hello, idaho newby here

[vwtreedogg]

nice forum...i wished i would have found this before i sold my 69 fasty! i have a 73 t2 in really good body condition that i would like to put a watercooled engine in and after reading through a few posts thought i would just ask a few questions-
i have owned a suby with the 1.8 and liked it but people don't seem to be using that engine, instead going for the ej22 instead. is this 'cause of availability, power, ease or a little of all three?
i have a jetta gli sitting in the yard(free=not sure if it works) that has computer and efi which seems to be an option but i don't know much about the watercooled vws(longevity vs power) compared to suby?
i live in a more rural area so dirt roads are much more abundant than paved so is putting the radiator up front or on top of the roof a more easily attained option?

thanks for the feedback and opinons
_________________
73 bread loaf nees 1.8suby

[famous phil]

hi and welcome ,

right you've got the choice of two engines , not sure why people will go for the 2.0L scooby but would think it'll be down to having a little more BHP ,
what you may want to weigh up is parts availability in your area for the two engines are there any local dealers , price and methods of fitting each engine , both could be fitted using adaptor plates or bell-housings ( If the 1.8 scooby bolt pattern is the same as 2.0L )

would it be possible to track down parts from a later diesel T25/T3 van because you should be able to fit the jetta engine using factory parts , see if you can find the engine code and upload a pic of it , should be able to find details of one that someone else has fitted , Is the jetta a 1.8
would also think there'll be details of a 1.8 scooby that's been fitted as well ,
_________________
Auto Union Munga Jeep ,T4 2.4td , T4 2.5tdi ,Mercedes S Class on LPG , 66 splity deluxe , GP mk1, 3 type 25s 1 with 1.9dt pug engine + 1 with N/A pug engine ,,there are 6 t25s with pug power in Darlington

[hansend23]

i love picts and cake
_________________
just do it!

[vwtreedogg]

[Joel]

Im guessing the 1.8 your talking about an 80s EA81 or EA82?

they were a very popular conversion in bays around here in the 80s and 90s

the EA81 wasnt a bad engine, but is still a pushrod engine, 8 valve engine, just a VW with water cooling
and EA82 was subis first dabble with overhead cams and according to subi mechanics they didnt get it right till EJs

main reason people dont use them is even the newest one is nearly 20 years old, parts and engines are getting harder to find, the power isnt that impressive (even the turbo EA82 makes less power and torque than a stock EJ22) and both use different adapter plates and flywheels

also the EA82 are also a very wide engine, infact wider than a DOHC EJ20 so take a lot of hacking to fit a beetle or split bus.

The EJs are just alot more modern, refined engines that are far more common and share a wide range of parts unlike EA motors
_________________
1974 1303 Germanlook Suba-Beetle
Subaru EJ254, BoostR 17", 4 Wheel discs, Topline suspension and A/C

[vwtreedogg]

nope the engine i have in possesion is a vw 1.8...but i was looking for more info about the options so thank you
_________________
73 bread loaf nees 1.8suby

[vwtreedogg]

if i use a 1.8 RD code vw jetta engine, will i be wasting time and money instead of finding a more powerful engine to put in my bus?

and KEP says not to use an EJ22 engine in my era of bus but i see other people doing it.....is this because of ease of installation or 'cause the tranny is too weak?
_________________
73 bread loaf nees 1.8suby

[ElusiveStranger]

Kennedy told me you couldn't fit an EJ20 into a late bay

_________________
The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more
Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"

[famous phil]

Quote "if i use a 1.8 RD code vw jetta engine, will i be wasting time and money instead of finding a more powerful engine to put in my bus ? " There should be plenty of power with that engine 100BHP+? this might give a few ideas