As for VW reliability they get a bad reputation because the majority
of the ones that quit could be expected to quit. The VW is NOT a
simple motor to work on. You have to know it's quirks. Back when I
was build'n em for a living I lost a bunch of work to the "guy down
the road" because he would do a rebuild for $600 when I charged $800
"for the same thing". I generally had to charge $900, or more, to
redo the other guys work - if the customer had any money left 6 months
later.

Point is there are just too many "experts" that have built a 1/2 dozen
or so buggy motors that think they can build a reliable VW aero motor.
They generally can't. After you've built a few hundred and lived
with them through their life span then you begin to get an idea of
what works and what doesn't. Then you get to start all over with that
knowledge base and adapt it to the unique demands of pulln' or pushn'
a plane.

Point is....
Auto rebuilds don't count for squat. Until you have built a couple
hundred engines specifically and SUCCESSFULLY for aircraft,
you are just flapping your gums, too.

So don't disparage the VW just because some are junk. Just like the
airframe they power, if properly built and operated within a
reasonable envelope they are just as reliable as any
powerplant..................in my opinion.

Leon McAtee
"Puttn' my money where my mouth is"
Quickie with 1/2 VW %55 finished

Put your money and your ass where your mouth is,
but screwing with half a VW is a 'half fast' attempt at flight.

For the rest of you contemplating VW power....
check and see if you can find an insurance company that
will write hull coverage for you and at what price. What you
discover will tell you what VW power is worth to the savvy folks
that pay out losses and survive the builder/pilots that don't.

Barnyard BOb -- over 50 years of successful flight