If you want to keep the stock motor, I strongly urge you to talk to The Bug
Shop. Nobody in Western Canada has more experience with Vanagon motors and
they are straight up guys.
604-589-2236

If you're thinking Subaru, Paul Guzyk is in town and showing off his latest
conversion.
604-484-4543

Good luck

On 10/18/06, Nathaniel Poole <npoole@telus.net> wrote:
>
> SO I got the engine out and flywheel off (needs a new flywheel), heads and
> cylinders off. Unfortunately Dennis was right about the block - the rear
> thrust bearing is moving in its seat, I can rotate it about 1/8" inch.
> Nobody in Vancouver area can machine these blocks and there isn't an
> oversize bearing available, so it looks like a new used block for me. I'm
> leaning towards letting the machine shop do the parts swap - polish the
> crank, mic everything, install new bearings, probably new cam and lifters.
> I
> could do this part myself and save $400 bucks but the chances of fouling
> up
> something are good as I have NO experience with these engines. It's weird,
> this engine was rebuilt not that long ago from all appearances - no
> cylinder
> ridge and you can still see the crosshatch marks on the cylinder walls,
> oil
> galleries drilled and plugged. I know the heads were rebuilt this summer.
> Yet all told I'm still looking at a grand, not including new exhaust and
> heqter boxes, and I'm still left with a questionable motor. So now I'm
> wondering what one of these engine conversions cost?
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com