Engine replacements

[car_freak_tim with kombi]

I'm sure that someone has heard of people putting subaru engines in kombi's and I am considering doing this to my DC. But i've also heard that there is a problem with the engine overheating. Purely because kombi engine's are air cooled and subaru engines are not. Would it be worth the effort to put one in and chuck in a radiator or just have the car screaming down the highway?

[vinny]

Not as easy as it sounds my friend, there is a lot more things you need to do, to get a job done by custom vee dub for this sort of thing is around 11k drive in-drive out.

If I were you I'd keep your dc og, is always better to hear the dak dak.

[car_freak_tim with kombi]

Yeah, true. Kind of like the sound of the old flat four anyways. And should put 'DAKDAK' as my number plate.

[crewcabconnection]

check Hellbus on AussieVeedubbers forums; he has a blow by blow account. General consensus being it is a good long term idea, esp as T4 motors become either harder to get or expensive to fix. Brookvale Spares have racks of EJ22s for about $1000. You can get the short sumps ex-USA and the harness shortened. It's not that bad a deal, and you won't have to butcher that engine bay. Indian has done some in Bays and plenty more in T3s ... but then Adrian Muller has a wasser boxer in a split I believe. Lots of things possible. I think I'm right in saying EJ22 (Librerty engine) is about $6k investment - with adapter and bits and bobs. You can get the adapter from John Sherman I think.

Can't see you'd need a specialist to do it, given all the documentation about and parts. Decent 2.0ltr would cost you that to build these days.

[tar76]

It's a hard one, one side of me says no way - and the other says yes if your putting it down the highway everyday?

[Kai]

I've done a little bit of research and it seems that the subaru is a good investment. Like CCC said about $6k doing most of the work yourself.

You only have to service every 10k km. And this is only changing oil, filter, plugs. And checking fluid levels. Only sets you back a couple 50 bucks.

Whereas the aircooled is more expensive. Points, oil change, filter, tappets, carb tuning.

A 2lt aircooled puts out about 60-70hp after being rebuilt to stock. The EJ22 puts out about 130hp and you can put quad cam EJ25 for roughly the same price and get even more hp.

If I had the money I'd do it in a heartbeat. As mine is a daily driver I would like to get in the car turn the key, select D and have some power across the whole rev range. Don't have to worry about driving in 40+ degree days, in case the aircooled engine overheats.

The only negative I see the that you lose the iconic aircooled sound. And probably resale value.

If you have the money, I say go for it. And yes you do need a radiator and thermo fan just like all watercooled cars do, thats how it works, coolant travels from the engine to radiator to be cooled down by passing air, then travels back to the engine to keep it cool and it keeps circulating. When in stop start traffic, or idling for a while the thermo fan cuts in and draws air through the radiator to cool it. Much like the aircooled uses oil to cool the engine.

I hope this helps you in your decision.

Helbus conversion: http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/v....php?tid=38417
Joel's conversion: http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/v....php?tid=77027

Very in-depth threads, will help you out.

[froger]

Go for it !! I have 2 t3 transporters both have ej20 turbo motors in them , and one of these does a lot of k's , up and down the coast .
My 61 ute is also going to run the same or maybe a ej25 .. I also put an ea81 in a 58 beetle about 10 years ago with great results .. Put it this way I won't be going back , unless I was doing a genuine restore.
The cost of building VW engines these days is expensive , and if you build them with revving the crap out of them in mind then you really need a big bank account , I could buy 3 Subi engines for the same money and have a whole lot more fun revving the crap out of them without fear it's going to detonate , and if it does , who cares there cheap.. Although you still have to watch your gearbox
You have plenty of room to fit these motors in a Bay , running your water pipes and setting up the radiator takes time , if your mechanically minded you won't have much trouble though , although the wiring side can be a bit daunting with some of these late motors , but there are people out there that can deal with this..
Just do your research , check out some of the links that have been posted above on AVD you'll be right
And if some of you purist are upset about my views , so be it

[KahunaKombi]

VanRex also put a suby turbo in his lowlight panel and there is a thread by him on here - will try to find for you

[KahunaKombi]

Here's the thread Tim http://forums.kombiclub.com/showthread.php?t=369

[froger]

Originally Posted by KahunaKombi

Here's the thread Tim http://forums.kombiclub.com/showthread.php?t=369

Thats a great thread , remember reading that some time ago . A lot of good work done there , plenty of useful info !!!

[car_freak_tim with kombi]

Sounds good, but I''ll be driving on my P's. So, no turbo.

[Carter]

You could go Rotary... more power and pretty much same "downfalls" as a VW engine... Really, when you think about it VW's and Rotaries are pretttttyy similar. Minus complete engine design and hp figures....

But yeah. Still get the high fuel consumption, high oil consumption, reliability issues.... all the charachter of a VW... hehe

[Kai]

Lots more torque but

Suggest maybe a quad cam EJ20, sans turbo then add one on when you get full license? EJ22 and EJ25 will still rock your socks, for a daily driver.

[car_freak_tim with kombi]

If I do I can't increase the capacity of my engine. Because of the super strict P plate laws.

I did a thread a while with a link to a video of Aaron Robert's 1976 that has a 20B Turbo Rotary, but again NO TURBO.
http://forums.kombiclub.com/showthre...ght=drag+kombi

[froger]

Originally Posted by car_freak_tim with kombi

Sounds good, but I''ll be driving on my P's. So, no turbo.

So don't go turbo , ej22 , ej25 which would be my choice plenty of torque for a big vehicle , plenty of go . Rotary nah , good for a bit of a track bug , have an adapter plate and locked up early rotary motor somewhere in amongst all my junk !! Was fun when it went though

[Kai]

If you want more info on all types of conversions, many people in the UK do 1.8TDI conversions for economy. Check out these sites.

www.vwkd.com
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewforum.php?f=19

Another awesome conversion is by Ricola...
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/v....php?tid=75812

WRX Barndoor anyone???
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/vie...t=wrx+barndoor

[vinny]

don't do it man, keep the veedub alive at heart...
each to their own, but i can't bear the though of people ripping out a veebud engine to but a piece of jap shit in...the way i see it; if you want to be a revhead and go faster get a commonhore or a falcon-kombis aren't designed to go fast, why alter it?
just my 2 cents..

[tar76]

Originally Posted by vinny

don't do it man, keep the veedub alive at heart...
each to their own, but i can't bear the though of people ripping out a veebud engine to but a piece of jap shit in...the way i see it; if you want to be a revhead and go faster get a commonhore or a falcon-kombis aren't designed to go fast, why alter it?
just my 2 cents..

If u go turbo i would be looking at a major brake system upgrade, then thats more money on the bill. like vinny said the brick on wheels was never a race car.

[Kai]

People like the thought that they can go to the kombi in sub 0 temps turn the car on, not have to warm it up, no backfiring, no torque, no chance of leaking oil, no chance of it overheating in the summer. Just a few people. The price you have to pay to get the same figures out of a VW engine compared to a stock jap engine is outrageous to say the least.

Some people like it, some don't, its unfair to criticise people who decide to change their car, its a reflection of them and they can do what they want with it. People put windows, proper windows not hacks, into panels because they may want a 15 window, good with the welder but cant afford a real 15 window.

I think people should appreciate what other people do to their kombi, the time and effort spent in fabrication and smooth integration of a suby or a wankel or a commodore v6 engine, their keeping them on the road, and if they want to go back to a VW engine they can.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it, Hot rodders do it day in day out, full fibreglass bodies, modified running gear, chopped roofs, bigger v8/10/12 even engines, they do it because the cars back then weren't designed to go fast, still the hot rodders aren't critising others because some keep them stock, others chop and channel them so the body sits on the ground. A hot rod is a hot rod, no matter what is under there or pushing it, I think should be the same for kombis, who cares if it has a porsche G50 transmission under it mated to a turbo subaru with HD sway bars and front and rear disc brakes and air con.

Purists will always remain purists no matter what, they can be purists, but I think they should appreciate the work that other people put into their kombis. They usually don't do it to resell and make a quick buck. it's for the love of the kombi

There rant over!!

[Kai]

Originally Posted by tar76

If u go turbo i would be looking at a major brake system upgrade, then thats more money on the bill. like vinny said the brick on wheels was never a race car.

Don't need to he has late bay with front discs already, many engineers will be happy with this, or you can just upgrade the rear to discs. Same if you wanted to go for a decent VW engine you would have to upgrade brakes too.