Engines power alternative engines can’t decide!!!!

[Austin]

Well, I think I’m pretty set on some more power, something I’m likely to start collecting parts for soonish to keep me occupied over this winter. But just can’t make my mind up!!

The cost of a more juicey type 1 engine maybe a 1776 just seems to cost so bloody much! And then there’s the gear box work on top of that.

Then it gets me thinking about Subaru swaps, given you can buy an motd forester with an ej20 engine in an everything needed apart from a few bits for £350, in my mind it looks like one of these engine swaps seems reversible and can be done for under a grand.

But then I sometimes see a bargain 1776 going for honest money making me think this is the way forward!!!

I dont really know what the point of this thread is other than just to get people chucking in their 2 peneth, and maybe advice from experience, anything I end up doing I’ll be doing my self in the garage. I did used to love a ghetto engine swap back in my mk1 and mk2 golf days!!

Anyone else going round in circles over similar thoughts?

 

[Webbaldo]

Depends what you use your bus for. If your like me and just like day trips to the coast, odd overnight trip then stay aircooled.

If your regularly bombing 400miles to cornwall and towing a caravan/trailer than maybe the Scooby route?

 

[paul_q]

To get the most out of a Subaru conversion you need longer gears in a standard box or Subaru gears.
If you use a conversion plate instead of a rjes bellhosing and input shaft you may need a high torque starter and high performance clutch. You can use standard gears but will be looking at 4000 revs at 70. You should allow 2grand for gearbox work .The good thing about a Subaru is if your engine fails you can buy another car and be back on the road with a weekend of work. It's not for everyone but perfect for others.

 

[K@rlos]

Properly built high power aircooled engines are more pricey but will be as reliable as a Subaru engine, I’ve got a 2.2 litre aircooled stroker motor and that cost me about 10k but that was getting every last little bit to build and fit it into the bus along with my engine builders labour and then bigger heads, cam and carbs when we decided to beef it up even more. Which when you consider some place charge that just for a an engine on its own I don’t think that is to bad.

Any engine will let you down if it’s not maintained or built properly, a guy called chris aka mad dog has a nitrous fed aircooled engine in his bus. It has done years and years on the drag strip and never been apart.

Depends how much you wanna spend

 

[66nige]

^^^ Agree with the above any engine needs maintaining...... and theres nothing that sounds nicer than that air cooled burble at the rear. I think the old buses should remain air cooled as nature intended.......just my opinion though, your bus your choice!

 

[Mike.cott]

Keep in mind also, scooby engine in id day that would come under needing an mot each year also. Stay aircooled you wouldn’t need to other than your personal choice on safety


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[StuF]

Im coming to the end of my Subaru conversion on the bus after getting sick of the poor quality of pattern parts available for the aircooled engines.
Would have stayed aircooled had the quality parts been available to reliably maintain our well used bus however even the most top spec expensive parts available were cheap nasty poorly made crap from god knows where.

We have been to Cornwall, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and Monaco among other places under aircooled power - slowly and gradually however the issues with keeping the engine serviceable became too problematic.

I looked at large aircooled motors like Karlos has installed and I didnt have the appetite to drop £10k + for an engine that could potentially cost the same again should it fail - for whatever reason.

So went scooby - Ive personnally installed an EJ25 engine out of a 2001 Subaru Legacy that had covered 100k, rebuilt it from a short block after stripping and replacing nearly every seal and consumable item including the head gaskets, leads and sump. Also installed a crate Impreza 5 speed gearbox that has been modified using SubaruGears internals so should be cruising at 70mph around 2300 rpm.

Cost wise including all the ancillary items from RJES/Fellows/Ebay and carbuilder solutions is around £4k and that is all in
Expected fuel economy is 25-30mpg for a 170bhp bus

If you would like any further info PM me

 

[lemur]

Just done a Scooby and freeway flier combo in mine, what can I say? it does what it says on the tin. The engine feels 'modern'.. if that makes sense, already this year I'm beyond my usual mileage.. living in the midlands we do have to put the miles in to reach the coast and decent weather.

Yeah people bang on (don't they just!) about how a properly maintained aircooled engine is so very reliable but I've owned one for years, I know many other owners and I'm on here reading everyone's issues too much lol ..and my conclusion is we all spend too much time messing about with this and that in the engine bay.. how many maintenance hours do you put in on your daily driver, assuming it's a newish 'family type car'?? not anywhere near as many I'm guessing.

I've no regrets, in fact I can see both sides here but recently at a show the bus to the left of us wouldn't start and the one to the right wouldn't idle without being nursed till warm.

As stated above, once the conversion is complete should you need a replacement engine they are everywhere and for pence.
I wouldn't rule it out!

Just my opinion of course. Doesn't suit everyone's needs.

Liam

 

[paul_q]

Keep in mind also, scooby engine in id day that would come under needing an mot each year also. Stay aircooled you wouldn’t need to other than your personal choice on safety


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Surely nobody in there right mind would put 130+ bhp air or water cooled in a vehicle with very little safety and your legs inches from the front panel and not put it through a mot

 

[lemur]

I totally agree, along with most I think! Mot is a must regardless of bhp