Testing was done with a G-tech accelerometer, considered accurate to 1/10th of a second. I use this for testing an auto-crossed and heavily modified 84 VW Scirocco. It's a great tool for quantitative performance testing both in a straight line and around corners.

  The van is a 1990 Westfalia GL with AUTO trans. Tests were done on the same stretch of road, water tank empty, gas 1/4 full, tire pressure on 27 X 8.50LT R14 was 45psi front and rear. Air temp was 20C. I did the test in one direction on the highway and then repeated the test going back on the same stretch to get the averages. I repeated this three times each outing. Obviously, wheel spin isn't an issue. Nothing fancy was used for launch, I just put it in drive and floored it. That eliminates a few variables incurred with manual shifting, launch rpm, clutching etc between the two engines. With my 5 speed close ratio (and torsen differential) Scirocco, 0-60 times vary from 7.2 seconds to 8.5 seconds depending on launch. I found that a 4000rpm clutch drop/feather worked best with the race tires. I didn’t feel comfortable flogging the automatic vanagon like this, but I was able to knock a second off the 0-60 time (from 13.9 to 12.9) by mild "brake-standing" and holding the auto in gear until 6000rpm. The auto trans is obviously set up for the wasserboxer and won't allow shifts over 5000rpm unless you shift manually or modify the governor. Gasoline used was 87 octane regular for the wasserboxer, and mid-grade (89 octane) for the I4.

  The speedometer is about 1.5% optimistic according to my GPS ( it reads 100km/h while GPS indicates 98.5km/h). This of course is irrelevant to the G-tech which calculates speed based on acceleration.

  I haven't weighed the van but I would estimate 4050lbs with me on board based on my weight, stereo, amps, sub etc., second battery, + estimated 3750lbs curb weight.

Performance Data averaged over four runs

I'll be redoing a clip of a 0-60 run shortly.  The sound in the cabin is decidedly not wasserboxer!

  Calculating HP arithmetically based on weight and acceleration I'm estimating about 132 crank HP. 135 HP was the HP predicted by Techtonics Tuning based on my setup.

  The engine uses an Audi 3A block, 83.5 oversize pistons, with compression reduced to about 9.3 to 1, 1990 Jetta cylinder head (mildly ported) and Digifant II management, 266 hydro cam, exhaust and intake fabricated by me. The exhaust uses the Audi 80 manifold and a ceramic coated header pipe similar to tiico. Exhaust is 2.25”, with a hi-flow cat and two straight through stainless mufflers (one is 5 inch OD, the other 6 inch OD). Sound levels now are similar to stock … although I do miss the boxer engine rumbling.

  I am working with an air/fuel metre to adjust the injection as it is running a tad rich. Mileage over a 3000km (1900 miles) "break-in" trip was about 21 mpg (imperial gallons) with a packed van, and towing a small (around 1000lbs) enclosed trailer.

Mileage Testing

  Testing was done on a 21 degree Celsius day (70 degrees F) with a southerly wind flow.  The trip was out and back on the same highway so on the way out we generally had a headwind, on the return, a tailwind.  The trip was done on undulating highway, with the start and end points the gas station I filled at.  I used the same station/gas pump for the first fill and subsequent refill of 92 octane premium.  I stopped filling after the pump nozzle automatically "kicked" off.  The engine has reduced compression so probably doesn't need premium, however I haven't monitored the knock sensor yet to determine its behavior with 87 octane fuel.  The van was stopped for several hours at the destination (mid-point) so the mileage reflects one warm up period, probably reducing mileage slightly.  The air fuel meter showed closed loop operation for the entire trip, except during warm up (.45V) and deceleration (0V).

Speed:  90 to 100 km/h (56 to 62 mph)  

Distance traveled:  313.25 km (194.65 miles)

Fuel consumed: 32.802 litres (7.216 Imperial gallons, 8.665 US gallons)

Uncorrected Mileage: 26.97 mpg (22.46 mpg US) 

Mileage correction factor: 1.8% as determined by GPS

Corrected Mileage: 27.46 mpg (22.86 mpg US)

Load: Minimal, roof racks removed, nothing on roof.

Tires: 14" 27 X 8.5 LT  Firestone Firehawk R4S at 45 psi. on stock Carat alloys.

Cd: Westy with front air dam is .51 - Non-Westy is .44.  So a manual transmission, Non-Westy might see 25 mpg US with this engine.

Online Metric/Imperial/US conversion: http://convert.french-property.co.uk/

Excel spreadsheet to calculate cost recovery with regard to mileage and vehicle/engine costs.

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