Hi Don.

Does your I4 1.8 Vanagon have the full Westy interior? IIRC, from
other posts, you mentioned it does not. I ask this for the benefit of
the lister who started this thread.

As Robert pointed out, the added weight of the Westy interior makes a
diff on how much engine may be strained.

That I4 coupled to a 5 spd sounds like a sweet setup.

Given that the body on my van may not be as stellar as I once thought,
a less expensive (possibly!) swap to a gas I4 might be a better use of
money.

Anything would be better than the AC engine I have now. It runs fine,
but it just doesn't have enough to get me out of 2nd on some of the
really steep mountain grades. Even with a passing lane, some people
drive like A-holes to get around/ahead. I don't like being behind that
kind of action. Up til now, I figured I'd drive it til' it wears out
to a natural compresionless death, but it's almost not worth doing.

It will suffice for this summer, but come winter it's time to get
bizzehhh and start with the swap.

Cheers,

Neil.

--
Please send me your Vanagon/Westfalia links!
http://vanagonlinks.googlepages.com/home

Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil

On 8/19/07, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
>   I have one in my 84.  With a diesel 5 speed trans.  Mine came from a 92
> Cabriolet and has the digifant II.  I didn't do the conversion myself, but I
> have been all through much of the system and it looks like it was very
> simple..especially compared to what I have been reading over on the Subi/Van
> list and what those guys have problems with.  The 1.8l  I-4 looks to be
> almost "plug-N-play", though as Robert mentioned, there is a bit of cutting
> involved to make the intake fit...very minor..
>   I don't agree about the diesel 5sp trans being too low geared..Mine seems
> just right.  I especially like the low gear, which I use only when starting
> on very steep hills or to crawl down very rough tracks..
>   I cruise mine at about 70-75mph all day with no problems..I have been
> driving the crap out of mine now for over a year, put about (a guesstimate)
> 20K hard and fast miles on it at that general pace with no problems..getting
> about 23mph average.  The "mouse-motor" little I-4 is a very good choice for
> my type of driving..
>   It is not gonna be any kinda huge performance jump from a good WBX gas
> motor..But certainly a huge improvement over the diesel Vanagon motor.  The
> characteristics are quite different from what you usually think of for a
> vanagon...It (the inline 4) likes rpms..Mine, for instance, wants to be
> downshifted at 70mph back to 4th gear in order to deal with any terrain
> change...You can, if you want, just floor it and leave it in 5th without
> losing too much speed on a hill, but if you go back (down?) to 4th, you can
> actually accelerate up the hill to about 75 or 80 before you think of
> shifting..Takes a bit of change in your driving habits to drive it
> 'properly' (my 'properly')  Mine has a standard exhaust manifold running
> into a big Magnaflo muffler and a very mild street camshaft change ($125 and
> a couple of hour work) so it does add some ooomph at higher rpms..The rest
> of the stuff is almost all VW standard..with a bit of  irrigation sprinkler
> pipe fabricated to bring air in from the standard Vanagon air box..
>   Very easy to work on also, with plenty of room under there, the oil and
> water are checkable from the usual place..and I've been quoted $300 only for
> a replacement motor with low miles..should I need one ever..
>   Don Hanson
>