I've gotten a great response on this via email. I want to thank everyone that read through all of the different options and offered their opinions. I have some new information about the TDI option, and a 7th option that many readers felt I overlooked.
TDI update
Kennedy Engineering, aka KEP, has responded to my questions about an adapter plate, and have indicated that they can support either the original transaxle or the one on the floor of the garage (091/1), or the later baywindow transaxle (091). Since the bellhousing for the 091 can fit on the 002, I have more options. I'm not sure if that's good or bad at this point.
I also found a website for a guy in Australia that built his own under-mount radiator setup. I'll add a link here later, but it was primarily pictures with very little text. I've also received emails from a company over there (Custom Offroad) that constructs an undermount radiator. They've apparently done a lot of these, but mostly for Subaru engine conversions, and their customers go off-road... in the desert. Sounds pretty convincing that they work.
Last, someone pointed out to me that the TDI engine can be "chipped" so it puts out considerably more power, so I shouldn't have rated it second.
Missing option
A number of readers felt that I overlooked ordering an engine from "Boston Bob". He has a great reputation in the aircooled VW community and has been doing it for a very long time. His quality falls above the BusDepot/AVP special, and is probably on par with Jake (the Camper Special), but not as expensive. I'm sure there are subtleties between the finished product that each can produce that explain the cost difference. I know Jake has been experimenting with higher output engines and trying to build with near-stock longevity. As I understand Boston Bob's approach its: building engines that are closer to stock that last nearly forever. Bob can build more powerful engines just as Jake can build less powerful engines. They have different approaches. Regardless, Boston Bob should have been in the choice list as he offers an improved engine at just above BusDepot prices.
That's really all I have for today. Because of a family reunion event that is warming up in CA, the bus may not make that Lake Shasta trip. That may be for the best if his engine is in questionable condition and his replacement is not yet ready for install. I'll have to figure out a way of explaining it to Hapy....
Showing posts with label raby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raby. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
new engine opinions: Raby
Another multi-part posting. This time its about helping me make a decision on Hapy's stock 1700 engine. The choices are below, and this post is just about the Raby Camper Special. I'll have one post for each choice, so they don't get too long. Hopefully, I'll get some good feedback and be able to make a good choice.
1) keep the limper
2) a Raby Camper Special
3) the TDI engine I have on my garage floor
4) a BusDepot special
5) some used engine off of craigslist
6) build one from parts collected off the 'net, parts stores, etc
2) The Raby Camper Special
This is besically the "Cadillac" of air cooled engines for a bus. Maybe the "Cummins TurboDiesel" would be more appropriate. Peaking out at 92HP and 120 ft/lbs of torque, these engines fly, have better MPG (Jake has said mid 20's), and can actually tow things. Now, just the thought of seeing a bus towing a small boat makes me laugh, but the idea of having that kind of power available without altering the 'identity' of the aircooled bus is appealing. Not so appealing: the price. At $4200, this is not a tax refund only kind of purchase, and I'd still have to put it together. That's precious time, baby. Also, a rebuildable core might be a good idea as I really have no idea what shape the existing motor is in. Considering that it's running, I'm going to go out on a limb and say "its fine". Still, if there's a camping trip in the offing, building on a new block while puttering on the limper might be a good way to go about this. Flame me if you firmly feel otherwise.
Raby and his folks pre-assemble the engine, so you know the parts work together, and actually fit what you're doing. They're well respected lots of years in the biz, blah, blah, blah. Basically, its a killer engine at a budget busting price. If this is the choice, I can sell the TDI engine and stuff and mostly fund this, so cost isn't that much of a barrier, but its still pretty frickin' spendy... and its still burning dino-fuel even if the MPG improves into the 20's.
Choice summary ranking as compared to other choices (1st, 2nd, etc):
cost (1-6): 5th
work (1-6): 4th
power (1-6): 1st
mpg (1-6): 2nd
reliable (1-6): 1st
next... the TDI on my garage floor
1) keep the limper
2) a Raby Camper Special
3) the TDI engine I have on my garage floor
4) a BusDepot special
5) some used engine off of craigslist
6) build one from parts collected off the 'net, parts stores, etc
2) The Raby Camper Special
This is besically the "Cadillac" of air cooled engines for a bus. Maybe the "Cummins TurboDiesel" would be more appropriate. Peaking out at 92HP and 120 ft/lbs of torque, these engines fly, have better MPG (Jake has said mid 20's), and can actually tow things. Now, just the thought of seeing a bus towing a small boat makes me laugh, but the idea of having that kind of power available without altering the 'identity' of the aircooled bus is appealing. Not so appealing: the price. At $4200, this is not a tax refund only kind of purchase, and I'd still have to put it together. That's precious time, baby. Also, a rebuildable core might be a good idea as I really have no idea what shape the existing motor is in. Considering that it's running, I'm going to go out on a limb and say "its fine". Still, if there's a camping trip in the offing, building on a new block while puttering on the limper might be a good way to go about this. Flame me if you firmly feel otherwise.
Raby and his folks pre-assemble the engine, so you know the parts work together, and actually fit what you're doing. They're well respected lots of years in the biz, blah, blah, blah. Basically, its a killer engine at a budget busting price. If this is the choice, I can sell the TDI engine and stuff and mostly fund this, so cost isn't that much of a barrier, but its still pretty frickin' spendy... and its still burning dino-fuel even if the MPG improves into the 20's.
Choice summary ranking as compared to other choices (1st, 2nd, etc):
cost (1-6): 5th
work (1-6): 4th
power (1-6): 1st
mpg (1-6): 2nd
reliable (1-6): 1st
next... the TDI on my garage floor
new engine opinions welcome
Well... I've been really distracted lately with the 3 car monte I've been playing. Turns out I was right about the Ella - she was fuel starved. After a new low-pressure fuel pump (they have 2!) and a couple of filters (yeah, 2 of them too), she's running great. Hapy is back on the road, but curbside while I decide what to do with him, and I'm hoping that sheer numbers (or one person's clarity) can help guide me.
The decision: replace Hapy's stock 1700 engine with
1) keep the limper
2) a Raby Camper Special
3) the TDI engine I have on my garage floor
4) a BusDepot special
5) some used engine off of craigslist
6) build one from parts collected off the 'net, parts stores, etc
Each have their own positives and negatives, and I'll try to detail them here. Part of the equation is how much time it will take to get road-ready, how reliable the finished product will be, how powerful Hapy will be in the short and long run, etc. This all makes it really hard to be sure of what the right answer is. I'll spread descriptions of the different choices across multiple posts so this one doesn't get ridiculous. Depending on how it goes, I'll either post a grid of pluses and minuses or a summary or something like that. Anyway, I'll start with choice #1: do nothing, and go from there.
1) Keep the limper
Doing nothing is always a choice, but for how long? Will Hapy run indefinitely with the frankenmotor he currently has? Of course not. The trick is guessing when he's going to die and save up for that inevitability or be proactive. This choice is basically saying "let's wait until later when everything is more expensive".
Figure, he has 68HP if we're lucky. On most drives up Mt. Hood I get waved at one finger at a time. Ever wonder where that rushhour slowdown on I-5 South came from? That was me, driving home from work up the hill out of downtown in the righthand lane at 40MPH. Maybe only drivers of other slow vehicles can really understand the stress this brings when you're supposed to be enjoying the drive. The limper engine is also one of the main reasons our routes take us on state routes instead of interstates. Did I mention the MPG? 16. bleck. If I keep the limper, I'll need to at least slap fuel injection on there. That should improve the MPG by a couple, but it doesn't address the time-bomb effect, nor does it improve the boost uphill by much. Also, there is still the time spent getting the fuel injection on.
Choice summary ranking as compared to other choices (1st, 2nd, etc):
cost (1-6): 1st
work (1-6): 1st
power(1-6): 6th
mpg (1-6): 6th
reliable (1-6): 4th
next time... the Raby Camper Special
Added after all posts completed:
Since I can't figure out a grid, here are the rankings by category (1->6)
Cost: limper, used, collect parts, BusDepot, Raby, TDI
Work: limper, used, BusDepot, Raby, collect parts, TDI
Power: Raby, TDI, BusDepot, collect parts, used, limper
mpg: TDI, Raby, BusDepot, used, collect parts, limper
reliable: Raby, BusDepot, TDI, limper, used, collect parts
The decision: replace Hapy's stock 1700 engine with
1) keep the limper
2) a Raby Camper Special
3) the TDI engine I have on my garage floor
4) a BusDepot special
5) some used engine off of craigslist
6) build one from parts collected off the 'net, parts stores, etc
Each have their own positives and negatives, and I'll try to detail them here. Part of the equation is how much time it will take to get road-ready, how reliable the finished product will be, how powerful Hapy will be in the short and long run, etc. This all makes it really hard to be sure of what the right answer is. I'll spread descriptions of the different choices across multiple posts so this one doesn't get ridiculous. Depending on how it goes, I'll either post a grid of pluses and minuses or a summary or something like that. Anyway, I'll start with choice #1: do nothing, and go from there.
1) Keep the limper
Doing nothing is always a choice, but for how long? Will Hapy run indefinitely with the frankenmotor he currently has? Of course not. The trick is guessing when he's going to die and save up for that inevitability or be proactive. This choice is basically saying "let's wait until later when everything is more expensive".
Figure, he has 68HP if we're lucky. On most drives up Mt. Hood I get waved at one finger at a time. Ever wonder where that rushhour slowdown on I-5 South came from? That was me, driving home from work up the hill out of downtown in the righthand lane at 40MPH. Maybe only drivers of other slow vehicles can really understand the stress this brings when you're supposed to be enjoying the drive. The limper engine is also one of the main reasons our routes take us on state routes instead of interstates. Did I mention the MPG? 16. bleck. If I keep the limper, I'll need to at least slap fuel injection on there. That should improve the MPG by a couple, but it doesn't address the time-bomb effect, nor does it improve the boost uphill by much. Also, there is still the time spent getting the fuel injection on.
Choice summary ranking as compared to other choices (1st, 2nd, etc):
cost (1-6): 1st
work (1-6): 1st
power(1-6): 6th
mpg (1-6): 6th
reliable (1-6): 4th
next time... the Raby Camper Special
Added after all posts completed:
Since I can't figure out a grid, here are the rankings by category (1->6)
Cost: limper, used, collect parts, BusDepot, Raby, TDI
Work: limper, used, BusDepot, Raby, collect parts, TDI
Power: Raby, TDI, BusDepot, collect parts, used, limper
mpg: TDI, Raby, BusDepot, used, collect parts, limper
reliable: Raby, BusDepot, TDI, limper, used, collect parts
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