--- In ev_update@y..., lars@b... wrote:
Just looked at a Westfalia this evening. My wife and I were
originally planning on spending around CAD$8000 (USD$5000) on a
Vanagon and then doing a motor swap but came across a '92 Eurovan
Westy for CAD$19,000 (USD$11,875) tonight. It was in immaculate
condition and has 185,000km (115,000 mi) on it.
Every looked good except the motor (Audi 2.5L) made a kind of a
ticking noise. It wasn't exactly a tick sound but similar...maybe a
small exhaust header leak...or maybe it was normal, I'm not sure.
When it first started up, the motor sounded a bit noisy (remotely
similar to a diesel) but smoothed out with 1 or 2 seconds. Now, I've
heard that '93 EVs had a piston slap problem and I am wondering if
that's what I heard on this '92. Opinions?
-----My 93 makes a ticking noise too. It is a valve issue, and is
relatively harmless according to my mechanic. It generally disappears
after the engine is well warmed up. The diesel-like noise at start-up
is fairly normal too. 5cyl engines just have an odd noise to them.
If it is a piston slap problem, would VW provide a cheap replacement
motor if I'm the 2nd or 3rd owner? Ok, stop laughing, it was worth a
shot.
Is the piston slap problem serious or just an annoyance? Some Jeep
4.0L motors had the same problem but it wasn't supposed to adversely
affect the motor's lifespan (although I've been skeptical).
Anything else I need to watch out for? I might have another look at
it tomorrow in the daylight.
Oh, I do all the work on my wife's Subaru and my Jeep YJ. They're
both really easy to work on. The EV's engine compartment looked very
crowded. Anyone have opinions on that? Is it a real bear to work
with?
-----I t is crowded under the hood, but the radiator and grille
assembly swing forward to allow you to get to the spark plugs, and the
rest of the fluids/filters can be gotten to without much disassembly.
The belly pan does need to be removed for oil changes, so you need to
get the van high enough in the air for aequate clearance. Others on
the list have removed the pan, but I don't suggest it, as it protects
the bottom of the engine from damage.
When does the timing belt need to be changed and how ugly is the
job? What about the water pump?
-----I replaced my timing belt and water pump at 120k miles. I am not
the original owner, and I don't think that it was well cared for by
them. The original belt was in okay shape, so I don't feel too bad
about waiting.
One more question: how many miles or km can I expect to get from the
2.5L motor? Has anyone swapped in a VR6? How difficult was the job?
-----I have 126k on mine now, and there are others on the list with
much more than that. The VR6 will NOT fit under the hood. The 97 and
newer vans have a larger engine bay to accomodate the bigger engine.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my newbie questions.
...lars
-----We are here to answer your questions!!!
NED
93 Weekender
