VW campervan engine - advice please
Discussion
I bought a 1978 VW bay campervan and have been plagued with engine problems - looking now to put in third engine and starting to lose heart as well as money. I would just like it to work! I don't mind the odd breakdown but not the number I have experienced. So looking for a reliable option with any thoughts welcome re manufacturers / mechanics etc. Also thinking about whether the Subaru route is an option to get better reliability? I'm female and have zero mechanical skills. The body work is in very good condition, it's just the engine that I'm at the end of my tether with.
ferfer said:
I bought a 1978 VW bay campervan and have been plagued with engine problems - looking now to put in third engine and starting to lose heart as well as money. I would just like it to work! I don't mind the odd breakdown but not the number I have experienced. So looking for a reliable option with any thoughts welcome re manufacturers / mechanics etc. Also thinking about whether the Subaru route is an option to get better reliability? I'm female and have zero mechanical skills. The body work is in very good condition, it's just the engine that I'm at the end of my tether with.
Ferfer, why are you on your 3rd engine? VW flat four engines are the most straight forward of engines to repair/rebuild. Are you buying used/unknown units? If so, don't. Take your engine to a reputable VW engine rebuilder, someone who really knows what they're doing. Most VW Camper engine problems are either fuel or electrical related. Replacing your engine with a Subaru unit is not necessarily the answer to your unreliability problems and will simply incur more cost - though they do provide more power. Contact your local VW Camper Club and talk to the guys who know. It's certain they'll be able to help...https://www.vwcampers.co.uk/vwclubdirectory.html
But first of all, make sure your fuel and electrical systems are in tiptop condition.
Hi
I have a 1981 T25 2.0 litre air-cooled - still on original engine and (touch wood) has not left us stranded in 5 years. I have a little specialist guy who I use and he is great. So the best advice is to post on a specialist forum (I use club8090.co.uk) to find a good specialist locally. My guy is on the Isle of Wight but has people coming from all over (London and even Manchester) to have their bays and other air-cooled vehicles serviced and repaired.
He fitted a new set of twin Webers to mine which have been a revelation in power and economy. He also has replaced and welded my front screen surround more recently.
Engine replacements seem to be very hit and miss. Elite VW (in Essex, I believe) get good reviews but also some horror stories too. A Vege replacement is another popular avenue but expensive and still requires someone to fit for you. I think finding a decent specialist is the best option to help you through the various options - if you don't have the experience yourself.
What issues have you had? I have had some really crap advice from local garages - one suggesting I needed a replacement engine when a brake servo hose was loose which was fixed with a new jubilee clip. Symptoms were it was down on compression on two cylinders and not much power........
Mike
I have a 1981 T25 2.0 litre air-cooled - still on original engine and (touch wood) has not left us stranded in 5 years. I have a little specialist guy who I use and he is great. So the best advice is to post on a specialist forum (I use club8090.co.uk) to find a good specialist locally. My guy is on the Isle of Wight but has people coming from all over (London and even Manchester) to have their bays and other air-cooled vehicles serviced and repaired.
He fitted a new set of twin Webers to mine which have been a revelation in power and economy. He also has replaced and welded my front screen surround more recently.
Engine replacements seem to be very hit and miss. Elite VW (in Essex, I believe) get good reviews but also some horror stories too. A Vege replacement is another popular avenue but expensive and still requires someone to fit for you. I think finding a decent specialist is the best option to help you through the various options - if you don't have the experience yourself.
What issues have you had? I have had some really crap advice from local garages - one suggesting I needed a replacement engine when a brake servo hose was loose which was fixed with a new jubilee clip. Symptoms were it was down on compression on two cylinders and not much power........
Mike
A quick Google found this, which seems to be not far from you:-
http://www.frankiespaintshop.co.uk/Classic-Car-Res...
http://www.frankiespaintshop.co.uk/Classic-Car-Res...
First question is - which engine is it? the 1600cc or the 2.0 litre?
Next question would be how do you drive it? How fast on the motorway etc.?
Are there any modifications to the camper van at all? different wheels etc.? and if so what size tyres is it running now?
Do you have an oil temperature gauge fitted?
Based on those answers we should be able to give better advice....
Next question would be how do you drive it? How fast on the motorway etc.?
Are there any modifications to the camper van at all? different wheels etc.? and if so what size tyres is it running now?
Do you have an oil temperature gauge fitted?
Based on those answers we should be able to give better advice....
pretty sure the bus would have come with a 2.0 type 4 aircooled engine. I cannot understand why you should keep having to replace the engine? Take it to a specialist and make sure all of the cooling tinware is present around the engine, if they get too hot then they will destroy themselves.
bungz said:
I am guessing if this is the 3rd engine you have been the victim of idiots who do not know their arse from their elbow.
1st engine - the one that came in it.2nd engine - bought what turned out to be a s
tter. Unknown used?"looking to put in" 3rd - now's the time to learn the lesson.
The VW scene is such that there's going to be a lot of idiots, scammers and cowboys ready to part people from large amounts of money. There's a lot of WBX (I've got a T25) "rebuilders" selling "rebuilt" engines for considerably less than you could possibly buy all the parts that they swear blind they fit...
Whilst these engines are very simple and straight forward like all things they are only as good as the parts you put in them and the hands that are putting it all together. Unfortunately due to the huge popularity of VW campers a lot of "fast buck" merchants have sprung up and will happily take your money and supply you ste.
Even so called reputable companies will use mismatched parts with no thought to balancing (a balanced bottom end including the clutch and flywheel is an absolute must if you want these engines to last)
It is totally possible to do big miles on these if they're built right and serviced regularly.
Mine is 2332cc and making 200hp and it's been in five years and done circa 50k miles which also includes lots of runs down the dragstrip (15.1 @ 86mph) and sees 7000rpm every time I drive it - so it is doable.
Drop me a PM if you like and I will happily try and steer you in the direction of someone I'd trust to build me a motor. When I bought my first bus, 15 years ago I didn't really know anyone in the scene and wasted £7000 having an engine built by a so called (as seen on TV) professional company that lasted no more than 3000 miles before going pop. Once I found a good guy who stripped the engine in front of me and ran through all the things that had been done wrong it dawned on me that actually there is a hell of a lot involved in building a performance version of these engines but the principles are all the same even on a stock motor.
Don't be downheartened, take you time, find the right person and all will be well - and rest very safe in the knowledge that whilst your bus might be sitting unused it is doing nothing but going up in value :-)
Orb
te.Even so called reputable companies will use mismatched parts with no thought to balancing (a balanced bottom end including the clutch and flywheel is an absolute must if you want these engines to last)
It is totally possible to do big miles on these if they're built right and serviced regularly.
Mine is 2332cc and making 200hp and it's been in five years and done circa 50k miles which also includes lots of runs down the dragstrip (15.1 @ 86mph) and sees 7000rpm every time I drive it - so it is doable.
Drop me a PM if you like and I will happily try and steer you in the direction of someone I'd trust to build me a motor. When I bought my first bus, 15 years ago I didn't really know anyone in the scene and wasted £7000 having an engine built by a so called (as seen on TV) professional company that lasted no more than 3000 miles before going pop. Once I found a good guy who stripped the engine in front of me and ran through all the things that had been done wrong it dawned on me that actually there is a hell of a lot involved in building a performance version of these engines but the principles are all the same even on a stock motor.
Don't be downheartened, take you time, find the right person and all will be well - and rest very safe in the knowledge that whilst your bus might be sitting unused it is doing nothing but going up in value :-)
Orb
chances are with a 78 van , you've got a 1800/2000 flat engine or pancake type engine. expensive to fix, versus the standard 1300/1500/1600 jobbies.
my experience with them is lots of people leave all sorts of vital cooling parts off: or try an enhance performance without knowing what they are doing.
but 3rd engine: I;m guessing you've people putting 2nd hand motors in, without knowing their history ?
as for swapping to something else- eg subaru- yes its viable but wow its expensive to do. In the great scheme of things, probably not that much better on fuel anyway.
I'll be honest, I ran aircooled Vw's for years. the moment I got shut and got myself a new T4 diesel was a happy day. AND I had not a single reliability or engine fault in some 15 years.......... its just driving 70's campers the length of the UK isn't a joyful experience, or financially viable at low 20's mpg.
my experience with them is lots of people leave all sorts of vital cooling parts off: or try an enhance performance without knowing what they are doing.
but 3rd engine: I;m guessing you've people putting 2nd hand motors in, without knowing their history ?
as for swapping to something else- eg subaru- yes its viable but wow its expensive to do. In the great scheme of things, probably not that much better on fuel anyway.
I'll be honest, I ran aircooled Vw's for years. the moment I got shut and got myself a new T4 diesel was a happy day. AND I had not a single reliability or engine fault in some 15 years.......... its just driving 70's campers the length of the UK isn't a joyful experience, or financially viable at low 20's mpg.
Huntsman said:
mike9009 said:
My guy is on the Isle of Wight
Mind if I ask who it is? Moving to IOW soon with a T4.His name is Rob Gaze - based in Cowes (I think he calls it the island VW centre) which is a bit grandiose for a small set-up. He mainly deals with T2s and T25s (has a load outside his workshop) - but I suspect he would turn his hand to a T4 too. I can PM you his number if it helps.....
Where are you moving to? Are you coming to work on the island?
We've been here for 17 years now, moved from Leeds. Absolutely love it here!
Mike
mike9009 said:
Hi Huntsman
His name is Rob Gaze - based in Cowes (I think he calls it the island VW centre) which is a bit grandiose for a small set-up. He mainly deals with T2s and T25s (has a load outside his workshop) - but I suspect he would turn his hand to a T4 too. I can PM you his number if it helps.....
Where are you moving to? Are you coming to work on the island?
We've been here for 17 years now, moved from Leeds. Absolutely love it here!
Mike
Yes, please pm number.His name is Rob Gaze - based in Cowes (I think he calls it the island VW centre) which is a bit grandiose for a small set-up. He mainly deals with T2s and T25s (has a load outside his workshop) - but I suspect he would turn his hand to a T4 too. I can PM you his number if it helps.....
Where are you moving to? Are you coming to work on the island?
We've been here for 17 years now, moved from Leeds. Absolutely love it here!
Mike
I've got a job with Vestas at Stag Lane, selling up and moving over. Start mid June.
Renting at first, buy in the West Wight somewhere.
I wouldn't put a Subaru boxer in it, it'll cost to much to do to Source a good engine, Ecu, exhaust, fuel pumps, radiators, ignition gubbins, and have an adapted plate made. If you clearly are ready to spend £3k putting a Subaru lump in, for god sakes buy a turnkey motor off Funkenblitz in Portsmouth for couple of grand fitted.
It will be balls ache and expensive to do Subaru conversion, you'll need turbo sti lump not a na engine which will be under powered.
It will be balls ache and expensive to do Subaru conversion, you'll need turbo sti lump not a na engine which will be under powered.
Don't write off the Subaru option. I did a 2.5 NA Legacy conversion on mine about 6 years ago. Using RJES kit, it came to about £4K all in on top of the van. This included the donor, a 52k mile car was £750, a insurance write off, and I got £600 for the old rubbish 1.9 VW engine. I did some of the work with the meat of it done by the expert chaps at Haynes Motor Museum workshop.
It has run faultlessly since then all over Europe and UK, needing only a cam-belt change at year 5. It gives about 165bhp un-modified as opposed to the asthmatic 79 from the VW unit, allowing a fully loaded van to keep up with modern traffic. The only further mod I'd do would be to drop the final gearing as 70mph is 3750rpm with the 4 speed box, even maximising tyre sizes to drop the gearing a little. There is a conversion that gives a 3300rpm cruise and I will do this when the g/box gives up. Unfortunately, unlike the 50's designed engine, the standard box seems to be over-engineered and won't break.
I did start with a 88 water-cooled though, so all that plumbing was there already. It runs faster and cooler than original, no mods to the cooling, and returns nearly 30mpg on a good run, better than I got from the 1.9.
Only my experience though. However a friend in the village is doing a 3.3 flat 6 Subaru conversion. That will sound even nicer but not strictly necessary. No reason not to do it though!
It has run faultlessly since then all over Europe and UK, needing only a cam-belt change at year 5. It gives about 165bhp un-modified as opposed to the asthmatic 79 from the VW unit, allowing a fully loaded van to keep up with modern traffic. The only further mod I'd do would be to drop the final gearing as 70mph is 3750rpm with the 4 speed box, even maximising tyre sizes to drop the gearing a little. There is a conversion that gives a 3300rpm cruise and I will do this when the g/box gives up. Unfortunately, unlike the 50's designed engine, the standard box seems to be over-engineered and won't break.
I did start with a 88 water-cooled though, so all that plumbing was there already. It runs faster and cooler than original, no mods to the cooling, and returns nearly 30mpg on a good run, better than I got from the 1.9.
Only my experience though. However a friend in the village is doing a 3.3 flat 6 Subaru conversion. That will sound even nicer but not strictly necessary. No reason not to do it though!
Hi folks .. I have a mechanic friend who's happy to rebuild my engine for me - T25, 2l, air cooled, flat 4, LHD, auto - but he has no specific air cooled experience (apart from some help with mine) so am I hearing correctly that the recommendation is to find a VW air cooled specialist? And if so, any recommendations close to High Wycombe (J4, M40)?
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