On Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM, Al Knoll <anasasi@gmail.com> wrote:

.....

> More expensive options include upgrading gearing, tires and wheels and
> brakes, and the pollution device, the legendary wasserp*sser engine, with
> its 1980s engine management technology.
>
> What if you could improve your fuel economy by 30%? �You get 24mpg instead
> of 18mpg or so. �A motor with a modern engine management system emits far
> less pollutants on a bad day than the WP does on it's best day. �If your
> fool consumption drops by 30% so does the pollutants per mile. �er ah 'fuel
> consumption' it should be.
....

> What else does the group.wisdom think would improve our sorry lot?

Part of the reason I installed a "newer" engine was to reduce emissions.

Driving Test Results of old air cooled:

HC:      48/182 allowable
CO:     .44/1.73
NOx:   2055/2139

Driving Test Results of VanaJetta:

HC:      28/182
CO:      .15/1.73
NOx:    360/2139

Idle Test of old air cooled:

HC:      121/409
CO:      1.13/4.59

Idle Test of VanaJetta:

HC:       34/409
CO        .01/4.59

Here's the thing.

In the stock configuration, my air cooled didn't require a cat. I'm
guessing, but pretty sure that installing one (for swap) made a big
difference. So for those w/o a cat, if it's not cost prohibitive, I'd
suggest that adding one might really help.

Best part, in a way, was the the old engine saw new life in another Vanagon.

Don't know if that owner installed a cat though....  :)

Neil.

-- 
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines