1.9L TD Engine Installation Complete, Westy Back From Sacramento!
30 08 2007
8-17-07: Jeff at Autostadt West was able to deliver our Westy after 6 months in the shop for a full transmission rebuild and the installation of a 1.9 Liter Turbo Diesel engine. It was a long time coming, but we’re excited to have her back. The first night I filled up the rest of the tank with our homebrew biodiesel so it is now officially running on clean fuel!
hi…are you happy with the horsepower,acceleration,etc…can you state what the performance is like…own 3 vanagons and am considering this option…thanks Jeff.
I think that the performance feels fairly similar to the stock engine - decent acceleration but we’re not beating anyone off the line. It drives well at 65-70 on flat roads and slows down to 50 or so on steeper sections, needing a downshift to 3rd for longer grades. It’s supposed to be 75 hp with the 1.9L TD and you can get over 80 hp with an added intercooler if you can figure out where to put it. Stepping up to the more expensive and complicated TDI will get 90 hp. Overall we’ve been very happy so far, we were hoping for better mileage but we’re getting 18 or so right now. I just installed the big brake kit for noticeably improved stopping as well.
Good Luck! Clint
Did you have any trouble registering your car after installation? Also check this site out for some good ideas. [www.elsbett.de]
I actually haven’t had to yet, registration is good until May. I’m hoping that it won’t be an issue (thanks for reminding me - I have to get on that!).
hi,
you say that you get about 18mpg? wow, that is pretty bad. i though that conversions like this would be giving you 25-30mpg. Does your conversion have an intercooler? Also, why did your conversion take so long? I just talked to Jeff and he said that it would take about 3 weeks after all the parts are in and ready for the transplant. Was is because yours is a syncro or were there other issues?
Thanks for posting all this information.
David
Hey David,
The conversion took a long time because yes I do have a syncro, which makes the whole thing more complicated. In addition, the transmission needed a full rebuild and along the way, Jeff and Walter found various other things that needed fixing. I also was under the impression that the mileage would be better. However, I have a rooftop box that further compromises aerodynamics in the “rolling toaster”, which probably steals another 2-4mpg, plus I probably loose another 2mpg running our homebrew biodiesel and VO system. No intercooler yet, I think we can get another 10 hp or more, but it’s already tight back there and would be a bit of an engineering feat.
Jeff and Walter were great, I highly recommend Autostadt West for all your Vanagon needs. They are also the creators of the “Playagon“, a 2 level, chopped up burning man vehicle.
Good Luck!
Well, I’ve been talked to Jeff, thanks to your website, and I will be driving my van to Sacramento very soon for a 1.9TD transplant.
Thanks for your response.
David
Nice work David! Are you going for a VO conversion as well?
I want to but it will probably cost me another $1500 for everything and I’m not sure if we want to spend them now and not knowing much about places to collect used oil while on the road to Argentina. I saw that you bought the greasecar kit for yours. How do you like it? Did you also purchase a filtration system to take on the road or did you make it youself?
Thanks again.
David
Hey David,
I built a cross between the Roadtote and the Greasebeast filtration systems.
The Roadtote is over at Vegpower.com, uses the Fill-rite 1604 12V pump, dual 10 micron water removal filters, and tucks it pretty neatly into a Rubbermaid plastic tote. However, everwhere I’ve read recommends filtering to 5 microns, plus the Donaldson 10 micron filters are $15 each.
The Greasebeast uses the same pump but uses 2 water filter housings with a 20 micron then a 5 micron filter. The Organic Mechanic was selling them and you can get parts and filters on ebay for cheap.
I had also plumbed in a 10 micron Biotek water removal filter, but the pump just couldn’t push room temp oil through all 3 filters. I also foolishly tried to use the setup on our recent trip to Salt Lake in December and needless to say, the cold oil didn’t have a chance of passing through the filters. It does work well in warmer weather, though.
To store it and the extra oil, I put on the tubular bumpers from Van-cafe.com with built-in hitch and use a carrier to mount it all outside. The only disadvantage to these bumpers, although they look ready for the bush, they are $900 and they only bolt in to the first 2 mounting holes in the rear frame which allowed the bumper to shift when I loaded the carrier. I found out later that GoWesty has more stock looking steel bumpers for $795 with a built in hitch that has extended mounting brackets that go back to a 3rd mounting hole for more stability.
Good work!
hello just checking back on your Reg. I heard that QGA engines were not possible because they were never sold in Ca. If you had problems or no problems let me know be cause I’ll be dealing with that soon .
Thanks David
I am having an issue with this, I need to talk to some other referees and then see if there is any way that the engine can be fitted to meet CARB requirements. Otherwise, I might have to get it registered out of state or sell the Vegfalia to someone in another state where it can be registered.
Hi try calling bruce tassi at Tassi VW shop in SF he said he’s got a referee that passed his van and a couple others . good luck