Vanagon Engine Conversion Slideshows!!!

• 1991 VW Multivan, A/T - Conversion to 1992 Subaru EJ22 Engine (Spring of 2006).
• 1987 VW Westfalia, 4sp M/T - Conversion to 2002 Subaru EJ25 Engine (Summer/Fall of 2006). David O’Bryan
• 1987 VW Vanagon Syncro - Conversion to 2002 Subaru EJ25 Engine (Fall of 2008).
• 1990 VW Vanagon Westy Engine - Conversion to 2005 Subaru EJ25 Engine (Summer of 2009).

Vanagon engine conversion explained.

Why is replacing the stock vw engine so popular? Glad you asked. The late Vanagon stock engine is a water cooled 2.1 liter "waterboxer" engine which develops 90 horsepower and is plagued with issues making it difficult and costly to maintain.
Many folks have figured out ways to work with or around the problems presented by the stock engine. Until hydrogen fuel cells become affordable, I believe that the conversion of the van to Subaru power is a fun and rewarding project. I converted my first, 1990 Multivan over to a 1992 Subaru EJ22 engine a couple of years ago. I truly enjoyed the project and learned a LOT about my van and mechanics.
The 90-94 Subaru EJ22 engines are a good fit in the vanagon, develop 135 horsepower and increase fuel efficiency in the van. I'd call the conversion process fairly simple with the most difficult part for me being the wiring loom splicing.
Herein I've got some different bits of information about the conversion:

Why do you need to mess with the wiring? Because the Subaru engine needs to hook up to the Vanagon gauges, get juice from the Vanagon battery (as well as feed the battery from the Subaru alternator).

I consider the electrical wiring work to be the most challenging of all the tasks involved in the engine conversion. But I'm electrically challenged and you'll ikely have a much easier time than I did. The wiring loom adaptation from the Subaru engine to the Vanagon battery and gauges is made much simpler by using a blueprint supplied by Kennedy Engine Performance out of Lancaster, California. Combine that with resources available through the SubaruVanagon group and you'll have everything you need to finish the job.

The Vanagon engine uses an ECU which will be removed. The Subaru uses an ECU computer which I mounted under the rear passenger bench seat, well protected from the weather. Once wired, the Subaru OBDI (onboard diagnostic) system will allow you to hook up a couple of wires in order to read stored codes which can assist in troubleshooting engine problems.

I've attempted to gather some of the information that helped me herein: