It's on, Subaru power here we come!

Discussion in 'Alternative engine in bus' started by CandyCamper, Apr 8, 2017.

  1. Someone who lives near me has the 6 cylinder 3.0 in a subaru, he says it is amazing bt only does 20mpg!

    Imagine what mpg you would get in a bay if you fitted a 6 cylinder 3.0

    I think improved MPG is one of the benefits of a subaru in a bay, as opposed to a larger air cooled lump
     
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  2. That's really what it's all about. I have a 2 litre ex-Legacy and I get twice as much mpg and three times as much usage as the kids can drive it easily as well as me. Three rib box was fine but recently extended for even more mpg
     
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  3. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    I sold myself the scooby change based slightly on mpg, which is why I didn't go EJ25.
    I've been in one though, and it is bloody good fun!
     
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  4. I didn't know we were still trying to be serious on this topic. :rolleyes:

    But yes agreed.
    For me the Subaru conversion is for reliability, descent acceleration to merge, keep up with traffic and better mpg.
    For this the 2L does the job perfectly.
    But if it floats someone's boat to go for a massive 2.5L turbo or a H6, I have no problem with that. I actually want to see that!

    Only problem is with so many scooby on the road, I'll need to start being cautious not to start a race when overtaking a bay now. :eek:
     
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  5. When will you all 'fess up and just say you want to go faster....
     
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  6. For me its wanting to get to cruising speed faster rather than ultimate top speed and obviously the torque to pull the bus along
    Improved reliability also appeals
     
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  7. sounds like you're talking yourself into it.....
     
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  8. Im already there - just need to chat to the guys at Fellows and set myself a timescale, winter project me thinks
    Seen several manual legacy's with 2.5 engines about for less than £500.
    Need to enquire about the price for the install if I supply all the bits - loom/engine/box ready to install as I cant afford the 10k drive in service
     
    paulcalf likes this.
  9. if you go to the trouble of all that you may as well just install it yourself. look at RJES fr a bellhousing conversion instead of adaptor plate. plus i dont think the mpg is very good on a 2.5
     
  10. Want the scooby 5 speed box too - dont want to go to all the trouble of installing a big torque heavy engine and then blowing gearboxes up
    Dont have the access in my garage to do all the underside work, im happy flipping the box and installing the subarugears equipment as well as stripping and rebuilding the EJ25 engine - a mate of mine makes looms for F1 cars so he can sort the electrics. Will be asking Fellows for a price to install it all along with the cooling system which is pretty critical.
     
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  11. Thing is @StuF what you have described doing (building the gearbox and rebuilding the engine) is actually a huge amount of the work. paying fellows to do the rest is a waste of money IMO. buy the rad pack and what not from fellows or rjes and fit it yourself. there isn't much needed to do under the bus bodywork wise tbh. (even an armourer can do all that)
     
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  12. Will have a look and see what the guys at Fellows say - and also how you get on with the conversion.
    If a fairy can do it - literally anyone can ;)
     
    pkrboo likes this.
  13. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    In 2011 I spent £4995 (inc VAT) to drive mine in, and a few days later drive it out again. I also asked them to treat and paint the engine bay, and under-body above the gearbox and re-loom the van, so all in it was around £5600.

    Since then, I have spend exactly 1 hour on an issue with the earth on the alternator - other than that I have invested a whole 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds on ballsing about with oil leaks, points, timing, carb mix etc etc.

    My time is more precious than my money, so I was delighted to have the above done, and remain delighted 6 years later. I haven't started it since Xmas, but I know 100% it will fire on the second turn, and will run and run without me doing a thing (other than taking the battery conditioner off).

    In 2007 the previous owner spend £1200 on a remtec engine, and from invoices another £600 odd quid over the following 3 years ballsing about with it (checking points, carbs as they couldn't do it themselves).
    All the heat ex changers were shot, as was the exhaust and in my opinion the carbs and the engine - to paraphrase my dad who first owned the van in 1978 - couldn't pull a stick out of a pigs arse.

    I know you maintain a 'my brain does not work' attitude to logic - but the cost to me in terms of messing around with the old engines and the worry of it buggering up, coupled with HATING being overtaken by men on bikes, caravan's and an aggressively ridden toddler on a skateboard holds zero appeal for me, I find it dangerous in the least.

    I am well aware of a healthy engine being just dandy etc....but I've driven a lot of miles in a lot of things and no way in the world would I conclude that I have taken the wrong path.

    BTW - I paid £100 for and engine and gearbox from a car that I have the service history for - you got properly tucked up with £300 on an engine from a crashed car.


    You asked to be educated - it won't take a crystal ball to assume you'll ignore all of that and go back to your usual dullard observations on how people should simply follow your way and viewpoint, citing some unfathomable gumph about how engineering has not progressed at all in the last 50 years as the reason to stay exactly where we are.

    As an aside - exactly how many world rally championships has the crappy Subaru engine powered was it again?
     
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  14. Barry Haynes

    Barry Haynes I dance in leopard skin mankini’s

    Fight, fight, fight behind the bike sheds now
    I hate Subaru powered bays, I've even joined a forum, we've had Tshirts printed, we stand outside VW Heritage with a banner saying keep it aircooled,


    Be nice to have no more oil leaks though, and a bit more omph would be lovely, and how many times have vw won a world championship rally
    Where do I get one of these scooby engines fitted,
    Air cooled is so last year darling
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2017
  15. I'm trying to save to move house - please stop tempting me :mad::mad::mad:

    how do you hide this section?? :D:D
     
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  16. Barry Haynes

    Barry Haynes I dance in leopard skin mankini’s

    And with the extra power I would get to the lake quicker so more fishing time
     
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  17. or end up in the lake :D:D
     
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  18. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    Could an ordinary person with no knowledge of weapons do it?:)
     
  19. matty

    matty Supporter

    But what antifreeze do you use
     
    Sick Boy, mjones1969 and 77 Westy like this.
  20. So what actually does appeal to you about The vehicle
    Apart from the Engine?
     

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