Keep in mind My original 1986 2wd lasted 147,000 mile and never
ever saw a rebuild. Was beat to death, but change the oil every 3,000
miles. 85 MPH for hours at a time, in OH. R.L. has nouthing to gain
with what he has done. Bunch of B.S. if you ak me!

            Eric                   86-VW4x4
            vw4x4@fyi.net          72-240z
            Pittsburgh, PA USA     1936-Chrysler

On Wed, 19 Jan 2000, Kevin Dawson wrote:

> Hi All,
> I think what Robert Lilley has done in rebuilding his waterboxer sounds good
> but....
> only time and miles will really tell how much better his engine choice is
> over anyone else's.  His engine is still relatively Fresh.  Engine tuners who
> prepare engines for the high demands of racing do expect to do a seasonal
> teardown.  So "blueprinting" does not automatically equate an engine capable
> of high life expectancy.  I question the idea that ceramic coating on the
> heads will solve the possible corrosion issue.  Ceramic coatings are known to
> be porous.  Ceramic coatings on piston crowns, valve faces, and the
> combustion areas of the head are beneficial in lowering the engine temps and
> giving some power increase.  Read articles by engine tuner David Vizard (he
> the guru of the BMC "A" series engine and the small block chevy but a lot of
> what he has written carries over to any engine).  The waterboxer engine is
> not the best choice for a novice mechnic to learn on and in fact it can be
> rather unforgiving.  Swapping to another engine be it a Subaru, an I-4, an a
> 5-cycl., or even "gasp," a different waterboxer engine are legitimate
> options.  There are many ways up the mountain and it is up to each of us to
> chose what is right for ourselves.  Engine rebuilding is like brewing beer,
> every batch "ie. engine" will be a little different no matter how closely you
> fallow the recipe.  A good brewer, who is brewing day in and out, will be
> able to achieve a greater consistancy between batchs.  I would hate to see a
> novice spend the money and time to use the Lilley recipe and then be
> disapointed due to a failure to properly co-odinate all its different
> subtlites.  Consider your skill level, budget, and other resources
> (understanding family, wife, friends,  machine shop owners, and parts
> suppliers) when making a decision.
> By the way, my local VW shop has started doing ceramic coatings of headers,
> exhaust systems, and lots of other things.  Its like the brand name "Jet"
> coating.  This is really a great stuff as it is really bullitproof, elimitats
> rusting, and reduces radiant heat from headers.  I think his pricing is very
> resonable, a header for a Triumph was about $60 to coat.  I haven't asked
> about a Vanagon but if I lived in the rust belt I would really go after this.
>
> Kevin Dawson
> 87' Wofie 1/2 camper (weekender)
> 74' Triumph TR-6
> 69' Triumph TR-6
> 89' Honda Accord (wife's car)
> 89' Trooper II
>