Brent,
 
Yes it would be great to see all the = engine conversion options organized on a web site...
 
But I think it is also important for = people to know what kind of a choice they are making when the do a = conversion.
 
That is, the choice to deal with the = smog laws in their state which may not allow conversion... far better to know this = before than after.
 
Also, it is important to know that = after a conversion it may be had to get a mechanic to work on your engine... I = doubt any VW dealer would touch it... and the best VW mechanic I know (George of = German Motors in Tahoe City) said of conversions: "We don't do them, and we = won't touch one anyone else has done."
 
And even if you find a local mechanic = that will work on it, what happens when you are far from home... who will you find = to work on a conversions out in Utah or Wyoming or....
 
Perhaps the only people that can live = with the service situation on a conversion are people who are committed to doing = their own engine work and people who have a mechanic that will work on it and = they don't drive all that far from where their mechanic is = located.
 
It's easy to get excited about a = new/better engine... it's a nice dream.... but there are some realities that are = best considered before committing to a conversion.
 
My 2 cents...
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN
To: 'Bill Davidson' ; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 = 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: Re: I've seen the = Tii conversion completed

Yes, I know it will be a while before it is a viable = option in California (that is probably an understatement given the dealings I = have had with CARB in the past).

I am not thinking about it for me (I have a VW = Canada motor with only about 35,000 miles on it right now, so hopefully it will be = a long while before I need a conversion!)  I am thinking more in terms = of inclusion in the www.vanagon.com/info/articl= es web site area.  I think information on the various options and = peoples' impressions of their choices would be a valuable asset to the = site.

Thanks Bill.

Brent Christensen
'89 GL = Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA


-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Davidson [mailto:wdavidson@thegrid.net]
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 9:42 AM =
To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM =
Subject: Re: Re: I've seen the Tii conversion = completed


Brent,
I wouldn't get too = excited about the conversion...
I know you live in California.
Can you imagine what it would = take to get a conversion past the
----- Original Message = -----
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Monday, June = 05, 2000 9:27 AM
Subject: Re: I've seen the Tii = conversion completed


Thanks for the great information.  I know there = are a lot of people watching this topic very closely.
The comment about the cruise control puzzles me - does this mean that = there is no cruise control option in South Africa, or is it just not included in = the kit?

Brent Christensen
'89 GL = Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.CO= M]On Behalf Of A & C Grobey
Sent: Sunday, = June 04, 2000 9:23 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM =
Subject: I've seen the Tii conversion completed =


If anyone is curious, I got a look at a completed = Tii conversion on Thursday.  My sister bought the kit and had it = installed by her mechanic.  I stopped by to visit the mechanic and took it for = a test drive.  My thoughts and the mechanics comments are as = follows:

 
Positive things:
This is a very clean conversion.  It = looks like it belongs there.  The dipstick and coolant are still accessible = through the license.  The engine fits with lots of room to spare and no = need to raise the deck lid.

The engine idles very well.  There is less = vibration than a WBX on idle.
The oil filter is very = accessible and easy to reach.
You use the stock muffler/Cat = and the stock fuel injection.
  =
Not so Positive things:
The air = Intake to the Fuel injector just after the air filter has two plugs in it.  It = seems like these would blow out pretty easily on a backfire or even just vibration.  The air filter is also hard to reach.

There is no cruise control option enabled.  I = think they'll have to rig something.
The camshaft = pulley seemed off center and kind of warbled a bit.
No Oxy sensor.  Could be a problem for DEQ.
 
The mechanic liked the kit and the way it = ran.  Both of us drove it up a very steep hill near his shop and were = impressed with the power band.  We were able to accelerate from 55 up to 65 on = the hill.  In my van, you can only accelerate to about 58.  The = mechanic did not have the best opinion of Peter (the guy who sells the = kit).  His first complaint was that they had a bad transistor coming off the = coil.  The replacement was hard and very slow to get.  Once they got it, = it wasn't a Telefunkt or Bosch but some cheap Taiwanese transistor.  = He also told me that the instructions had bad info on the scan tool.  = Other than those few problems, the install was pretty smooth.  He just = didn't like the way Peter didn't seem so eager to help.  They were led to = believe this kit had been installed many times before, but the reality is this = was his first US shipment.  They were in it for 30 hours and they figure = the next time will take about 20.

 
I am very = interested in the kit for my Carat.  However, I would definitely miss the low-end = torque.  My Waterboxer is running too well right now (knock on wood) to think = about it just yet!