James charges about $500 to install the rebuilt engine.

W.
----- Original Message -----
From: "mike miller" <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: Subaru wbx reliability

> A plain rebuild, good quality, runs about $3000 including R&R here in
> Sacramento.  This sounds like a good deal.
>
> Mike
>
> > From: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
> > Reply-To: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
> > Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 09:40:48 -0800
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: Subaru wbx reliabilty
> >
> > Ken,
> > I really enjoy your comments and perspective. I love the "look" of the
> > Subaru engines of which I have seen photos, but I think I would go with
one
> > of those rebuilt engines that James Lutz 503-233-0030 makes up in
Portland.
> > Is there anyone like James in the San Diego area who does similar work?
> >
> > James Lutz fine tunes his rebuilt engines and balances everything
everywhere
> > for more power and so on. He says he can give your Vanagon more power
> > without ANY loss of reliability. His best engine is "Better than NEW!
Fully
> > spin balanced, Reman & balanced Con-rods, New camshaft & GERMAN
followers,
> > New GERMAN oil pump, New graphited Brazil/MAHLE Pistons & cyl. Balanced
> > (Kobelschmit avail. by request), Child's & Albert "Z-Gap" Rings, Full
GERMAN
> > Kobelschmit Bearings, New heads with 3-angle grind,...$3,000.00+shipping
"
> > And another for $2.000 plus shipping without some of the upgrades above.
> >
> > If I were more mechanically inclined I'd do the work myself, but often I
> > have found that a skilled mechanic who has the proper tools and
experience
> > is cheaper in the long run.
> >
> > William Polowniak
> > 1989 Vanagon GL
> > 1988 Mercedes 300 SE
> >
> > Subject: Re: Subaru wbx reliabilty
> >
> >
> >> I really feel that the Subaru (sp?) conversion is for those of us in
the
> >> Vanagon world who actually are more sado-machistic (sp?) than normal.
I
> > mean
> >> all of us own at least one Vanagon which shows that we enjoy pain or
> > perhaps
> >> just the occasional adventure.  However the folks with the Subie motors
> > take
> >> the cake as far as I am concerned.
> >>
> >> 1. You have this crazy complicated wiring harness which is like 12 feet
> > long
> >> that you have to unravel first.  Many of the weak never make it through
> > this
> >> initial rite of passage.  You see their shattered dreams in a FS post
to
> > the
> >> list or on ebay.
> >>
> >> 2. After you get past this first hurdle, you still have a used engine.
> >> Unless you actually drove the Subie, who knows what abuses it has
already
> >> endured.  At least you knew the problems that your waterboxer had.  Now
> > you
> >> have someone elses problems.
> >>
> >> 3. Many of the folks that I have talked to who have done this
conversion
> > do
> >> not describe their ownership of a Subie powered Vanagon as "carefree",
or
> >> "low maintenance".  Two folks I have spoken with had their great,
reliable
> >> Subie-boxer lock up on them due to lack of oil.  Several others have
> >> described exhaust crack chasing, and the idea that your conversion is
> > never
> >> really done, you are always tweaking something or redesigning
something.
> >>
> >> 4. In spite of all of this none of the people who I have talked to, who
> > have
> >> done this conversion were really unhappy with it.  (Which just goes to
> > show
> >> how warped we all really are:-).
> >>
> >> So if you enjoy tinkering, or adventures and want more power, then go
for
> > it.
> >>  But the  reliability is really just an illusion.  Just my opinion.
Feel
> >> free to comment.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Ken Wilford
> >> John 3:16
> >> http://www.vanagain.com
> >> Phone: (856)-327-4936
> >> Fax: (856)-327-2242
> >>
> >