

| Subject: | Re: In praise of VW inline fours |
| From: | David Milo |
| Date: | Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:16:52 -0400 |
Acquired. On 4/18/07, Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@yahoo.com> wrote: > > Ok- what is the best way to say it? > > If not "designed", which word should you replace > "designed" with? > > Robert > > 1982 Westfalia > > > > > > > --- Mike Rouby <mikerouby@YAHOO.COM> wrote: > > > Hate to say this, but these inline 4s are > > actually modified Audi/NSU engines that VW got > > a hold of when they bought those companies (and > > then they refined it). All VW knew to build > > were aircooled-VWs. The waterboxer was the > > last 'horrah', the last true VW engine from the > > VW corporation. It was their vain attempt to > > modernize the Type 1 engine to 'modern-day' > > standards. As we all know, it failed. 1991 was > > it's death knell. > > > > Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM> wrote: > > One of the best engines VW designed was the > > four > > cylinder overhead cam inline-four . > > > > You could say it "absolutely rocks" with > > performance and reliability. > > With lots of room for performance upgrades. > > > > I strongly recommend considering a Jetta or > > Golf > > engine (2.0 '93-'99 ABA). > > > > Watercooled Volkswagen engines are plentiful > > and > > cheap. And of course there is the TDI Diesel, > > which is hard to find locally. > > > > Inline-four ABA engines have longer rods which > > minimize vibration that is prone to the 1.8 > > engine. > > > > They also have oil spray jets that spray oil at > > the bottoms of the pistons. > > > > Mine has been running my 5,000 lb Westfalia > > since > > 1999. It now has 210,000 miles. > > > > If you are looking for a suitable replacement > > for > > the WBX , look no further. > > > > You can call me a purist, but I am just a VW > > owner. So if you are your own mechanic and a VW > > owner ,then the natural progression is which VW > > engine can I substitute? > > > > Why confuse the issue with a non-VW engine? > > Sure there's a bunch of people out there and > > here > > that want to make money selling Subaru and Ford > > technology. Fine. > > > > You might find it an interesting challenge to > > find what non-VW engine can be adapted to the > > Vanagon. Nothing odd about that. > > > > I'm speaking for those like myself who want to > > have a VW engine in your Vanagon ,but not the > > original engine. > > > > Sure, the Subaru or Ford might be fast and > > quiet > > and like a WBX and reliable etc, but it's not a > > Volkswagen engine. > > > > And reading these posts I see nothing about the > > inline four unless it's a Tiico, as if Tiico > > was > > the only inline four conversion out there. > > > > My dad put a VW engine in a airplane . The flat > > four design, the weight, the similarity to > > other > > aircraft engines, made it a popular choice. > > > > Part of the Subaru's popularity is due to it's > > similarity to the WBX. Oh yeah and you can goo > > super fast. > > The Zetech is similar to the VW inline. > > Similarities are OK. > > > > One Vanagon owner just asked if the Subie > > sounds > > like the WBX. > > Another observation-WBX owners like the sound > > of > > the WBX. It just shows how we form an > > attachment > > to the sound of the car. > > > > Would Harley's be popular if they sounded like > > Kawasakis? > > > > The inline four doesn't sound like a WBX. > > > > I recognize the virtues of the WBX, but few > > from > > a maintenance perspective . I do like the > > sound, > > and the quietness. I found the WBX 2.1 muffler > > is > > great on an inline conversion. > > > > Try removing the AC compressor or alternator > > from > > an 89 Honda Civic like on a friends. > > > > They designed it to be worked on up on a hoist. > > > > The inline four has it all on one side , easy > > to > > replace a water pump, alternator, AC > > compressor, > > spark plugs, distributor, etc. > > > > Simplicity, reliability, performance, > > affordability. > > > > We are a small group of people who aprreciate > > drive a vehicle no longer in production and > > with > > diminishing support from VW. > > > > That was recogninzed shortly after the last > > Vanagon rolled off the assembly line. > > This list has help provide a way owners can > > ehlp > > each other where there is limited or > > non-existing > > help. > > > > A good book on water-cooled inline four VW > > engines is the Watercooled Volkswagen > > Performance > > Handbook by Greg Raven > > ISBN 0-7603-0491-2 > > > > Robert > > 1982 Westfalia 2.0 ABA '95 Golf > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > > protection around > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" > > smell? > > Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos. > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com >
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