TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:09 am

I have an '87 Westfalia in need of an engine replacement. I am trying to decide between the tiico and the gowesty 2300. I understand the subaru is a great option but have ruled that out for now. Any feedback would be great.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:17 am

the good thing about the go westy motor is that it is a direct bolt in replacement for your stock motor... after initial purchase, nuthing else to buy. the tiico setup is cool, but after you get the motor, they will nickel and dime you with the small parts. try to find a disel vanagon at a wrecking yard... take all the brackets hoses and mounts....replace disel motor with gas.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:23 am

I just put in a GoWesty 2200 this week, got done yesterday. It went right in, no problems. Ive heard the Tiico is a beast to get the emissions set right.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:02 am

I'm having a GoWesty 2200 put in my '84 standard next week or so. All the other options seemed way too expensive in the end and full of potential delays in getting everything going right. The Subaru conversion seems the least painful but a rough estimate of TOTAL cost for a 4 cylinder 2.2 Subaru motor plus install and all the other random parts was somewhere in the $ 8,000 range to $12,000 for the larger engines. For half the cost I'll have a strong 115 hp motor (the old 1.9 is 80 hp as we all sadly know) with a FOUR YEAR WARRANTY. I would have liked the larger 2.3 or 2.4 but with my pre 1987 1/2 Vanagon I would have had to upgrade a number of parts to the 2.1 models and it would have ended up costing me close to $ 10,000 for a nice 2.4 engine. Anyone who has a 1988 or newer Vanagon should definately consider the 2.3 or 2.4 engine option. GoWesty claims the 2.4 outpowers any of the Subaru or Tiico conversions.

GoWesty pluses:

- Drop-in motor that is more powerful than the 2.1 engine
- Half the cost of the Tiico and Subaru engine conversions
- Guaranteed to work: Tiico is known for problems
- FOUR YEAR WARRANTY.......now THAT is peace of mind
- Spend the money you save on other things for your van :wink:

GoWesty minuses:

- Gas mileage is going to stay around the same
- the 2.3 and 2.4 motors require 89 and 91 octane gasoline respectively
- Being tempted to spend the money you save on other parts for your van

:wink:

Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:18 am

Another plus, is that if YOU put in a Suby'engine YOU have to always fix it.

Stock = stock tools and books

Wierd Tiico/Suabru = Knowing your $h!+, big time.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:38 am

Will GoWesty sell the pistons alone? I could email them myself, but am too lazy :oops:

Iwould like the HP of the subaru and the techno leap as well, but I tend to go with stock oriented parts.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:48 am

:? No...I tried already.... it's all or nothing.. I heard that cb performance and gene berg are making hop up parts (crank, cam, and pistons)

Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:23 pm

I've had the GW 2.2 in my '83 Westy for a couple of months now and am SUPER happy with it. I did the install myself in a weekend. In the end I had about $3300 into it(put in a new clutch and replaced injectors while I was at it). I had considered doing my own I-4 conversion using mounts and bell housing out of a diesel Vanagon. I think I've got the skill and knowlege to pull it off but when I considered the time involved and the fact that the cost would have ended up higher than the GW engine it became a no-brainer. If someone's got the time and money and really wants to flex their mechanical muscles, I certainly wouldn't discourage doing a conversion. I still think it would be a fun project but, for most people I think the path of least resistance is best. The GW is cheap, easy and reliable.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:30 pm

I am happy to hear good talk about GO Westy. I was considering looking into there 2.2 for a future replacement. I have an '87 2.1 with 90hp, and after a trip to CA, it seems like a mere 25 more hp would keep me out of 3rd for the most part. I agree with all above about the advantages of stock. Makes life much easier.

As far as tico or subie, although both very fine motors in their own right, been told the subie is a better choice as it has more low end torque, and its power curve fits the tranny gearing better. The tico's have to wind up too far before hitting there stride when pushing the ol' refrigerator around. Just what I have heard, but makes sense. Remeber the Tico is acutally smaller than the 2.1. And piston size is a big part of lowend torque.

My 2.1 cents.

Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:24 pm

:D acording to their web site they will soon be offering a 2.5..... I am still going to go with the SVX motor, but I am definately be putting one of their 5-speeds... :twisted:

Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:55 pm

:D yeah.....like $2700 though... not sure wheather they are rebuilt german / South African units, or modified 4 speed. they come with factory SA linkage....

Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:57 pm

http://www.gowesty.com/vanagon_ATvsMANUAL.htm look here...

Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:15 pm

I've used the Kennedy kit for the Subaru conversion(1990-1994 2.2 liter ). I did all the work myself. The kit cost me just under $1500, donor engine and harness with 75,000 miles-$700., misc. hardware-approx. $200 for a total of just under $2500 complete. The van was a joy to drive. I kept it for a couple years and about 27,000 miles with 0 problems. The current owner still raves about it.
I will be doing two more of my vans (1988 Wolfsburg 4 speed; 1988 Wolfsburg European version automatic) also using the Kennedy kit. The complete kit including exhaust is still $1500. I bought a 1993 Legacy with 111k miles,wrecked in the rear for $350, which I will use as is. The other donor('90 Legacy sedan) I picked up for $100 and has 275,000 miles. It still runs smooth and quiet, but I will use only the harness and accessories. I will buy a rebuilt long block for $1500. So, even with a rebuilt Subaru long block, the price tag for a do it yourself job will be under $3500.
With some patience, it is possible to learn what you need to know to carry the job out yourself. When you are successful, you will now have the knowledge to address any future issues with your van.....should there be any.

Sat Mar 19, 2005 4:58 pm

"go westy claims the 2.4 outpowers any of the Subaru.....conversions"
Not true.
Go westy 2.4 is claimed 126 h.p. ( must use premium )
Subaru 2.2 is 137 ( regular gas )
Subaru 2.5 is 165 ( regular gas )
Subaru 3.3 is 230 ( and still gets 20 m.p.g. on the highway....

Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:44 am

Levi you trouble maker :D ,

Here's a quote from his website in the Tech Talk Go Westy Engines section

Our 2400cc engine performs more closely to the Subaru 2200cc option, but again without the packaging, vibration, noise, and cost problems.

I LOVE you man ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

:^o

Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:40 am

Vibration?!? Noise?!? If you ask anyone who has ridden in a Subaru powered van, these engines are far smoother and quieter than any waterboxer could ever be, I don't care what line GoWesty is selling you. Packaging?!? Looks better in there than that stock pile of sh.....
The Tiico aka The Vibrator is notoriously buzzy and no more reliable than stock. All there is to say about Subaru's is if you are comfortable installing or working on a waterboxer you can install and maintain the Subaru. Especially since they require very little maintenance. A Subaru swap can easily be done for about the same price as buying a GoWesty. In fact I did my SVX 3.3 swap for the same cost as psych-illogical's GoWesty 2.2. If you don't think you can do the swap yourself, then you are probably better off staying closer to stock, but I wouldn't go near that damned Tiico for any reason, period. As essjayarr sagely stated-
"With some patience, it is possible to learn what you need to know to carry the job out yourself. When you are successful, you will now have the knowledge to address any future issues with your van.....should there be any."

Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:45 am

Lol,

Ok, in a nutshell here's the deal I think:

IF you aren't going to work on the van yourself go with GOWESTY motors

IF you like to tinker or are a real "wrench head" then consider either the GoWesty or Subaru engine.

Tiico seems to have had NO votes of confidence

:roll:

Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:16 pm

Sooner or later I have to deal with replacing my engine too and I have looked at the options.

Tiico is out for me. Too much fabricating or welding, less displacement and the scary line in the instructions that say that a less than perfect injector will burn a hole in the piston. Also, the most expensive way to go.

Suby I will consider if I run into a low milage engine in confirmed good condition. I can't see myself going through the expense and time to install a 200 K mile engine.

Most likely I will rebuild my own engine.

Neal

Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:29 pm

I would like to know the long term reliability of the GoWesty engines. I KNOW a Subaru engine will go well over 200,000 (in general, individual results may vary). Does anyone have a history with a GW engine going xxx,xxx miles?

Also, what kind of mileage does the GW 2200 get? I am talking real world experiences here, and not what GW says on its site.

Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:10 pm

Last time I checked, these guys were selling rebuilt Subaru 2.2 engines for around $1500.
It is possible to buy a wrecked 90-94 subaru Legacy for as little as a few hundred dollars. I recently bought a complete car(1993 Legacy) for $45.
Now you have the engine core, wiring harness and accessories,etc..

http://members.aol.com/CCRInc/RebuiltSubaruEngines.html