Date:         Thu, 18 Dec 1997 21:58:53 -0800
Reply-To:     Marilyn Nelson-Ehret <ehretrm@SEANET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.sdsc.edu>
From:         Marilyn Nelson-Ehret <ehretrm@SEANET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Conversion Commotion
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 09:24 PM 12/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Volks,
>    I see many posts about converting waterboxer vanagons to other forms
>of power plants and I'd like to put my 2 cents worth in on the subject.
>I'll probably get flamed for this but here goes.  First, the boxer motor
>is a fine engine.  Proper maintaince is the key.  (as it is with all
>thing mechanical).  Many of the problems with coolant leaks, IMHO, is
>VW's own fault.  They tell the owners that the coolant system needs no
>maintance for 100K miles.  I don't care who sells the product, green
>coolant needs to be flushed every 2 years or 24K miles. (the new red is
>said to go 100K)   As the coolant runs through the system and with time,
>it starts to turn acidic.  Cast iron can withstand that type of coolant
>alot longer than aluminum can.  This is also when deposits build up and
>concentrates the acidic coolant.   (right at the mating surfaces of
>those boxer heads)  Subaru's used to have the same problem, they just
>figured out how to fix it.  I remember subaru's needing headgaskets
>about every 50K miles.  I guess VW figured it wasn't worth the trouble
>to fix the leaking problem considering the relative low production
>numbers of the Boxer engines. Many other countrys got in-line 4
>cyclinder engines (SA) or continued air-cooling much later than the US
>did.  Anyone who has had experience with the boxer engine knows, many of
>the parts are direct from the realiable old Type 1 engine.  Oil pump,
>cam, rocker arms and valve covers.  Even the crank is nearly identical.
>Now many know how well the old type 1 engine held up to stress. So it
>watercooled cousin can hold up as well. Keep that coolant clean and
>you'll enjoy many years of trouble free driving.
>        As an owner of a conversion vanagon (diesel to gas) I cannot look down
>my nose at anyone who wishes to do the same.  However, the one thing
>that bothers me is trying to install a non-VW engine.   Now, many have
>and will convert their bus to Subagons, Vanachevys or Porschnagon
>there's not much I can do about that. But let me say this, when you
>deciede to sell that bus, for whatever reason, the value of the bus will
>probably be less than  one in similar condition with a stock motor.
>Many people will see the conversion and pass because its a hybrid and
>will not want the headaches. Plus the next owner will not have the
>advantage you have knowing what is in the bus.  This will make it
>difficult to obtain parts and service.  Many of those conversions need
>special fabricated parts, and what if they break on the new owner?
>Cost is another factor, I've seen the Porshe conversion cost nearly
>10,000 dollars (with the price of the motor and kit).  I can rebuild a
>waterboxer about 5 times for that price.  Even if you get 80K miles out
>of each boxer motor thats about 400,000 miles. With an average of 12K a
>year, the bus will be 33 years older by then.  I don't think many buses
>will be road worthy at that point.  Hey, you never know, lota splittys
>still out there.
>        Your saying, well 'I plan on keeping this bus until its not worth
>fixing'.  If you keep that bus until its dead, great.  But what about
>servicing it yourself? Now you have to know how to work on a Subaru as
>well as a VW.  Then you have to go over to subaru to buy engine parts
>and back to VW to buy the rest. Lots of extra time wasted.  Don't even
>think of bring it to a dealer for service, they'll laugh you out of the
>shop. (many smaller shops will too)  So now you have to do ALL the work.
>Maybe for you thats fine too.  It might get old after a while.
>        I guess what I'm saying is stick with what you got.  Or as least keep
>it VW.  My bus looks stock and all the parts come right from
>Volkswagen.  So replacements are easy to get.
>        I'll step off my soapbox now.  You may return to your lives. Thanks for
>the time, take care.
>--
>                                                        Happy Holidays!!
>
>                          -Jim Digennaro
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>          LiMBO, The Late Model Bus Organization, international
>                               zzzzzzzzzzzzz_
>                               |E[__][__]|[_]\\
>          '82 Westfaila 'GTi'  |  _ LiMBO| _  ||    'The VW DJ'
> '82 Lil Red Rabbit (Wife's)  =-( )------( )-==
>James Digennaro, LiMBO Treasurer, Merchandise sales and Webmaster.
>20 First St
>Adams, MA 01220      URL: http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/
>LiMBO LINE: (413) 743-1814
>                    'Transporters By The Tunnel'
>                 A fun camping event held in July
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Jim, your comments were interesting to say the least.  I too, until reading
your soapbox item, thought that it is OK not to change coolant per VW.  This
doesn't make much sense to me because nothing lasts forever, however I
bought VW "don't need to change coolant".  However, with 125,000 miles on my
90 Syncro Westy, I,m going to change coolant this weekend.  Is it necessary
to use the phosphate-free antifreeze?  Will the regular brand of coolant, ie
Prestone, Prime, work OK?  Should I follow Bentley manual for R&R.  Thanks,
Roger Ehret, Gig Harbor, WA (Limbo member)
>,