Hello Dennis,  I get about 130k out of each engine; I tow my boat and do all the proper engine care.  They usually fail with a head leak and then with the cost of new heads $400 * 2, gaskets, water pump, etc.... a rebuild engine is only a few hundred $$'s  more so I replace them.

Now the tranny is about worn out so I am planning my next step.  Based on some of the feed back I think I may do the golf engine with a 5 speed and 15 inch wheels.  I suspect i still have a year or two left on the current engine so ther is no rush.

Jere
90 GL
88 GL

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sent: Oct 28, 2003 7:34 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 5 speed tranny question?

The stock Vanagon engine will not push the van to 70 mph at 3,000 rpm.
Not enough torque. You will go from wearing them out to burning them
out. How many have you worn out? How long are they lasting? Why are they
failing? Proper care and feeding should get you ~160 to 200K.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Jere Hawn
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 9:06 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 5 speed tranny question?

Hi all,

I've worn out too many engines!!  Does a 5 speed tranny (gas) exist (for
a vanagon) that will lower my RPMs to about 3K when I'm doing 70 MPH?

TIA
Jere
90 GL
88 GL