On Thu, 8 May 2003, Robert Keezer wrote:

> One point I would like to make is that the conversion motor, in particular
> the inline four or five, is simply what VW should have been installing in
> the Vanagon from day one.

No arguments, really.  And I-5 Vanagon would be a wonderful thing to
behold.

My point was merely that, since the TiiCo doesn't have VW's engineering
expertise behind it, it's not surprising that some people have issues with
it.  I've got nothing against I-4 conversions, but it is a *conversion*,
and conversions are rarely turn-key affairs.  Once the initial problems
are over they seem to be a great success, though.

(Incidentally, I bought a diesel partly because I wanted to stay away from
the WBX and its insane rat's nest of radiator hoses.  But I have to
acknowledge that a lot of people *do* get good service out of their
WBX's.)

> I don't know about you, but after I take a long hard look at a beautifully
> restored spit window bus - the repressed memories all come back to haunt me.
> It was that bad.

Heh heh.  I used to have an aircooled '75 bus.  I have some bad memories,
too, most of them involving either the fuel injection or the exhaust
system.  The Type IV motor is actually a very good one, though, much
better than the Type I/II.  I might have stuck with the '75 and fixed its
problems if it hadn't been suffering from terminal rust-out.

David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'82 Diesel Westfalia
'94 Honda Civic Si