John,

Can you tell me about your motor?

Sure:
I did a upgrade to my 1988 Vanagon 2.1L wasserboxer.
I counterweighted the crank, increased cam lift and duration, 3 angle seats/
2angle valves valve job, 1.25 ratio rockers, cromoly push rods and spring
retainers, solid rocker shafts, Walker Turbo muffler, Rotating assembly
balanced, pistons and rods balanced, ceramic coatings on ALL parts that
touch heat and head sealing surface, Bosch quad tip platinum plugs, matched
ported: exhaust, heads, air runners, oil pump, throttle body, racing valve
locks, racing clutch bolts, five speed
tranny with locking diff and .70 fifth gear.  I can get to 75 mph with a
1.03 fourth gear, in fifth I can cruise at 70 to 75 easy, been to 85 mph
once to avoid getting stuck behind slow traffic.  My gas milage has
remained
at 20 mph whether in city or highway.  I am having to retune the FI. It was
set with a wornout air flow meter before I owned the van.

> Cost?
I have spent @$6000.  But that included a lot more than just the "engine": 5
speed transmission, all new German hoses, thermostat and housing,
water pipe (passenger side plastic coolant housing) water pump, AFM, brake
master cylinder, clutch master and slave, new rotors, pads, caliper rebuild
kits, bearings, muffler wrap, wire covers, seals, plus many tools and other
parts.  I used stainless steel hardware on 90 percent of the engine. Many
tools needed for the wasserboxer engine rebuild.

The engine alone was less than $3000.

I have over 200+ hours int the project: Research and actual work. I spent
over 15 hours alone cleaning and polishing the engine case, 8 hours on
cleaning castings and mild porting of "new" heads final install took @50
hours. I replaced entire clutch system, braking system, rubber tube, cleaned
ALL electrical points in engine compartment, many coolant pipes: rubber and
plastic.
(TIP if the engine is out REPLACE the plastic pipe on the passenger side
ONLY $26 from VW.  It was a challange WITH THE engine OUT, a bear with the
engine in.)
  I made sure all parts fit exactlly... I am a perfectionist...
This is some of what I have done so far...

> Also he mentioned that a 5-speed transmission is being used... where did
> that come from (my van is a 4-speed)?  Cost?

That came from Weddle Engineering

Tranny         $1700
Locking diff   $ 300
.70 Fifth gear $ 150

Robert

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