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Date:         
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ADMIN::KENNEDY      "William R. Kennedy, NJIT CIAT, 201-596-5648" 29-JUL-1996 14:12:21.48
Subject:      

Helmut Zeidler in Dusseldorf responds to a message from Patrick
Eagan; they both bad-mouth my Porsche engine, but I pass along
Helmut's comments anyway, as I promised I would.  I have
actually been happy with the Porsche engine's heat production,
although I did cheat by replacing the heater flapper boxes with
ducts during the winter so that the heat is always on until
spring.  The heating air is driven by the engine cooling fan,
and there is an additional blower on the engine to push air
through the heater boxes, but it is made to the same specs as VW
blowers:  run for five years max, then die a noisy death.
 
Herr Zeidler exaggerates a bit about the oil leaks, but my
engine does leave about a two-drop calling card wherever you
park it, so that others of its species will know that it was
there.  I have been through the gas tank problem, exactly as
described.  Aircooled Vgoners should expect this in their future
if it's not in their past.
 
B.
 
Wm Kennedy
 
kennedy@admin.njit.edu
 
----------------------
 
Patrick:
 
The Porsche is also very expensive here and I learned that a
Porsche engine could be a nightmare. It looks like the Vanagons'
aircooled engines. On every end and every corner there drops oil
out of it. It seems the car needs more oil during parking than
running [No, it actually needs less -- that's why it lets some
out! WK]. The heating, which I really need during the bad
weather months, is bad and has no fan. I often had to clean the
windows from inside, but my arms are not long enough for the
right hand windows. Also the heat coming out is not as hot as we
need, even for the rear passengers. Those are the reasons to
switch to a watercooled engine.
 
I am doing the conversion myself and I am not a professional but
interested and willing to learn day by day. That means taking
two long days work to change the heater boxes under the
dashboard. Another day to mount the coolant pipes. During this,
I figure out, that the gasoline tank is rusty on the top side
where my heater ducts go though  and it has to be changed. But
the tank is really looking nice from the bottom. From Winkler's
garage I heard, that this will be common: All the filth and
water are collected in the upper hollows of the tank which
immediately starts rusting. I recommend taking the tank off and
checking it if you suspect a leak in the tank area. That in all
will be only one hour's work. You may also check the body's
underseal on that section. VW did nothing except painting on
that part.
 
If you have a water cooled, no Syncro, no Westy, a well equipped
garage with a good mechanic, the change to an AUDI 5Cyl will be
done within two days. As Tom wrote, try to use an AUDI Quattro
build for the American market. I learned that the old European
ones are sold with old K-Jetronic systems which allows no three
way catalyst and that do not meet the US exhaust requirements.
Winkler will offer an update next year for the old Ford and AUDI
engines. That will drop my yearly taxes from DM 743.00 to DM
290.00, but also the engine power with 10 or 20 PS.
 
With the help of William Kennedy I am trying to translate the
instructions for the AUDI swap. I found a German Vanagon driver
with Ford V6 114 PS. I hope to ask him for details.
 
Helmut
 
'80 Camper