> I think that 90% of knowledgeable Wasserboxer owners look at a
conversion.
> We all balance the cost between a rebuild and the conversion.  If
there was
> a boxer engine that would drop in easily, we would all convert.

i disagree ... i don't think anywhere near 90 percent of wasserboxer
owners, knowledgeable or otherwise, would necessarily convert. i think
most of us are quite happy with the engine we have ... not too crazy
about leaking head gaskets, but compared to some conversions, it's a
liveable aspect of the bus. i would prefer the engine NOT leak, and so
far, mine have not .. but then, i've changed the antifreeze every two
years. it seems to work.

i personally don't want more horsepower. i could probably do with
less, except with the whole department wants to go to lunch with me.
:)  i'm not even crazy about the idea of 15" wheels.

remember that there are about 1000 folks on this list .... and far far
fewer than that post about anything, much less leaking gaskets or
engine swaps.

for me, ANY conversion means that i have to become a great deal MORE
mechanic than i already am. and that's not why i drive vanagons ... i
drive them because i like DRIVING them. i fix 'em cause i have to. and
to put anything other than the standard engine into one means i have
no documentation at all to reference when i am fixing them. the
Bentley book isn't perfect, but it's better than nothing. and there
are other British and German books available. there's nothing out
there, last time i looked, that helps me at all with a Tiico or Subaru
or any other engine swap ... i'm on my own or at the mercy of some
local mechanic.

i'm sure there are advantages to all sides of the question ... but
there are equally some large DISadvantages.  and unless you have the
time, money, and workspace to work on the engine yourself (or the time
and money to pay someone else to do it!), an engine conversion is not
something you should undertake.

unca joel