The 2.1   system is lots better..
and it fits right onto a 1.9 wbxr too.

besides that cast iron collector piece,
there's a 'real' muffler mounting system ..not the afterthought looking
arrangement of pipes on the right side of he 1.9 .

you need a 2.1 rear engine mount bracket , it's got the tabs for Muffler
Cradles ..
two of those ..plus straps.
And there's a bracket on the bottom of the engine by the flywheel....it's a
lot of parts all together.
The muffler is bigger ...
and ..now there's room for an oil cooler/heat exchanger.

I run a 1.9 cooling system with 2.1 engine, exhaust , and intake ..and have
coolant plumbed though a 2.1  oil cooler/heat exchanger ...  All in an 85.
Works great.

As I said, it's a lot of parts altogether .....but it's a lot better, and
nicely, it bolts right onto a 1.9 wbxr.
Probably breathes a little better too.

Scott
turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Evan Mac Donald" <evanm@ATT.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 4:51 PM
Subject: Exhaust Design Contemplations...

Ok everybody - its time we tried to replace the tire thread with a new one -

I own an '85 with a 1.9 WBX. I put stock exhaust systems on 3 times in 10
years,
then put on an S & S header. It also lasted about three years, but with less
driving. ( Michigan winters, see.) The first, and main point of failure on
the
1.9 system was the wretched two-into-one join at the collector. Each of the
three systems that I have had fail went there first. By a noticeable
stretch.
These were not cheepie repro, but real Dansk items.

When I look at the design of the 2.1 system, I see that this weak spot has
been
replaced with a very different design, using a casting in that particular
weak
spot. (As an aside, I also noticed the design of the 2.1 1 - 3 and 2 - 4
headers
flanges at the collector end was also changed, to keep you from any partial
updates to your exhaust. Grrrrr....)

And I am also ignoring cat converters and mufflers. I put my own mufflers
on,
thank you very much, and they aren't VW standard.

My simplistic question, attempting to ignore as many extraneous variables as
possible is:

Which exhaust design is better? 1.9 Or 2.1? Pros and cons are what I mean.
The
stainless issue is also not to be considered here, before you even mention
it.

Better breathing?

Longer lasting?

Stronger?
Evan Mac Donald

"...in the absence of facts, myth rushes in, the kudzu of history."
-Stacy Schiff