Vanagon Engine Swap Recommendations - Subaru?

[r39o]

[r39o]

[VisPacem]

[HeftySmurf]

I think you should convert it to air-cooled
Do your home work
Not saying mine is the best
A 2.2 may suit your best budget.
I would highly advise against a Tiico though if you are paying to have some one work on it.
The zetec empowered me mechanically and I never looked back plus you will have minimal maintenance with it. They push a 2wd just fine.
Pm me can check out my 2.5 Subaru
Ultimately I long for a Subaru diesel......
_________________
-Lorenzo
90 GL w/ Bostig

[r39o]

[fairweather]

[VisPacem]

[jmranger]

Now this is funny.

This thread has been idle for month. But since someone misposted here today instead of in the classified, we all feel compelled to state why we prefer this conversion to that one - even if no-one is asking. [Moderator note: Ad post (and other off-topic banter) removed.]

YAECT threads don't die because we don't let them die...

Maybe there should be an official YAECT in the stickies, like there's a wheel thread. In which every one of us would only be allowed to post once

JMR

[r39o]

Here we step in it again. Yet Another Engine Conversion Thread (YAECT.) Almost everybody is going to tell you their conversion is the best. They did the research and it is the best (for them.)

Like everybody else going down this slippery road you are going to have to figure out what is best for you. As stated above go and check out a few for yourself.

Next, it does not come cheap. No matter what, you are looking at several kilo dollars. Some a few more and some a tad less. The $3.5K DIY Suby swap requires LOTS of your own time and even more research which equates to a lot of time. It is NOT going to, likely, be done before Summer.

My optimal conversion is a TDI, but it is too much money and complications for the economy it brings. Go read about that. My conversion going on at this time is a Suby EJ22 with rebuilt transmission into a 1990 Multivan which had several ailments. So I had to fix it. I have been collecting parts and reading and asking lots and lots of questions for many months and it took me a year or more to settle on this. Once committed I started buying and buying. Parts alone are North of the $4000 already and I still need some stuff. This does not include the cost of the transmission and brakes and wheels and tires and on and on.....I hope to finally take this rig out with the family mid Summer. We'll see.

Remember, you need to do your research and come up with realistic requirements and think and think and read and read and, if you are anything like me, you will second guess yourself a lot. It is just part of the process.

GOOD LUCK.
_________________
"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)

[GrindGarage]

I am in the middle of a ej22 conversion. Bought all of the smallcar goodies and even paying them to do the harness and the manifold. Was going to go the bostig route since it is sooo easy to get a ztec. One thing is I have driven alot of ford focus cars. The engine seems to barley move a small car. The other thing is the price. I figured the bostig with used engine and speical oilpan was going to run me north of $6,000. I figure total cost for EJ22 including donor car to be south of $5,000 and I am talking about fluids, full tuneup, timing belt and all other consumables for a powerplant with 80,000mi. And thats without selling extras off the donor or my still running strong WBX and spares.

Seems like the suby 2.5 gets alot of hype. I'm happy I got the latest 2.2 without having to worry about headgaskets and rod knocks. I have worked on a decent amount of 2.5 and the shop I work at uses a synthic 5w30 blend that I think that motor hates because they all are kinda knokcy.

I also have worked on and drove a TIICO in an automatic. It was a 2.0 sure you can beat the hell out of those motors but they vibrate like hell and you have an exhaust thats hard to keep together.

Considered buying a tencent motor then thought about the stupid AFM, retarded cooling system layout, and the fact I would buy all his upgrades and still be stuck with fear of 22 rubber hoses breaking and spewing 5 gals of coolant while on my way to go snowboarding with the family on Xmas eve (not that its happened before).
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[insyncro]

Tier 1:$$
Tencent built waterboxer if you want to stay stock.
Bostig for the ease and pricepoint.

Tier 2:$$$
2.5 Subaru, not my favorite, but very popular.
Turbo charged Bostig, for Syncro and Syncro Westfalia vans as the weigh more and need the added power.

Tier 3:$$$$$
3.0 Subaru
3.3 Subaru
TDI

There are other possiblities, but these are what I offer at my shop with the exception of the TDI.

dylan

[ftp2leta]

NAECT... Tenc!
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
------------------------------------------------------
FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

[dredward]

Go 1.8t and never look back or regret.....
_________________
Cars owned: 1979/89 scirraco, 1983 gti, 1984 gti, 1986 gti, 1990 gli, 1989 cabriolet(2.0,16v conversion), 1992 gti, 1982 Westy, 1987 syncro Westy(w/ 1.8t conversion stg1 chip), and finally 2004 r32....

[crazyvwvanman]

The VW gas inline 4 is a viable option as many have done. For an owner done conversion this can be about as cheap a conversion as it is possible to do.

If shops were really willing to convert from wbx to VW inline 4 gas engines for $2k, people would line up to have it done.

The costs to have a shop do one to a wbx van would likely exceed your $2k by a couple times over. While you wrote that you found a $300 Jetta 93 replacement for yours you left out some important details. The typical 93 Jetta 2.0 engine DOES NOT FIT!! By combining various parts from other models you can get it into the Vanagon but you end up using basically the short block from the 93 Jetta, far from the complete engine. The costs of a conversion from scratch have to include the parts needed to make it work. Shops like to charge for swapping heads, matching up manifolds, making exhausts, figuring out differences between engine configurations. Owners doing their own work can spend time on these things and not worry much about it.

Mark

[gnarly 928]

a lot cheaper than a Subie conversion or a Bostig.

Vanagons came with them in other countries. Using diesel Vanagon parts you could probably get one done for $2K by your mechanic. Every VW guy knows how to work on them and parts are really cheap and plentiful. Mine has been super-dependable, gets 23+mpg always and is works better than the WBX motors.

I recently found a replacment for the one I was still running...$300 complete from a 93 Jetta, including all the accessories. You can't start on a WBX repair for that money.

Just saying worth a look.

[purplepeopleeater]

I went suby, man....never looking back.

with a stock muffler it kinda sounds like a wbx....untill it moves

I have about $4k in mine.

[j_dirge]

YAECT!
_________________
-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

[vannygun]

I wasn't going to do my swap until a rod went through the block or some other major damage...... but when I removed one leaky head it was so pitted and I was having pretty low oil pressure etc etc etc. I did it my self for about $2k. Lots and Lots of time involved. I think the plumbing and wire harness were a bitch. You have to do alot of R and D to finish it, there is no 100% do it all your self kit. If you can put in less than $1000 to fix the leaks do it and that will buy you time to figure out what conversion you want. you can always sell the WBX after the conversion to recoup some costs.
_________________
definition-Vanagon, "a ideal breeding ground for gremlins"
2000 jeep Cherokee sport (DD)
1990 vanagon gl 2.2 subaru(sold)
2006 jeep commander

[Ethan5150]

Thanks for everyone's help! I've done quite a bit of reading and realize I need to do a little more investigation before giving up on this engine because yes, it does run pretty well (not great but well) and a leak down test has not been done.

On a related note, does anyone have any thoughts on this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...1275wt_939

[kevtherev]

2.1 DJ 112bhp

making it more driveable.. and keeping it real.