| [ Total Views: 1797 | Total Replies: 18 | Thread Id: 73486 ] |
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 Mountains Greg
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 posted on December 14th, 2008 at 11:01 PM |
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T3 Bus Air or Water
I'm looking at a few T3 vans at the moment to buy. I have owned a T3 before a 91 watercooled 2.1ltr but, after it blew the head studs and gasket
years ago I am thinking about this time buying an 82 fuel injected aircooled 2.0ltr.
My thinking is this would be easier and cheaper??? to maintain i.e. no coolant hoses running the length of the chassis no rediculously difficult
radiator to access either 
Another problem I remember with my watercooled was the incredibly hot cabin floor on a hot day and the droaning whirring thermo fan  What do you guys think?
Cheers
Greg
If it's not in a Vee Dub I'm not going!
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Warrenm
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 posted on December 15th, 2008 at 01:16 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Mountains Greg
I'm looking at a few T3 vans at the moment to buy. I have owned a T3 before a 91 watercooled 2.1ltr but, after it blew the head studs and gasket
years ago I am thinking about this time buying an 82 fuel injected aircooled 2.0ltr.
My thinking is this would be easier and cheaper??? to maintain i.e. no coolant hoses running the length of the chassis no rediculously difficult
radiator to access either
Another problem I remember with my watercooled was the incredibly hot cabin floor on a hot day and the droaning whirring thermo fan What do you guys think?
Cheers
Greg
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AIR- definitely
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greedy53
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 04:19 PM |
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air
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pod
A.k.a.: paul mrvw061
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 05:42 PM |
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i had an 82 air-cooled bus as did Bizarre ,they are great i really miss mine at times ,just make sure the engine is in tip top condition as mine
wasnt as when it got hot it wouldnt start or pull up hills properly,but go for an air-cooled
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Mountains Greg
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 06:42 PM |
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Thanks for the replies guys,
I'm inclined to go with a aircooled this time... I posted the same question on the samba with differing answers for and against such as the 2.1 ltr
wasserboxer being smoother, quieter and more powerful then the aircooled and poor demisting/heating from the aircooled 2.0 ltr
I think that is my main concern is demisting/heating with living here in the mountains... Nothing worse then a foggy windscreen that won't clear  my 1200 bug's demister is useless!
Another thing is can I bolt-on any go faster parts onto the fuel injected aircooled for better hill climbing? And will an aircooled happily cruise the
motorway at 100 - 110 kmph?
Cheers 
Greg
If it's not in a Vee Dub I'm not going!
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 helbus
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 07:30 PM |
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Have you thought of a Subaru EJ22 engine conversion in a watercooled T3. Heaps more power and quite reliable.
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grumble
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 07:43 PM |
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Sorry to be the egg in the custard but I think the 2.1 water is a great little motor(I 've been weaned onto them through necessity and can see the
quality involved in the design,making allowances for some of the stupid design features in the cooling system),as much as I love the 2.0 litre air
cooled it does struggle in these bricks. the 2.1 is marginally better power wise and does cruise with a little more ease particularly when the air
conditioning is on. As a lot of people say the Suby conversion does have a lot more grunt but it is not a VW.
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 matberry
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 09:42 PM |
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I've worked on both for years, owned only air untill recently, and am stoked with my new wbxr, and she's got only 342 000 k's on the clock.
Aparently the fuel these days is the reason they are now more reliable as far as the head studs are concerned, and I figure you can go the subi route
for the 'disposable' engine, if everything turns to pooo.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
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helbus
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| posted on December 15th, 2008 at 09:43 PM |
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Whilst I agree with the VW engine in a VW, I personally would opt for the Suby for power and reliabilty in a bigger bus. In a Beetle I would go air
cooled all the way, as hp/ reliability for $ ratio they are great. A reversible conversion in a T2 bus. That's my own feelings.
Just for interest I have an EH Holden as my own car (The VW's are the wife's). I have a supercharged Holden 6 cylinder in it instead of a Chev V8
conversion because again for hp/ reliabilty to $ ratio it is good value and I do actually prefer original engines modified rather than extra
terrestrial engine transplants.
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Mountains Greg
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| posted on December 16th, 2008 at 12:06 AM |
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I had thought of a Subaru conversion but, I remember a guy I met at Nambucca in 2006 who had a T3 with a Subaru coversion and while it had more power
he said it was not as good torque wise for hauling the car trailer. May have just been his opinion but, I must admit I would find it hard to have a VW
with another powerplant other then VW in it.
I've got a few T3's to check out and I think I will in the end just make the decision when I see the right van.
Cheers
Greg
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Bizarre
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| posted on January 1st, 2009 at 10:59 AM |
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i have had both - 2.0L air and 2.1L water
While the air cooled was great there were problems getting decent heat out of it
And i dont believe you can get power steering in the air cooled.
My 2.1L has central locking, power steer, air cond and power mirrors
Both cars were auto and in a bus i reckon the auto is brilliant
Bang for buck - i reckon a 2.1L is the go
As for the subi conversion there are some cheap ones out there but i would be wary of anything that didnt have a NSW engineers certificate.
And they are too dear to get the conversion done your self
Enjoy whateer you buy
Futue te ipsum!!!
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Brian
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| posted on January 1st, 2009 at 05:06 PM |
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go with the water boxer
the air cooled engine is no good in a heavy T3 van
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Boozo
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| posted on January 20th, 2009 at 02:06 AM |
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go the air cooled, my family has owned (and its now mine) an 82 T3 since new, we bought it with us from germany straight out of the factory, and has
gone round the clock more times than you could think, sure they dont have alot of power, but are a 1 tonne vehicle (weve tested this many a time in
the old girl). when the engine was fresh it went quite well. shes a bit old and tired now after a few refreshes and cam grinds, but still running
strong, still does 110-115 up the warego highway for hrs on end and does around 11-12ltr/100kms. as for power steering... why? they are lighter to
steer than a small car of the same era, no need. and i love the noise of the air cooled, plus the biggest bonus of them all NO WATER, which means no
leaky hoses, no air locks, no coolant problems. go the air cooled anyday. if the right amount of money is spent keeping the motor alive and running
well (which is still less than a subby conversion by far), it will go up ranges, cruise on the highway non stop, carry anything you want and do it
happily for yrs, what more do you need? more power is good but not needed, these things do only wieght 1400 odd kilos dry. only problem they really
get is the old mechanical AFM wears a track in itself, $275 gets it rebuilt like new.
[size=4] '59 or Kombi?....feeling confused [/size]
'59 bug
'68 bug
'82 import T3 BUS. aircooled
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Boozo
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| posted on January 20th, 2009 at 02:46 AM |
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oh and on the demisters, if all your pipes from the heaters work the aircooled will demist like crazy, not that you really need it so much in this
size van. the beetles are terrible, the moment you get in or put a pizza box in the car it fogs up, but the t3, with a bit of rainex, and the rainex
(fog) for the inside and you shouldnt have any real problems, i dont think ive ever used the demister in my van
[size=4] '59 or Kombi?....feeling confused [/size]
'59 bug
'68 bug
'82 import T3 BUS. aircooled
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Brian
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| posted on January 20th, 2009 at 07:00 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Boozo
go the air cooled, my family has owned (and its now mine) an 82 T3 since new, we bought it with us from germany straight out of the factory, and has
gone round the clock more times than you could think. only problem they really get is the old mechanical AFM wears a track in itself, $275 gets it
rebuilt like new.
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Ignorance is bliss
air cooled T3 are shit in comparison to the WBX
some T3's are at 300,000km on the original motor and still have not been opened
most have only had the heads off to replace the rubber gaskets
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Boozo
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| posted on January 20th, 2009 at 07:37 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Brian
| Quote: | Originally
posted by Boozo
go the air cooled, my family has owned (and its now mine) an 82 T3 since new, we bought it with us from germany straight out of the factory, and has
gone round the clock more times than you could think. only problem they really get is the old mechanical AFM wears a track in itself, $275 gets it
rebuilt like new.
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Ignorance is bliss
air cooled T3 are shit in comparison to the WBX
some T3's are at 300,000km on the original motor and still have not been opened
most have only had the heads off to replace the rubber gaskets
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no need to be a jerk about it. cant have my own opinion? i thought thats what this was about? im talking more than a million kms not hundreds
[size=4] '59 or Kombi?....feeling confused [/size]
'59 bug
'68 bug
'82 import T3 BUS. aircooled
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sinjin
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| posted on February 14th, 2009 at 12:47 PM |
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Brian don't be a jerk...the guy was stating his opinion. I have an Air cooled and happy with it also. I have a mate with a WBX and he's happy.
So each to their own. But i must bow to obvious world experience on everything.
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Brian
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| posted on February 14th, 2009 at 07:03 PM |
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I stand by my previous remarks
I am entitled to my opinion
if you don't like it then
bad luck
tuffin up Princess
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Boozo
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| posted on February 18th, 2009 at 06:43 AM |
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................................
your entitled to yours, as are we WITHOUT critisism.........if your gotta undermine people, do it somewhere else. Volkswagens the word.
[size=4] '59 or Kombi?....feeling confused [/size]
'59 bug
'68 bug
'82 import T3 BUS. aircooled
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