Damon,
     I am in somewhat agreement with stan that you
could start on a simplier engine.  On the otherhand if
you can find something short of a full rebuild to get
the engine working you might toss that about in your
head.   regards gary
Date:    Tue, 4 Feb 2003 14:38:06 -0800
From:    Damon Campbell <damoncampbellvw@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: really... how tough IS a full engine rebuild?

I just recently acquired a complete 2.1 engine to
install in my '84
westy.  Before i bolt it in, however, i am planning on
fully rebuilding it
so i have an essentially new engine that i won't need
to worry about
for the next many years.

Problem is i've never rebuilt an engine before.

Now, i've adjusted valves, dropped my gas tank, and
performed other
sundry repairs and upgrades, but never the full
enchilada.  I am
mechanically competent/comfortable and have the time
and inclination (ie. $$) to
"do it right", but what is realistic to expect for the
first rebuild?
I'm planning on going the lilly route, but don't want
to drop big big
bucks into it if it is common for someone's first
rebuild to only last
50k miles or so... learning curve and all that.

I'll probably be falling asleep to the bently late at
night more than
once, i suspect :-).

Secondly, the only thing i know this engine didn't
come with is the
cat, muffler, and the adjacent pipes to each of those.
 Are cats just
cats?  Can i use one that is more readily available
than a vanagon's (ie.
domestic) and just have a muffler shop make the
adapter parts (since i
need to replace these anyway?).  Just wondering if
there was something
specific to cat converters and thier particular
engine.

Thanks, and you'll probably hear more questions out of
me regarding
this issue... i'm pretty excited to get it apart and
then back together!

-Damon

'84 Westy

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