Hi Peter:

Our SA engine has been in and running well for about 1500 miles. 22 mpg and it goes! Ours you might = recall also has the Weddle 5 speed attached to it. What a = spectacular combination. We also have a "sport" type = exhaust on the engine. This consists of a 55mm catalyst from a 16V = Scirocco ( I think the largest VW has made), a 2.5" Walker = MagnaFlo muffler (basically a 6" diam. welded glass-pack), and a 2.25" = stainless tailpipe. Great music and great power. Certainly = louder than stock but not intrusive. After living with this combo = for a little while, I felt as though the engine was running a little = lean (even after setup on the VAG 1552). Knowing that this = can happen with "open" exhausts that create a fuel need beyond the = injection system's ability to compensate, I added an adjustable fuel = pressure regulator with a gauge. Stock regulator showed 28-30 PSI, = which is about where it should be. I bumped the adjustable = regulator to 35PSI. Wow. Now more lean stumbles, throttle = response is instant, top end just keeps pulling. Try = it! Finally, a critical change. We replaced the "GL" badge on = the hatch with an original "GTi" badge.

A question. I do get a pretty significant = vibration/resonance coming through the body at about 4000 rpm when = accelerating. I know that this is a typical problem with inline 4 cyl engines, = but I also know that it can be tuned out. I have not been able = to figure out if the vibration is coming from my non-stock exhaust (could = be, it has broken 2 marginal welds made by me already) or if the motor = mounts are bottoming out and sending vibes into the body. I have = tried various combos of adjustment on the exhaust mounts which do make = some difference, but I don't think that's it. To me it actually = looks like the right motor mount bracket might be squeezing inward too = much and making contact with the rubber on the mount itself under = hard acceleration when the engine is trying to twist. I'm = thinking I might either pursuade it with an 8 lb. sledge, or remove the = mount and slot the mount hole to move ita way from the bracket more. Have = you had any experience with this?

Thanks for making this kit available! Our Vanagon is = a whole different animal!

Gary