Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:56:47 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM>
Subject: Re: Diesel vs Gas Vanagons
In-Reply-To: <014301c854d4$ba81ae40$6601a8c0@TOSHIBALAP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On 1/11/08, Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> And check out Jim A there - he thinks high miles on an engine are dumb. You
> just slap in a inexpensive low miles, very abundant cheap ford focus engine.
Please don't put words into my mouth, unless they are at least given
the same thought that mine are. I never said it was dumb. Impractical?
yeah Not worth it? yeah Why bother? yeah... dumb.. no as it's
offensive and you're trying to start trouble where there is civility,
or you're just being careless. Swapping the whole engine is a much
easier and lower risk solution if your goal is reliability.
And at least you get to choose which way you want to go. If it was the
case that the zetecs were also junk and only last 100k miles, then I
would think twice.. but honestly, why would you involve yourself in a
major repair for the same money and time as swapping the whole engine?
Because the engine is heavier? That's the only reason i can think of..
if it's purely not practical given your situation.. but the engine
itself only weighs about 250-280... totally managble without a lift or
anything special. You can swap a zetec with a 4x4 that is long enough
to span the engine bay and two ratchet straps of the walmart variety.
Dig into the longblock for major repairs and you need cleanliness,
experience, and tools to do it correctly... R&Ring the whole engine
will always be less work, less risk, with more benefit. For those that
object to the idea of the "disposal" of the engine, it's simply not
true. the engines get recycled just like the vast majority of the
metal in a car. And since you never get more granular than the whole
engine, if they can follow direction from us, and work a ratchet or
wrench, literally anyone can do it. That's simply not true for major
repairs, afterall Scott, you've commented many times about your
attention to detail, doing things "right" and your experience. If it's
the case that you think your average vanagon OWNER.. not tech, should
be dabbling in anything deeper than the long block, then your role in
the process is immediately in question.
> He even thinks if the head has been off and engine they can never be the
> same again quite.
Moreover, I know that's true. Anyone that tries to tell you otherwise
is simply selling rebuilds. The rebuilders with any integrity will
tell you that it's true as well, you simply cannot compete with a
robot when it comes to installing a head. This is a common
understanding in the mainstream aftermarket.. unseal the longblock,
it'll never be the same. I'm not making it up, and this is news to
few. It doesn't take much of a leap to understand this point. Lot's of
attention and caution is placed on clean and square surfaces, proper
tightening sequences, proper parts, and proper torques. Everyone knows
this. To suppose that that a machine designed solely for this
purpose, that tightens all of the bolts simultaneously, in a clean
factory, on a virgin engine that has never been heat cycled, with
ambient temp sensing and compensation, pressure point mapping control,
and load cells accurate to 100's of times better than the spring
actuated torque wrench you have kicking around in your shop will not
achieve the better seal... is just well completely insane to suppose.
They will, they do. Some things should indeed be taken advantage of
from the massive capital infrastructure the OEMs employ... certain
parts like the engine and it's assembly are a couple of those things.
This isn't to say you can't get value from rebuilding your engine, it
all depends on what engine, and if it's practical, possible, or
feasible to get another factory engine... for all other options the
answer is a no. There is no option for what I'm talking about.
Jim Akiba
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