For all the gripes about them, the 2.1 waterboxer is the strongest and
longest living stock engine ever sold in a VW Van of any rear engine
model in North America. There are individual exceptions but I refer to
them as a group.

In my 30 years of VW VAN ownership I have owned just about every
original type. As to the VW inline 4 engines, they have a checkered
history in our vans, to say the least. No matter how great they are in
small light cars they don't generally do nearly so well in Vanagons,
IMHO. Again, there are individual exceptions but of the various inline 4
kits sold over the years there have been plenty of tears shed.

The various 1.9 diesels may prove exceptions to this but time will tell.

An engine lighter than a waterboxer by your 300-400 lbs would be found
where, gocarts?

Mark

Don Hanson wrote:

> Hi Jim
> No, not the boxer motor.  This may seem like blasphemy, especially here on
> the Vanagon List, but from everything I have read
> (never owned one myself) the waterboxer seems a pretty weak design all
> around.  At least that is what I glean from all the rap.
>   What I was thinking is an inline 4 vw motor, perhaps even the one I
> already have in my 84, which is an older 8-valve 1.8liter.  I will have to
> do some further research, but I've seen mention of aftermarket kits and
> parts available for 1.8L Turbo VW factory motors, and I understand the basic
> pieces of the VW inline four haven't been changed much.  If the factory put
> out turbos and GTIs using that platform, it may be feasible to bolt on a
> supercharger without overstressing the motor beyond reason.  .........