Yes, we should be sensitive to less informed people.

However, directing them to good reference material is essential.
Vanagon drivers who are not "seasoned mechanics" will soon find
themselves either broke or educated.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Felder [mailto:felder@knology.net]
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 10:41 AM
To: P.Dooley
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: timing belt

Most people who know only the folklore of "modern" engines know that an
expensive timing belt replacement looms in their future somewhere.
People own vanagons not knowing that they aren't modern, and therefore
they assume that they will need a replacement belt... until they start
looking and find out it's going to be replacement head gaskets instead.

I think we can assume that someone who doesn't know the waterboxer is
gear drive probably never heard of bentley either, and that's why they
come to the list to ask those questions. Not everyone who drives a
vanagon is a seasoned mechanic, so I suggest that when people ask
questions here, we simply answer them without going out of our way to
make them feel uniformed.

Just my .02

Jim

On Jun 26, 2004, at 9:15 AM, P.Dooley wrote:

> What???
> There is no timing chain in the WBX motor.
> The cam and crank are direct gear drive.
>
> You guys really need to start reading more.
> The Bentley is still the best resource for knowledge.