Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:How much life in a Factory Rebuild
From:C B
Date:Fri, 25 May 2007 12:16:54 -0700

I rested from my waterpump-changing labors by reading the frightening
tale of Cunegonde's receipts dating back to 1991 (she's an 83.5 1.9l
WBX)

She's had a lot of owners, and the receipts tell me why.

Among other incidents, in 1998, with about 165k on the engine then in
the van, a Seattle VW dealership installed a VW factory-rebuilt
engine. Probably a 2.1, although she still has digijet EC as far as I
can tell. Judging from the receipts, it ran poorly. By 2003, with less
than 30k miles on that rebuilt engine, it had gone through *three*
cylnder heads. That engine now has about 40k on it.

3 cylinder heads in 30k? Do I contact VW? That's outrageously bad
quality, considering VW rebuilt it, and I have all the receipts for
installation, maintainance, oil changes, and so on. What can I do to
keep her going? An engine change, even if I do it myself, is not
currently in my budget.

Ugh, now on to figuring out why I have no reverse, 3rd, or 4th gear.

--
Bretts

1983 1.9l WBX Ivory Westfalia "Cunegonde"