-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing = List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf Of Robert Lilley
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2001 6:52 AM
To: = vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 2.1L Oil pressure = problem: Rods: SYMPTOM NOT CAUSE:UNBALANCED crank the = ...

<<<Ummm.... It costs NO = more to make a bigger jug or piston or a longer
throwcrank if you are = already changing them a "little"..so that doesn't hold
water(like the head = gaskets!)The "unbalanced washer" STILL doen't account for
the rods...sorry...I'll put the pile of cranks I've ground next to the = pile
that you've groundand we'll compare...I'm gunna stop now..but some = of your
arguments seem to be in defence ofsomething that you've done and = are happy
with..and I agree that the engine issmoother and will live longer = with a
"fully" counterweighted crank..I HAVEused them and they are a = *good idea*..>>>

No,  it does cost VW MORE to add = extra material, change stock dimensions:
mold remakes, retooling, = redesign, etc.  They change parts from metal to
plastic to save weight and = money. They put on ONLY what is absolutely
necessary and not any = more...Remember they are doing 100s of thousands of
engines not one and costs add = up...  American Airlines eliminated one olive
from their first = class salads and saved $40,000 a year.

The crank flex does not need to be = much to cause premature bearing wear.  It
is the rod coming down on = the crank at a slight angle to perpendicular that
starts the wear.

<<<Umm how many people are tired of this? It's WAY = beyond what most owners
needto know...>>>

You might be = tired, but what I am doing is trying to let others that want to
keep the = WBX engine, that they need to know to treat the CAUSE of the problem =
and not the symptom, to get extended life out of their engine and NOT have =
the oil pressure problems due to worn bearings at higher mileage. =

Robert