Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 18:44:51 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes57@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes57@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: digijet engine swap? Reply to Ken's comments!
There are a lot of reasons why most shops do not want to get involved in
engine conversions. Most of these revolve around the following issues.
1) Cost. How do you even provide an estimate on doing a conversion unless
you have done it? What is the customer willing to pay?
2) Warranty. Who eats what if it doesn't work?
3) Liability. You get this big engine installed and you run into a tree
because the brakes can't take the extra power or the transmission fails. Or
the diesel to gas conversion burns to the ground because the diesel fuel
system wasn't designed for gasoline.
4) The Law. Especially emissions. Who gets blamed when you can't get a
sticker for the car? Also, a shop owner or worker that changes anything that
has to do with the emission control system is liable for very heavy fines
and possible jail time. Part of the emission control system includes fuel
storage. Yes, converting from diesel will require replacing the entire
fuel system including tank, carbon canister, and the vapor recovery system.
As more states go to centralized emissions and stricter inspections, this
will become a real issue. I just had a friend install a modified 350 in a
Firebird. Went for inspection, as soon as they see the feedback carburetor
removed, they refuse to inspect him. He had to get an illegal sticker.
Next year, we are going to go to a new system that will also include
photographing parts of the car to make sure that it is the said car on the
DYNO. I guess he will be out of luck.
Anyway, these are issues that many shops consider for all work performed.
No-one wants to disappoint a customer as that only hurts their reputation.
Remember, all shops are in business to make money and Auto repairs is a lot
tougher than it looks. All work has to be considered for profitability and
risk. I used to convert diesel rabbits to gas many years ago. By the time
you finished with the non-sense, it became easier to have the customer sell
the car as is and by what they want. Something like converting a Bus to
camper. Lots of time and money and the finished product is never right or
worth it.
As for the Waterboxer being a bad engine design, I agree that it has flaws,
however, if taken care of it will provide service as good as most engines.
My 87 Syncro has 152K on it and the engine has not been touched except for
the water pump. It has survived many long trips including cross country and
New York to Alaska. Lets face it, when this engine dies, the replacement
should last until after the van dies for other reasons. I won't be
expecting much at 300K.
Actually it's amazing, in the days of air cooled busses I rebuilt engines
and with water-boxers I get to rebuild transmissions!
My 2 cents worth,
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: KENWILFY <KENWILFY@AOL.COM>
To: Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU <Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU>
Date: Monday, December 08, 1997 6:34 PM
Subject: Re: digijet engine swap?
>I think the problem is fear and ignorance. I think alot of people don't
know
>about the swap option in the first place. In the second place I think that
>they are afraid to try the conversion. Why? Alot of these guys are not
>changing the motors themselves they are going to the dealer or a mechanic
and
>getting the work done. The dealer wants you to pay him $3000 to change out
>your waterboxer (one of the easiest motor pulls you will ever do -my time
is
>under 2 hours) so he will not suggest that you do a conversion. Most
owners
>don't know how to do a engine swap like this and are afraid of trying
thinking
>it will be difficult or that they could not find a mechanic do to such a
swap
>for them. Well any good mechanic that is worth his salt could do one of
these
>conversions and so could most shade tree mechanics if they were determined
>enough. I just found a Diesel Vanagon in my local Junkyard today and I am
>definately considering doing the Waterboxer to Jetta motor swap.
>So the problem as to why people don't do the swap is not that it is hard or
>expensive or not as good, but it is more of a fear and ignorance thing and
>that is what we should be fighting here on this list. If we spread the
word
>enough maybe enough owners will do the conversions to make others
comfortable
>with it and we can get these vans on the road and be enjoying them instead
of
>them being stuck at the dealer or giving us problems.
>PS Your mechanic is blowing smoke about the digijet swap being harder. I
>can't see how it would be since you don't use any of that stuff when you
swap
>out the motor anyway.
>Ken Wilford
>John 3:16
>
