Hellow to the List: I've been following the "Ex... bad engine" thred from digest mode and I would like to add my experience with two Vanagons to Ron Lussier's survey. I have owned two Wasserboxers, each bought new, but each has it's own distinct story. I bought an '84 Wolfsburg which was my first Volkswagon. It sprung head leaks at only 18K miles, VW fixed them and the fix was good for 120k when the van devloped auto trans problems, by then the engine was beginging to show signs of wear but no leaks. I traded the '84 in on a new '91 in '92, now 102K miles and never a leak. I think that the 2.1 engine and digi-fant FI are a significant improvemet over the earlyer engine, not just for torque but over al performance. For what it's worth I think factory specified maintainance and careful driving habits ie. a short warm up and gradual accelleration/decelleration are prudent driving whatever the vehicle. While the '84 always felt a little under powered, the '91 has all the power I will ever need. Conclusion: the Wasserboxer, like many VW innovations, began as an experiment and evolved into a highly efficient and reliable mechanism... which requires prudent use and careful maintainance. When the '91 engine finally wears out I will replace it and keep on driving. If I were still driving the '84 I might be tempted to upgrade to a 2.1 engine but that is as far as I would go vis-a-vi engine swaping. I do not mean to Imply that everyone who has problems with the wasserboxer has been guilty of Vanagon abuse, DPO's do some damge that does'nt show up until down the road and also S--t just happens. And clearly, the earier engines had design flaws. When you think about what a wasserboxer actually is, an airplane engine encased in a water baloon, it's pretty amazing it works at all. And when you look at the overall improvement that the Vanagon represents over the air cooled busses, it seems that re-doing the heads every 100K or so miles is an acceptable down side. Just my opinion of course... Ron Clayton '91 Vanagon GL Cape Girardeau, MO Artist/Professor.............. catch my work at Gwenda Jay Gallery in Chicago, or Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake City, UT |
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