nipper

I thin its time for your medication . I agree don't do it. nipper

I dont like the aveo due to personal taste. DO NOT BUY THE 300! Its rare that i declare a car an outright lemon, this is one of those times. There is an entire board dedicated to this cars troubles. At least the Aveo always starts and keeps runing untill you shut it off, the 300 seems to have a problem with this concept. nipper

Decking the block is never really necassary. When doing an aluminum head with an aluminum block, there is no need to replace the head bolts. Reasons for leak: Using non OE gaskets. Felpro is good, but whenever facing a weird or troublesome engine (weird is subaru, who else has two cylinders on each side, troublesome is a dodge neon). Dirty threads as said before. Checking the deck with a steel rule to make sure the cylinder liner did not move. Not having the heads pressure tested. Dirt during assembly. nipper

Either picky or spoiled, but always use OE wires with sooby. nipper

Outbrat sounds like it came out of the closet Bratback i like. DO you get the 4wd indicator illuminating on the dash? If not thats probably the switch for it. nipper

hrmmm NY to oregon... Someone up there has to want help... people, stop playing in mud for a few hours and give him a hand please nipper

The VW tranny can hold up to over 300 HP. Remeber VW were extreemly overbuilt. Part of the problem with the corvair engine (I had both a beetle and a vair) is the mass of the engine. SUbaru engines are extreemly light, and it really doesnt take much weight in the nose to even things out. Soobys are not cable shift, never have been. Even if they were the longer the cable, the more stretch and slop in it. Chrysler used to use cable shift in thier FWD cars, and they were the sorst shifters in the planet. On the VW all you need to do is replace the shift forks (as they get tired). I know that car, its a great kit to work with. Also dont be afraid of putting wieght in the front just for the sake of having front mass. http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/subaruvanagon/?yguid=281753844 http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/subaruVanagon2/?yguid=281753844 Those two links are good placese ofr information, so you wont be reinventing the wheel. They have busses as well as vanagons. Just dont post any questions there, as they are not the most freindly people in the world. Once somone asked how to upgrade his brakes, and the list owner threatend to ban him from the list. To me if you add power to something, adding stopping power is just as important, so now i read the list on the web. Some of the information will not apply to you, but a lot of it will. You also have the advantage of making things from scratch, instead of trying to shoe horn things in. http://www.rjes.com/ http://bb.bbboy.net/vwengineconversions-viewforum?forum=3 and somone whos done it before http://www.vanbran.com/bug/conversion1.htm http://bb.bbboy.net/vwengineconversions-viewthread?forum=8&thread=22 nipper (automotive engineer) edit - bad typing (what else is new)

The site is down, but it has the same interval as the timing belt. Its not that hard to replace, just expensive and lots and lots and lots of bolts. If it wasnt for the fact it was an interference engine, I would just drive it untill the chain failed. I am in complete shock, as the chain is only 60.00 per side from Genuine Subaru. Idler gear is 25.00 and 30.00/ I dont know if the guides have to be replaced, but there are five of them from 17.00 to 46.00. (sorry i am reading retail prices but you get the idea). I know on older engines you also had to replace a gear or two. This gets pricey. https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/oe_parts_cat.html There is a really great diagram of the timing chain and the associated parts. nipper nipper

Not if you consider all the time that this discussion has taken. He could have had it fixed by now. There is more to the cost of an item then what you are paying the parts supplier. nipper

Its easier to do if you have a carb. As you obsereved, it is really good at making ice. The fuel needs to be preheated, and depending upon the kit, may use gasoline as a starting fuel. http://pugetsoundcleancities.org/pdfs/cng_lpg_conversion_facts.pdf http://www.omnitekcorp.com/altfuel.htm the cost really isnt worth the savings (if any). nipper

You dont need to dissassemble the engine to diagnose bad valves. Too many people have never been taught, or have forgotten or rely too much on computers. Get yourself a cheap vacuum gauge. This will tell you the health of the engine, along with a compression test. http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/projects/vac/uum.htm nipper

Why not just bolt a sooby engine up to the VW tranny (vanagons do it all the time). Converting to mid engine is a big project, you would need a new floorpan/chassis or some sort of hybrid to the tried and true (and can still get parts for) VW design. Well actually lets back up. Mid eingine just means engine between frt and rear wheels. Are you talking about engine in front of or behind the pass compartment. Shifting can be a nightmare on a a transmission pointing away fropm the pass compartment. If you are talking about the car being nose light (steering issues) putting the radiator and all the associated structure, battery, AC parts and some other tricks can solve that. I would keep it as it is, and look at a turbo sooby engine in the rear (there are kits to do this). If you want to go all out and start from scratch, It can be done, but it's not for the timid. I would keep the VW front end kust for the sheer convience of it almost being one peice. When i had a corvair, just by plaing with the front/rear air pressure you werer able to get better steering. Now with better tires you should be able to get away from that somewhat. nipper

yes yes and yes. If you have cruise control I would not bypass it. Its adjustable. And yes i hate the floor mats too. It is just a plug and it screws in . nipper

Look at the bottom of the page for related threads. nipper

I actually dont think thats a bad price. nipper

Have they switched to the winter blends of gas by you yet? nipper

I agree go to any other front end shop. You really have to bash the car to bend one of these links (sure you arent rock crawling to get out of the driveway? ). If you really want to be sure, find a body shop and ask them to check the car. nipper

Parts guys usually know. Service writers are clueless for the most part. I was one for a very short time and amazed how the blind were leading the blind. nipper

stay within the 1996-1999 range, either 2.5 or 2.2L. It will make life a lot easier to install. nipper

Yes you can replace just the contacts. nipper

DO a search. Lots of threads on this. Its a sender problem. By a can of techron that usually helps a lot. nipper

Thats where i would look first. Without an oscilloscope i cant tell you which, but my gut says coil (keeping in mind my gut was just ripped open so it may be out of cal :-p ) nipper

I got it backwards, #1 and #3 are on the pass side (sorry about that) 1-2 3-4 Per haynes thats the location of the cylinders. Firing order is 1-3-2-4 http://autorepair.about.com/library/firing_orders/bl-fo-1140.htm They are all basically the same since the first boxer. nipper

Same coil and same crankshaft position sensor? nipper

Not to hijack the thread, but it keeps me happy and my skills sharp. Whatever i don't know i will find out about. It gets boring being home on disability. Right now I am trying to figure out what my next career path will be. I enjoy it. nipper