Subaru Powered??

This Vanagon has a Subaru engine in it. It's a 2.2 liter engine that is nearly identical to the one in my Subaru Outback [same displacement, just a different year. I work on the Outback myself, so I am pretty familiar with the engine and its components.

Having a Vanagon with a Subaru engine might sound unusual, but it's become quite popular. Most Vanagon owners love their vehicles, but the main complaints are the the stock VW engines are underpowered, prone to leakage/breakdowns, and very expensive to repair and replace. The stock VW Vanagon engine was not used in any other vehicles, and because VW stopped Vanagon production in 1991, the engines and their parts are becoming very expensive and scarce.

Reasons why Subaru engines make good Vanagon powerplants

• Suburu engines are a lot more efficient and reliable
  With approximately the same engine displacement as the stock VW engine, the Subaru engine provides 30% more power while getting the same or somewhat better fuel economy. The engines commonly go 250,000 before they need to be replaced or overhauled



• Suburu engines run cleaner
  The Subaru engine puts out only 5% of the emissions as the stock VW Vanagon engine.



• Subaru engines have a similar size and shape
  Like the stock VW Vanagon engines, the Subaru engine is a water-cooled horizontally-opposed engine. The Subaru engine fits the Vanagon engine compartment as well as the stock VW engine.



• Subaru engines and parts are inexpensive
  Subaru engines can be found everywhere and the parts are cheap. In addition to new parts, junkyards are filled with Subarus that have provided their owners a long service life, and are good source of spare/replacement parts.



• There is a well-developed community of people who have made the conversion Yahoo has a 4500-member usergroup called subaruvanagon that is solely devoted to putting Subaru engines in Vanagons. People who post to websites like The Samba also have done, or are doing, the conversion. Individuals like Brent Weide also have done a lot of work describing work they have done.
  
  It's a very active community. These folks are hands-on types who have done the conversions themselves and are willing to provide advice and guidance. They have lists of instructions, parts pictures and other materials relating to doing the conversion. They readily share problem-solving techniques and custom solutions.
  

Some information sources:

Kennedy Engineered Products - Part kits for engine conversions [Hobert Kennedy initatiated the industry]

Vanaru - Subaru Engine Conversions for Vanagons

Reasons why Subaru engines are good fits [literally and figuratively] in Vanagons