Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 13:10:08 -0400
Reply-To: "ErikO@ebyte.com" <erikO@EBYTE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "ErikO@ebyte.com" <erikO@EBYTE.COM>
Organization: Ebyte Communications
Subject: Re: New adapter plate: DIY Engine Conversions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The only person I know of that has purchased a KEP plate is David
Marshall and if I recall correctly he said it was a work of art. Keep in
mind that it also comes with a flywheel and new imput shaft (am I
correct on this David?). It's also important to note that David ordered
his plate with the stock slant for the engine. He didn't have to worry
about deck lid clearance in the crew cab. I believe they also make one
that puts the engine at the stock diesel vanagon slant. That's what most
of us would need.
$500 for the KEP plate might be a little steep, but considering what
you're getting, it might not be a bad idea to fork over the cash to a
company that specializes in making adapter plates for VW's. Sure we
might be able to have them made for half that, but the union between the
engine and trans is pretty important, so you might be better off going
with a tested product. Plus, if they are including other parts to help
make it fit, like the flywheel, ect, then it might be worth the money.
However, if you come up with a good plate yourself, I have several great
machine shops I used to work with that could reproduce it. So I guess if
yours fits well and you're not blowing clutches, lets get some drawings.
The eurospec conversion brags about the Hella wiring harness, which I
bet will appeal to alot of converters. It really wouldn't be too
difficult to go to an electrical supply outlet and buy a dozen spools of
color coded wire and make up your own. You could probably buy enough
wire for $100 to make up 20 or so new harnesses. Sell them for $30 or so
to pay for your time.
If we can get Ron to track down new diesel oilpans and pickup tubes from
an overseas vendor that would solve that problem. It also would be easy
to have a competent machinest/welder to make up a batch of our own. One
benefit to this would be we could make some modifications that would
allow a "standard" oil pump to be used and perhaps change the shape to
make it fit amongst the syncro skidplates.
Intake and exhaust is a side issue with a lot of workarounds, we can
cross this bridge later. Personally I am beginning to think the CIS on
my van isn't the best route to go. I think it has a certain degree of
unreliability and I am almost certain that it isn't as fuel efficient as
other systems. I'm actually looking into the feasibility of going to a
Honda dual port injection system. Call me crazy. If I can make it fit
properly I'll give it a shot. All I'll be out if it doesn't work right
is an intake manifold, cheap. I don't want to go with one of the newer
VW systems because I just don't think that 4 "precision nozzles" can be
as efficient as one injector shooting into two ports. We'll see.
--
_________________________
Erik O Akron, Oh
'82 GTI Powered Westfalia
West.of.Wolfsburg
http://ebyte.com/wow
Greatlakes.Camping.Info
http://ebyte.com/gl
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Ebyte Communications
http://ebyte.com
