Smallcar Subaru Conversion Kit - EJ22

[buffbuh]

Not sure if there is a good Smallcar Kit forum out there.

I have been mostly pleased with the Smallcar kit stuff. I love the engine mount with stainless steel exhaust system - VERY elegant. I wish the muffler was quieter, but maybe some would like it that way. (I like quiet-as-possible.)

The coolant hoses and reverse coolant manifold and pipe worked WONDERS in bleeding and cooling (though I did have to bend a pipe in order to fit one hose onto the manifold).

Mostly pleased - with one HUGE SMALL EXCEPTION. I had the oil pan and oil pick-up tube modified in order to fit above the Vanagon Syncro skid plates. I drove the van for a few months, and the engine CEASED!

What was it? The oil pick-up tube had BROKEN and starved the engine of oil! Damage and oil pick-up tube pictures here:

Pick-up Tube Damage (May have to allow Javascript and click on Dates to left to see pictures - the thumbnails about 2/3's down. Or just look at this page: Broketn Pick-Up Tube).

I had noticed that the returned modified oil pick-up tube did not come back with a modified bracket, but just assumed they knew what they were doing. My mechanic friend said that if I had shown him that pick-up tube without the bracket, he would not have let me install it. The factory came with a bracket for a specific reason/purpose.

So my question is - to all the other modified oil pick-up tube without bracket people out there - has this happened to anyone else?

Smallcar said that out of hundreds they have never known of such a thing happening.

I'm luckily only about $1000 out because I have a mechanic friend helping me to rebuild the EJ22 right, but it's still $1000 and hours of work that could have been avoided.

My intent is not to give Smallcar a bad name, because I like what they are doing. The Subaru is a GREAT fit for the Vanagon.

My intention is to perhaps influence a design change - perhaps re-adding the bracket (modified) to the modified oil pick-up tube for greater rigidity and resiliance, and to prevent this mishap from happening to others.

Vanagon-On!

[240Gordy]

DID you DISCUSS this WITH smallcar BEFORE posting THIS here ?
_________________
Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR

[a914622]

The yahoo subaru vanagon group may be a better place to post this on??

But to answer your question YES. That has been brought up 1 or 2 hundred times. There is a problem ,when shortening the oil pick up tube, of breakage. Your mechanic is 100% right.
The problem was first found when the ej22s were being put in aircraft. There was a big buzz about the right way and the "unsafe" way. I find it hard to believe yours is the first.??

good luck

jcl
_________________
87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru

[ftp2leta]

Interesting. It's sad, i agree. Strange also.

I was looking at this picture:

It didn't break at any junction or welding! It look like a flaw.

I don't agree about that almost useless and skinny bracket being the problem. Thousand of folks and driving without out one including all the high performance Subaru equipped dune buggy.

I use those mostly:

Of course being shorter the need for support was not there.

Now we use UNMODIFIED (no welding/no cutting) one piece part. They are now bent with a special machine. ( no picture for now).

Just so you know, i have plenty unmodified one in the shop, over 15, i took a stock one and put it in a vice, i bang the hell out of it for fun. It never broke, but it look like hell now.

Again, it's sad and it would be nice to understand why. But to me, it look like a flaw.

To answer your question, i don't remember no one posting anywhere about such a disaster.

Thanks for posting. Good luck with the rebuilt.

Ben
_________________
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

[hansachter]

Both of your mechanics are well-meaning, but misguided in their thoughts on this failure.
What you possibly don't know is that if you order the part number for the pickup tube from the Subaru dealer, it does not come with a brace brazed on. I have taken apart several factory engines which had no brace on the pickup. Whatever the reason for the brace, it probably is not about vibration and failure. Possibly something to do with the manufacturing process.
On the many dozens of conversions we at Vanaru and our close partner, BJP Restauration in Quebec have done and the hundreds done at all the other big conversion shops like Smallcar, this failure is unheard of. Better yet, take a look at Outfront Motorsports which makes high-horsepower sand rails which see conditions of abuse we will never even get close to. Same shortened pickup tube, no brace.
I'm guessing that what we are looking at is a failure caused by a defect in the metal itself, which after the brazing process propagated into a crack and failure. Is there any evidence it was touching the baffle inside the pan?
-Hans
Vanaru Engine Systems
http://www.vanaru.com