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Date:         Sun, 2 Aug 1998 19:30:14 -0400
Reply-To:     Martin Jagersand <jag@CS.YALE.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Martin Jagersand <jag@CS.YALE.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Need 1.6L diesel engine
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com

> Hi folks --

> I need an engine to replace the one in my 'other' van, it seems > to have compression problems and has 250K on it with no rebuilds.

Not bad to get 250k out of the little 1.6l Diesel. Yes, some golf/jetta owners get 300k, 400k and I hear even 500k before overhaul, but thats while driving the small car, not pushing the brick!

> > I don't have much of a feel for how expensive it is to rebuild > one of these babies, but I rebuilt my '81 Westy's airboxer a few years > ago and it cost me about $2K.

You will find that rebuilding the diesel is considerably cheaper. Expect to pay a few hundred in new parts + any machining needed. You can also pick up a rebuilt longblock for about $1000 if you don't want to do it yourself.

> Since I paid $200 for the 'other' van, > that seems a bit silly.

Well, another way of putting it would be that since you got such a good deal on the bus you could spend the money you saved for a throurough rebuild and fixup. This of course assumes the bus is sound.

> On the other hand maybe I don't have > to replace the pistsons, send the cam and heads to california, > replace the oil cooler, etc. If it's just rings, cylinder rebore, > and valves, that sounds like no big deal.

This might be a bit optimistic.

> If I have to > replace rod and crank bearings and resurface the crank journals, > it's starting to approach painful. I really don't want to spend > more than $300 on rebuilding the motor.

If you do it all yourself and shop carefully for the parts you might come in pretty close to $300. Piston kit & rings will be the big ticket item you're likely to need.

> > Anyone got a spare laying around, or some relevant experience? >

Well, I've got a spare, and so do many others. However most "spares" you find are already past their halflife. I'd say that when you count your own time and trouble in finding a spare and installing it the $1000 for a rebuilt is a pretty good deal. With the rebuilt you know what you get. With a spare you don't. Rebuilding it yourself is more of an interesting hobby than a real money saver even if you only value your time at minimum wage.

> p.s. The vw diesel page is on vacation, so.... > Not true! The Diesel WWW page is always there for you when you need a diesel fix! One of the mailing lists is down. The maintainer is on vacation but the other, vw-diesel@pas.rochester.edu is there. See the WWW page below for subscription info. Click on the "links" icon.

/Martin '82 Westy Diesel '85 Quantum Turbo Diesel -- Martin Jagersand email: jag@cs.yale.edu Computer Science Department jag@cs.rochester.edu Yale University

Slow down and visit the VW diesel Westy page: WWW: http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/jag/vw -------------------------------------------------------------------


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