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Date:         Wed, 24 Feb 1999 10:49:05 -0800
Reply-To:     Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Subject:      engine conversion experiences (long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Engine Conversions for Vanagon

During my recent stay in Germany I was able to explore several options of engine conversions for the Vanagon. I drove Helmut Zeidler’s Vanagaudi with a 5cyl Audi engine, met Martin Schulte and his 1.9L TDI Vanagon, visited Winkler’s shop where I looked at several of their conversions and drove in a Vanagon TDI with a South African 5 speed transmission, and talked to several people who are known to the list: Michael Meier, Micha Kraewinkel and others. I also phoned people in Germany and Holland regarding availability of TDI engines and parts.

Here is my summary regarding conversions:

Gasoline engines

The Audi 5cyl is a reliable engine with good acceleration and good speed for the vanagon. It is quite an improvement over the waterboxer. Even though Helmut’s engine was not tuned to the optimal level I was positively impressed by the fairly even power distribution.

There are some disadvantages in the installation of the engine: It does not quite fit under the rear lid (although Detlef Hanschke is working on it) and you will lose ground clearance. The exhaust goes from the engine underneath the driveshafts to the muffler and catalytic converter which are suspended underneath the left middle section of the car. From there it returns to the rear of the car. I saw at the Winkler shop in Herne that on Vanagon 5E was fitted with a customized exhaust which exited in front of the left rear tire. In addition the engine is quite bulky and the oil pan is lower than the waterboxers. The engine is supported by a cross bar which is available from South Africa. The engine also requires a slight enlargement of the engine compartment towards the rear. Many details can be found in Helmut Zeidlers description of his conversion on Tom Carrington’s website.

I have come to believe that the Audi 5cyl is a good engine option for a 2WD vanagon. Chris Rosemann who works with Axel Winkler seems to think this is the best engine for the Vanagon. It is also available at very reasonable prices in North America.

I do not think that the 5cyl Audi engine is a good choice for the Syncro when it is used off road because of the reduced ground clearance and the positioning of the exhaust and the muffler which is fairly low and in the line of fire from the left front wheel.

Another option would be the 2.0L 4cyl Audi conversion which David Marshall has done. It would be nice and compact for a Syncro. I have yet to drive it to compare.

Diesel engines:

There are basically two choices in North America: the 1.9L TDI or TD. The TDI is the directly injected electronic Diesel which has impressive torque from very low rpms. I looked at several engines from various sources and saw two installations in Vanagons. Chris Rosemann took me for a testdrive in a newly converted TDI Vanagon with a South African 5 speed transmission. The engine felt quite solid and seemed to have enough power. It pulled easily up to 125km/h in a fairly short distance on the Autobahn. It was fitted under the existing engine lid. I also looked at Martin Schulte’s conversion and talked to him about his experiences.

There are some drawbacks to the TDI: First and foremost the price of the engines is usually very high. I was offered a complete new one for DM10000 and used ones for DM4000-6000. The electrical part of the installation is quite complex. For cars with anti theft devices the original ignition switch and transponder from the donor vehicle is installed under the rear seat of the vanagon. The wiring harness - which is needed for installation - looks quite overwhelming at first. Martin Schulte said that the electrical portion of the conversion was very time consuming.

One disturbing thing during the operation of the engine is its noise and resulting vibrations. This is especially true for driving at high speeds 120-140 kms when no changes are made to the gear ratio of the transmission. The TDI seems to have more vibrations than the TD. The Winkler conversion had no upholstery on top of the engine compartment and was quite noisy.

Martin Schulte also showed me his clutch which had just been torn apart by the TDI. The metal carriers of the pressure plate hadbroken and had made a hole in his bell housing. The TDI needs a stronger clutch due to the high torque.

The TDI has usually 90 hp and can be modified through chip tuning and a variable vane turbocharger to about 115 hp. The increased torque can put a strain on transmissions.

Another option is the 1.9L TD. With an optional intercooler it can produce about 84 hp. It is a bit smoother than the TDI in terms of noise and vibrations and revs a bit higher too. My brother’s wife and mine drive the same model year Passat wagons. The only difference is that they have the TDI and we have the TD engine (without intercooler). I drove both and find the TD a tad slower but smoother.

I would like that some people with TD Vanagons come forward and tell their experiences. Karl Mullendore, just keep it coming. I think your installation with the new tank is probably the way to go.

In Germany I received many different opinions about the various engines. In terms of an evaluation they were quite inconclusive. Engines tend to be used much harder. Either they are run for very short distances or they are run at very high speeds. This makes comparisons difficult.

My opinion, you ask? Well I think that a Diesel is the best for a Syncro when you need low end torque in off road conditions. I am torn between the TDI and the TD with intercooler right now. The high TDI prices and low availability still make it a hard choice from an economic point of view.

Björn Ratjen, Ph.D.

Mill Bay, B.C. Canada ph/fax (250) 743-7575


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