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