Okay, for the sake of stats, here's my situation.   90GL  I'm the third
owner  Bought it at 106k  redid heads at 109k.  Much evidence of shade tree
mechanical engineering prior to my purchase.  Idiot PO replaced one side o
fthe piston rings when he pulled the heads prior to my purchase.
Compression after the Boston Bob rebuilt heads didn't change( is low and
somewhat lopsided ) and the oil pressure under 100 degrees C. still pretty
much follows the 10 psi/1000rpm guidelines.  Above that temp it does dip to
about 25 psi at 3500 rpm.  Yes my savings account is a work in progress, but
still kicking around tapping the 401K and getting a new TDI and converting
or going the Lilly route and the HalTech FI from Gene Berg.  I didn't
realize(thanks to Robert L. for the enlightenment) that the WBX intake bolt
pattern was the same as type I which should make finding throttle bodies for
the WBX a lot easier in Berg's catalogue.  Infiniitely programmable FI!!!!
What a concept.

Anybody out there have hints on how to tell the difference in sound between
noisy lifters and a rod or two knocking?

dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
-----Original Message-----
From: JordanVw@aol.com <JordanVw@aol.com>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 10:35 AM
Subject: WBX failure rate averages so far.. keep up the responses!

>In a message dated 8/29/00 6:45:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>mark_hb@hotmail.com writes:
>
><< Whats the tally on rod failures at this point? Are you going to
calculate
> the average mileage and note the high and low points for rod failure? Then
> draw us a bell shaped curve? And reveal the secrets of the high milers?
>  >>
>
>LOL ..well, to no suprise it seems like most 2.1L failures are between
>150-200k mi. (some more, some less)  the failures for the 1.9L are averaged
>after 200k mi..results are still coming in.. i guess its hard to make
>generalizations, as some people have driven their vans easy, and have been
>methodical with their maintenance, while other vans have been used rather
>hard..   tho things like running the proper coolant has nothing to do with
>the rod failures..
>everyone, keep up your input, this is benefitial to all..
>chris