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XXX/Rx/RnR Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2008 Posts: 405 Location: valley of the sun
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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I freak out everybody passing them up going to Flag from Phoenix on I-17. Sure is fun now. _________________ 78' westy, 2.4 195hp ecotec, audi turbo a/t, a\c, 2 1/2" lift spindles, index rear, 930 cv's & axles, 225x65x17 BFGs ## 77' hardtop 2.0 T-4 duel 44 weber's, 225x50x17s ## 74' baha bug |
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vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3425 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 3:50 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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danfromsyr wrote: |
I think the misnomer of big engines and not 'wanting' to downshift into 3rd is a psychological thing..
the answer is a 5 speed and shift into 4th.
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That's what I do. I don't absolutely have to do that, but it just feels right to do so. (Sig line for my set-up) _________________ John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 5:05 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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michaelbteam wrote: |
Good comments. I usually downshift from 3rd into 2nd at 3000 rpm. I've been a little cautious about the transmission under extra horsepower. I'll drive it a little harder and see what happens! The internet sez that the average grade of Little Cottonwood Canyon is 9.2%. |
The transmission is actually under less stress (in general) at higher rpms vs lower rpms. (Think of pedaling a bike up hill. If you use a gear that gives you more rpms you use less force in each pedal rotation.) _________________ Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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DeadSetMonkey Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2010 Posts: 532 Location: Denver, CO
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 7:34 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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I have a 2.5 turbo in my 1990 syncro westy. Stock gearing. 15in BFGs.
Installed by WildWesty (Lucas H). But he has closed up shop (which is too bad).
Prior to conversion, with a stock low miles 2.1 WBX, i would be going 20-25mph in 2nd gear, at 3500+ RPMs going west into the Eisenhower tunnel on I-70.
After the conversion, i can go 60+ mph in 3rd gear, at 3500+rpms. I can lug 4th gear, but prefer to rev 3rd gear. Can almost hold 4th gear, but RPMs start to sink below 2500.
I think my favorite part of the conversion is being able to set the cruise control (did have to upgrade cruise from stock) on rolling terrain at 65-70 and just drive. RPMS are 3000-4000 depending on the terrain. The van drives great at ~65mph. It'll go faster, but... _________________ ----------------------------------------------------
'90 Syncro Westy 2.5Subi Turbo, BFGs 215/75/15 Rheins
Last edited by DeadSetMonkey on Fri May 10, 2019 10:09 am; edited 3 times in total |
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Navy_Flyer Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2012 Posts: 474 Location: Charlottesville, VA
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:26 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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I have a stock auto transmission (no gearing change) with my Vanaru conversion Westfalia (1987)... No comparison to WBX. This thing climbs like a scalded cat, and 70 mph at 4000-4500 rpm all day long going uphill. Very steep grades may get down to the slow creep of 65mph ... _________________ 1987 Westfalia, Automatic. EJ25 VANARU Conversion |
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baltik Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2015 Posts: 440
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:43 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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Is there a concensus on what optimal RPMs are in terms of transmission longevity when climbing hills? I always use 3k+ as a benchmark but will occasionally dip to 2600 |
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mikemtnbike Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2015 Posts: 2780 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:47 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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Navy_Flyer wrote: |
I have a stock auto transmission (no gearing change) with my Vanaru conversion Westfalia (1987)... No comparison to WBX. This thing climbs like a scalded cat, and 70 mph at 4000-4500 rpm all day long going uphill. Very steep grades may get down to the slow creep of 65mph ... |
So your van is driving as good as it looked when I saw it getting the conversion in Staunton (pretty sure that was yours)?
I was blown away by the quality of the vanaru kit, way better than even the very nice home conversions friends have done. _________________ 1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual |
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joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5068 Location: denver
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 9:08 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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baltik wrote: |
Is there a concensus on what optimal RPMs are in terms of transmission longevity when climbing hills? I always use 3k+ as a benchmark but will occasionally dip to 2600 |
for me, 3k on my EJ22 and my ABA. Seems like a good benchmark. _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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WestyBob Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004 Posts: 2346 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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There's a Vw shop in my burg that has one bay devoted to subie 2.5L vanagon conversions only. They do them one at a time from beginning to completion. They use new Subaru engines only and the Vanaru kit. There is a waiting list.
However it cost nearly twice what I paid for mine (I have three convers). But what you get is a truly professional install with a real shop warranty plus a trouble free conversion. Expensive but costs a lot less than a new car too. |
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Navy_Flyer Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2012 Posts: 474 Location: Charlottesville, VA
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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mikemtnbike wrote: |
Navy_Flyer wrote: |
I have a stock auto transmission (no gearing change) with my Vanaru conversion Westfalia (1987)... No comparison to WBX. This thing climbs like a scalded cat, and 70 mph at 4000-4500 rpm all day long going uphill. Very steep grades may get down to the slow creep of 65mph ... |
So your van is driving as good as it looked when I saw it getting the conversion in Staunton (pretty sure that was yours)?
I was blown away by the quality of the vanaru kit, way better than even the very nice home conversions friends have done. |
Yep.
Speed limitation is not due to the engine... you get a Westy going much past 70-75mph and it becomes a bit 'touchy' to control...even with my 15" Michelins. _________________ 1987 Westfalia, Automatic. EJ25 VANARU Conversion |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15129 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 10:55 am Post subject: Re: Subie 2.5 owners - hill climb experience |
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3,500~4,000 all day long
2600 is lugging it if doing 'real' work like climbing a mtn.
as mentioned modern engines have a redline in the 6~7ooo rpm range.
baltik wrote: |
Is there a concensus on what optimal RPMs are in terms of transmission longevity when climbing hills? I always use 3k+ as a benchmark but will occasionally dip to 2600 |
_________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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