Date:         Thu, 10 Jun 1999 12:39:16 -0400
Reply-To:     Sudhir Desai <desa4622@KETTERING.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Sudhir Desai <desa4622@KETTERING.EDU>
Organization: Kettering University (formerly GMI E&MI) - Flint MI
Subject:      Re: Engine Swap
Comments: To: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@cobaltgroup.com>
In-Reply-To:  <375FE130.9762C38B@cobaltgroup.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

> Good point, the grass is always greener!  I have a feeling we can count
> the conversions on one hand, and those with more than 50,000 miles on
> them are probably nonexistent.
>
> It might be cheaper than converting, and certainly easier, to have a
> spare stock engine in the garage waiting to drop in if the one in use
> fails.  Little hassle, one or two days and you are back on the road.
> Conversions sound appealing, but I too would like to hear from someone
> who has put more than a few thousand miles on one.


i've put about 4 thousand miles on my conversion, and its running strong
as ever,..

the major things i've had to do were rerout the exhaust, the old headers
developed cracks in them after i had header wrap on them and used the van
as my primary mode of transportation over the winter in connecticut.

other than that, i've replaced the tranny(4th blew on the original tranny
which had 210,xxx miles on it, and i've not been able to drive it since,
but my mom who's van it was before i got my grubby hands on it, said it
drives alot smoother than before and she's having problems starting from
stop signs because the van always wants to spin some tire.

anyways, if there are any questions people have relating to engine swaps
and the like, send them my way.

good luck,


Sudhir H. Desai          1984 VW Vanagon 3.4 liter Chevy V-6
desa4622@kettering.edu   sudhir_desai@geocities.com
ICQ# 17014903 & 8255956  http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1889