This is the kind of post that is a big help.
Pertinent and first hand information about an
option for Vanagon owners with high miles.
 I just wanted to say Thanks to Ed for the info. I
am going the TiiCo route and like to hear good
reviews. I have friends who have done conversions
from scratch,ala diesel, and I have liked what I
have seen ,The turnkey nature of Tiico 's kit is
definitely icing on the cake!
Tom Czerniak

ed wrote:
>
> Like the tire discussion, the engine conversion discussion ebbs and
> flows.  I start my whole Vanagon shopping intending to eventually do
> either a Eurospec, Audi, or Subaru to a Syncro in order to meet our
> all-weather school bus plans.  Along the way, the Eurospec thing
> imploded, Audis didn't look orders of magnitude better than an I4, and I
> decided to keep it all German.  A Lilley-spec WBX just didn't float my
> boat, althoug it's a good solution.  The 3.2L 911 was considered
> seriously, as was the 1.8T and 1.9TD.  And maybe some others not so
> seriously.
>
> I bought an 86 Syncro from Joe Gunyan, which promptly developed a head
> leak (drop a line if you want the whole story!).  So the question of a
> new engine was no longer academic.  After discussing a lot of
> alternatives with Karl Mullendore, I ended up buying a 2L conversion
> package from Peter B at Tiico.  Had it shipped to Karl's shop, and he
> set to installing it.  He'll fill you in with the highs and lows, I'm
> sure, so I'll cover driving experience.
>
> I pressured Karl into having the van finished for a trip I needed to
> take from VA to the PA mountains, where I was pulling an engine from
> buddy Walt's Merkur parts car so he can clean up his property.  Karl was
> a great sport and willingly went all out to meet my schedule.  I think
> he was a little trepidatious to let the van go untested on this long
> trip, but hey, the customer's always right, even if he risks being an idiot.
>
> Overall impression:  This thing rocks.  Karl is awesome.  The Tii
> package seems to have been worth it.
>
> Late Friday afternoon we looked over the van, gave Karl a check, loaded
> the kids and the old motor into it and drove right from Karl's place W
> of Frederick to my folks' place near Philly.  I got up at 5AM Saturday,
> and headed for somewhere W of Wilkes-Barre PA, picking up my friend Adam
> on the way.  Got to the mountains, pulled the engine & trans (note to
> self, next time make sure the car is on a concrete slab before
> volunteering, or get mud tires for engine crane), and headed home with
> Merkur engine in Walt's truck.  Birthday party for my Dad on Sunday, and
> drove home Monday by way of Salem, NJ, where we dropped the old WBX off
> with new owner Ken Wilfy. 750 miles, 3 days, new & non-stock engine.
> God watches over fools and children, I like to think I qualify for both.
>  I also had a chase car to and from NJ, and on the way down from the
> mountains - I'm foolish, but not totally stupid!
>
> Adam said it all on the way back from the moutains: "Fix the lighter,
> it's the new Bluesmobile."
>
> Unlike the various tales of Eurospec woe, my Tii Syncro performed
> flawlessly.  Electricals were fine.  There's the tiniest buzz at 3800+/-
> rpm that I think we can quash, but nothing like what I've heard about ES
> noises.  The van cruises at 65-70 with only a finely-tuned hum.  Starts
> instantly, idles well, revs willingly.  Looks like VW put it in there
> (until you notice the slight bandsaw marks on the adapter plate :-) ).
>
> The WBX has it in one place - you can feel the I4 at idle, and seems to
> have a bit less low-end grunt.  That said, the deep 1st gear gets you up
> on the cam quick, and the van moves out smartly.  The WBX sounds a
> little better at low revs, too.  The I4, though, sounds like a good
> sewing machine when it gets rolling :-)  That sewing machine had me
> passing people on the highway.  Up hills.  With 2 big guys, tools,
> hardware-that-cannot-be-named-on-the-list, and a WBX inside for good
> measure.  I would prefer more low-end grunt, but the fact that this
> engine runs so well with a wide powerband makes up for it.  The gear
> spacing on the trans means that you want to keep the revs up, anyway.
> Shift at 32-3500 and you're suddenly down in the teens, where the torque
> is OK unless you need to get somewhere.
>
> I do have a fuel tank leak to fix, but that's unrelated to the Tii
> package.  Thus, I couldn't fill enough to check mileage for sure, but I
> know I put 11 gallons in before I left NJ, and went about 180 miles and
> the needle has not yet hit the place it was when I filled.  I'm guessing
> 20mpg, more or less.  Since I'd done my 500 miles of constantly varying
> break-in driving, I cruised home at about 65-70, so I'm pleased with the
> fuel economy.  The van will easily do 80, but I didn't see why it should :-)
>
> All in all, I think it's a winner.  Good acceleration, good fuel
> economy, so the performance envelope is increased in all directions.
> Not cheap, but they don't call the Vanagon the 911 of minivans for
> nothing :-).  The Tii kit, while not exactly a drop-in on a Syncro, was
> worthwhile IMO.  No cheaper than buying/scrounging everything yourself,
> but comes in one box, fits under the deck, has a warrantee, and a
> zero-time engine and computer to boot.  I should recoup about 3/4 of the
> installation costs from selling the old parts - anyone need a Digifant box?
>
> I thoroughly endorse Karl's work.  He's *exceedingly* thoughful and
> thorough, and did several upgrades to the install that I wouldn't have
> done myself even if I'd had the time to do the job - best of all is the
> fact that he fitted a modified diesel oil filler tube.  I have the only
> Tii conversion that doesn't require lifting the decklid to add oil to...
>  If you are anywhere in range of his shop, I strongly encourage you
> check him out.
>
> FWIW, I'm not related to either Peter or Karl, nor do I have any
> interest, blah blah blah.  If you're in the Northern VA area and want to
> see the van, let me know.
>
> Cheers -
>
> ed