| Author |
Message |
EXITSTRATEGY
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2006
Posts: 450
Location: rolling thunder river company, nantahalla gorge. NC
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
what i thought the first time i saw a subaru engine: this is what a wbx should look.
what i thought the first time i drove a subaru: this is how a bus should drive.
_________________
I'm living down by the river and i don't even have my 'van'... |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
buspor63
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2005
Posts: 1179
Location: Knoxville,TN Where America stops for gas
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Perhaps bad ettiquette to quote myself, but what the hey.
I've emailed the sellar two times in the last week with no response...so...I figure they dont really want to sell parts. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Wellington
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004
Posts: 2005
Location: Montreal
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I believe those are AA performace pistons. Initially had a bad review, but I think they have been reworked and are fine now. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Ask the seller. But 4 liners and pistons for under $300 sounds dubious.
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
buspor63
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2005
Posts: 1179
Location: Knoxville,TN Where America stops for gas
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
psych-illogical,
There are many reasons for the many things that many of us do. At this point, I simply can not decide what I want, either. I am worse than a woman on this engine topic, as for me, I can't conclude a GREAT answer to this engine question.
This is NOT our only car. It is NOT a daily driver. But, it has to be dead nuts reliable. It runs fine. It is a toad. So I fix the things to make it reliable. It has to be safe. I do not think with such weazer of an engine that it is a safe car to drive on the crazy So Cali freeways.
I am similarly mechanically inclined. I have rebuilt and installed enough engines and dome some conversions. Do I have time or will to do it? Yes, no, maybe. Do I care about that part? NO. I simply can not decide what is the best thing. I guess there is not a best thing........
UGH!
Sorry for the non sense rant...
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
psych-illogical
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2004
Posts: 1181
Location: AZ
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
There's an awful lot here in this thread already so I didn't read everything here. Kinda skimmed a few of the comments so forgive me if I'm repeating too much.
I've got the 2.2 GoWesty in mine. 12,000 mi. and no problems. Still no rocket ship but noticably more oomph than stock. I'm quite happy. To go any bigger, if you're exchanging a 1.9L, they nail you for a core charge since the 1.9 and 2.1 blocks are different. This runs the price up a fair bit and I'm a cheapskate. Would've loved the 2.4L but not at the extra $$$.
The Suby motors seem to have quite a strong following and I'm sure they're a really great motor at a relatively reasonable price. The big issue I can see here is that you either have to be very mechanically inclined and willing to take on the conversion yourself or, find one of the few shops around willing to do the work for you. And then, be sure you live near one of the few shops willing to service/troubleshoot any future issues you may have. Granted, the Subaru's are inherently very reliable but once in a while, things need attention.
There is only one shop here where I live that'll even touch a Vanagon so I've learned my vehicle top-to-bottom and inside-out. I also have the mechanical savvy and backround to have done a conversion myself but I didn't have the time. This is currently my only car and I literally needed something I could yank the old engine out of and put in a new one and get it running in a weekend. The GoWesty motor was literally a plug-in job. I'm sure I coulda messed with a Suby conversion for weeks.
_________________
83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold 
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GeorgeL
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006
Posts: 7346
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Tomswesty wrote: |
| The VW dealership in town refused to even talk to me about working on my westy. It's too old they said and wouldn't even change my transmission fluild. Parts are not carried there either so if it wasn't for the places on the internet I would really be out of luck for parts. But then again I am also putting a 2.2L EJ22 135 HP in instead of repairing my leaking head. |
Is your westy a wasserboxer? I guess that they don't want to see any VWs with the engines in the right end!
That Subaru is such a nice fit that VW should have just bought their engines from Subaru to begin with.
George |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tomswesty
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2005
Posts: 194
Location: Moscow, ID
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The VW dealership in town refused to even talk to me about working on my westy. It's too old they said and wouldn't even change my transmission fluild. Parts are not carried there either so if it wasn't for the places on the internet I would really be out of luck for parts. But then again I am also putting a 2.2L EJ22 135 HP in instead of repairing my leaking head. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GeorgeL
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006
Posts: 7346
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| vwmaniaman wrote: |
| How many Suby parts will be available through our usual supply stores in 10 Years?.. |
Probably a lot more Subaru parts than wasserboxer parts!
As I said before, Subaru has parts readily available for the EA71s from the '70s. Get any parts for a '70s VW from a dealer lately? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vwmaniaman
Samba Member
Joined: June 07, 2005
Posts: 600
Location: Grand Rivers,KY
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
| How many Suby parts will be available through our usual supply stores in 10 Years. I am keeping mine stock and buying from the vendors I can count on being there for me whenever it breaks as I know it will. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GeorgeL
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006
Posts: 7346
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| gears wrote: |
| Once the referee signs off on the installation, the smog ding dong is obliged to pass it (so long as emissions are within range). Power tripping by a referee wannabe, no doubt -- |
I've run into the same sort of thing from smog testers. The basic attitude is "The state can pull my license (and livelihood) for any irregularity in my testing practices, so I'm only going to test stock vehicles."
It truly isn't worth it for some of them to risk problems with the state by working in legal areas that are unfamiliar to them, like modified vehicles.
Not right, or fair, but that's the way it is. Can't say as I blame them, since one misstep can put them out of business. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4411
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 8:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Once the referee signs off on the installation, the smog ding dong is obliged to pass it (so long as emissions are within range). Power tripping by a referee wannabe, no doubt -- |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've done that. OK. So you can smog it in Cali. Just have to get the sticker. OK, that means all the smog stuff has to be there and no fault codes being thrown.
Any other tips? I am down South almost on the Mexican border. I think I had my other conversion done in Santa Ana about 15 years ago. Not so bad, if you can show them documentation and the location of the various things.
What's funny was that when I went to get it smogged, on the very same day they applied the sticker, the ding dongs at the smog place refused to do it, because the air filter box had been modified. What a joke that was....Idiots.
Great. Thanks....
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4411
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| You have to go to one of the intelligent referees for a permanent tag --- |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 11:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
Gears,
Are you the CAlifornia side? If so, are you CA smog legal?
Only the smaller 2.2 seems to to an easy one for smog.
-Walt
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4411
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
Since I live at the base of the Sierras and do a lot of uphill driving with excess weight, I went with the Subaru SVX 6-cylinder for my '90 Syncro Westy. 10:1 compression ratio, 24 valve, 4 cam, 230 hp, 7,400 rpm. I can pull in 3rd gear from 1500 rpm, no sweat; hold fast lane position on any stretch of I-80; easily pass slow uphill traffic in 3rd gear at 75mph; and do 100 mph with PLENTY reserve poop.
I'm not going to jump up & down claiming this engine is "THE BEST!!", but I look in the engine compartment and see an engine that was made for this vehicle. The fit is perfect, the power is exceptional, -- there's even a new ECU upgrade for added low-end torque and allowing the switch to 87 octane.
SVX engines are relatively cheap -- around $800. I got a 55K engine, paid for new oil pump, belts, seals, etc. to be installed, and engine costs totalled around $2,200 (with air-con compressor). If I see the availability of engines dropping (and prices going up), I'll just purchase and store a spare. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bostig
Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 236
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks levi, you're right.. if you include the clutch at $150 and the tranny at $1095 (AA transaxle for instance) then it's $8795.
Jim |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| The prices he listed included transmission and clutch.....you saying a shop can install a zetec, new clutch and transmission for that price? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bostig
Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 236
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hey Guys,
This is Jim from Bostig Engineering... feel free to fire any questions you have my way about the Vanagon Zetec Conversion.
I have to correct the approximated pricing below as well.. Our zetec conversion can be installed in far less time than any other engine conversion. A qualified shop should be able to do it start to finish in 10 hours. Which means the cost for a Zetec conversion is more like $7550+shipping instead of $9980. For $9980, you are about $100 from adding on the Ford Racing Supercharger, which gives you 210 HP  (which is more than an SVX... just ask for a chassis dyno sheet)
| Tomswesty wrote: |
I have been looking at the cost of having engine, transmission and clutch (basically all new drive chain) done in a shop. Here are some numbers I came up with using $75/hr labor, this also includes all the necessary parts for conversions. If you can do it yourself you save around $2k. If you don't need to do a clutch or tranny it is going to be less.
Small Car 3300 230hp $14,260 Sub
Go Westy 2200 105hp $8,250 VW
Go Westy 2300 115hp $9,145 VW
Small Car 2200 130hp $10,435 Sub
Self Convert 2.2L 130 hp $7,266 Sub
H&R Motors 2.2L 130 hp $10,500 Sub
TiiCO 135hp $9,200 IL4
Bostig 130hp $9,980 IL4 |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
