear (although I personally
have no interest in ever changing to something like this regardless).  If you
have a single carb and have not yet experienced carb icing, don't be fooled
into thinking it does not happen.  It will.  These things are definately
fair-weather friends.

malcolm