You may have some relatively minor problems. Before going the rebuild
route, do a leak down test. That will tell you a lot. If it looks like
you may have to do anything besides heads, then go for the complete
rebuild.

If you decide to go for and engine upgrade, I would think Suburu. I
think gas is going to go nuts again this summer. If thats becomes the
case, you will want an engine that gives better gas mileage than a WBX,
and the Suburu engines will do that.

If you go for a rebuilt WBX, Boston Bobs is the best way to go.

Keep in mind if you rebuild and engine, it will be nut and all the
acessories will be worn and old. They will fail and cause lots of
problems long before the engine itself begins to be use up. Something to
think about.

In the aviation world, a remanufactured engine gets all newly
remanufactored accessories as well, for obvious reasons.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Jamie Auch wrote:
> I have owned my '89 automatic Westy for about two months now and I just lost compression on #4 (it's down to 50 lb).  I have fallen
> in love with camping in it and want to make it as reliable as I possibly can.
>
> Here are my options:
> 1)  Replace the heads but bottom end is unknown (ran like a top before losing compression).
> 2) I have a 1.9 TD that was to go into my '82 Diesel, but I am concerned with the gearing. (the torque and hp are similar to the WB
> 3) Get a Boston Bob rebuild.  The way I look at it why not get an engine redone totally.  (this is not to be a Boston Bob Bash, I
> have read all the posts in different forums and list serves).
> 4) Do a Tiico conversion.
>
> >From the list experience what do you think of these options?
>
> Thanks,
> Jamie Auch
> The Kooky Math Teacher
> "missing my westy"
>
>
>