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Subject:Re: Engine performance vs tire size
From:Robert Keezer
Date:Tue, 17 Dec 2002 10:04:15 -0800

Frank,
I have some info for you on this . A friend from Argentina bought and drove
a 82 Diesel Westfalia with his wife and dog from Oregon to Argentina this
year. They had the 1.9 Diesel industrial engine and a air-cooled Vanagon
transmission with the 4.57 final drive . This engine, non-turbo, is rated at
75 hp.

How did it drive?
I had expected it to be the same old slowness that allowed you the time to
find things on the roadside.
I took it on the freeway and it cruised at 60-65 without the ear-deafening
roar of the engine turning 1000 rpms faster it would be if still using the
Diesel transmission.

Acceleration still not equal to a 1.8 or 2.0 gas, but much better with the
new engine and trans than it was before.

Where the real surprise came was going into the foothills The extra torque
of the 1.9 kept the van from bogging down in second or third.

I liked it.

He made the trip to Argentina without problems. he said it even did well up
in the Andes, where they must drive over 11,000 feet.

I can't imagine what it must be like to drive around on the top of Mt Hood,
but that's about the same elevation you can find there as well as some
passes in the Rockies.

I barely made it over a pass in Colorado with my 2.0 Golf powered Vanagon
Westfalia a few years ago- it's got to be slow in a Diesel.

They will be heading back next year to the US , -it's about 13,000 miles one
way.

He plans to turbo it - could be about 90 hp if turboed.
He is having his trip story published -I'll forward the link when it's out.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

Frank Wrote:

<<I'm still waiting to hear about the
results obtained by the individual with the diesel westy who was advised to
run the AC trans in order to reduce revs!>>

Robert
1982 Westfalia

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