Very good points, and I think this is sound advice = for anyone considering a swap that cannot handle their own repairs to = some degree. Having done probably a half dozen engine swaps over = the years (never with a VW, though) I can say that I have never done = one that was "easy" or without some level of initial = pain.
You have to realize that you are trying to out-think = a team of professional automotive engineers that figured out an entire = system for a production car (with all the attendant benefits and = compromises). By changing the engine, you change one element of = that system and must realize that it will have a cascading effect on = the rest of the system (i.e. cooling, brakes, fuel delivery, etc. etc. = etc.).
Many of these reasons are what I think makes the Tii = conversion interesting at first blush - it comes out of a Vanagon after = all - so that team of professional engineers has tackled many of the = "system" issues already (at least one would hope so). =
I certainly know that my Syncro Westy is woefully = underpowered (to the point of being dangerous at times) and although I = have totally adjusted my driving style (and expectations), I still wish = for more power and torque every time I drive it. (BTW, I have = driven non-Westy 2wd Vanagons, and they are very adequately powered, = IMHO)
Will I consider an engine swap in 5 years when Klaus = is ready for a new power plant? Definitely. By that time, = WBX parts are probably going to start getting more scarce, and = "performance" parts will likely be almost non-existent. = I certainly hope I am wrong, but we are already starting to see the = signs of this with the 1.9 L Vanagons. I am just hoping = that all the "kinks" will have been worked out and there will = be a perfect VW replacement that offers 190 hp, uses stock VW parts, = fits in the space under the deck lid, does not reduce ground clearance = on a Syncro, and mates up to the original transmission! = :-)
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Davidson [mailto:wdavidson@thegrid.net]<=
/FONT>
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 10:00 AM
To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN; =
vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Re: I've seen the Tii conversion =
completed
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/articles 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.C=
OM]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!