Jenny, take a look at Bob Donalds engines on his web site
WWW.BostonEngines.com and get some prices, then call and talk to him.
He's a staight shooter, and will give you the right info for making a
decision. He can probably give you some idea about freight costs to your
area as well. Add $750-$1000 for labor for the complete engine change
out. If you want to have a new clutch or other work done, now's the
time, with the engine being given the R&R treatment. Nothing worse that
having a new engine and having something to let go shortly there after
and having to drop the tranny or the engine again. Gets very expensive.
If I had a good many miles on my van, I would at minimum have the
flywheel refaced, a new clutch disc installed and a new thowout bearing
installed. An entire new clutch assembly with seals and bearings would
be a better deal. If you have an automatic tranny it's a different
ballgame and maybe someone with an auto teranny can address the other
issues. With the engine change, BE SURE you get all new fuel lines and
water hoses in the engine compartment. Vanagons are notorious for having
engine fires. A savings on using old fuel hoses instead of new is no
savings at all but a setup to lose you van and new engine.

Be sure to get good breakin instructions and follow them to the letter.
Also, start your new engine life on a Mahle or Mann oil filter. They are
about the only ones out there with the proper internal pressure releif
valve spring pressure to maintain the oil pressure in the engfine oil
galleries when the engine is shut down. Others leak down the pressure,
and when next you start up you will likely have lifters that are without
sufficient oil and they will clatter like the thing is going to fly
apart. Not so with the Mann or Mahle filters. So do the right thing.

If you go with one of the alternative engines ...... well, thats another
horse story. And ultimately an expensive one unless you can do a lot of
work yourself or know some special people.

Good luck.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Jenny Fontaine wrote:

> Hi All,
> I am trying to figure out how much it is going to cost me to install a
> new
> engine in my '87 Westy.  could people that had this done let me know how
> much your various mechanics charged you?  I haven't decided who/which
> engine
> I am going to go with yet, still trying to get my head around the various
> senarios to consider.
> Thanks in advance,
> Jenny
> Chicago, IL
>