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Subject:Re: Easiest Platform to Cnvert to I-4 FROM?
From:Robert Keezer
Date:Tue, 27 Apr 2004 07:37:00 -0700

Eric wrote:

<<The "Best" way" is a KEP adapter.  With this you get a bigger
clutch.  Diesel bell housing is only avaliable at 51 Deg. installation.
unlike the KEP adapter. Air cooled tranaxle will do you not good.>>

Ok- this is a just  person's preference or a requirement if converting an
automatic, not the "best "advice. The best advice is do what ever is most
practical for you.

There is nothing wrong with the Diesel type conversion- I have had one for 8
years. The Diesel parts can be hard to find.

What makes the Diesel style nice is it keeps the engine below the lid.

The Diesel transaxle has a lower final drive which slows down the car so the
trick is to bolt the bellhousing to your air-cooled or watercooled Vanagon
transmission for better cruising rpm.

All the inline-fours VW made til 1999 will bolt up to a Diesel Vanagon
bellhousing.

Since this is all VW- it makes sense to use it.  Only automatics need a
adapter plate.

The air-cooled transmission has the best cruising final drive ratio for fule
economy but if you need more torque, use a WBX trans.

Bear in mind that there are a lot of details involved and no two can be done
the same- there will be problems to solve specific to your installation that
you can't read about.

The basics for a Diesel type are: firewall clearancing, the swapping of
parts from Diesel engine and trans to gas engine and trans,exhaust
system,air intake, and the splicing in the engine harness .

My first one took 3 months working a few hours a day and weekends.

Currently running a '95 Golf 2.0 Motronic.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

T Berk wrote:

>I understand it's the Diesel transaxle that makes it possible to use an
>inline four block in Vanagons.
>
>With that in mind, is it any easier to start with an early air cooled or
>later water cooled Vanagon and just adding the nessesary parts?
>
>Or is starting w/ a diesel Vanagon the best way to end up with a two
>liter inline-4 block?
>
>
>tia,
>TBerk
>
>

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