The Vanagon Dictionary

English · machine-assisted draft

An engine that circulates liquid coolant through passages and a radiator to carry heat away. Gerry’s Vanagon spark-plug reference lists DH water-cooled engines with Digijet for 1983–1985 and MV engines with Digifant for 1986–1991. Verify engine code, market, and model year; this archived table is an identification aid, not a complete application chart.

• engine
• water-cooled

English · machine-assisted draft

Adventurewagen was a Fort Bragg, California conversion builder, not a Volkswagen model or Transporter generation. In a December 1998 Gerry thread about camper conversions, a contributor describes its high-roof conversion as common on the U.S. West Coast and distinguishes that fixed high roof from pop-top layouts. A 2001 thread also identifies Adventurewagen as a maker of Vanagon high-top conversions. Roof, interior, and equipment vary by build and vehicle year.

• camper
• conversion

English · machine-assisted draft

Dehler was a German conversion company whose VW Transporter campers and business-van layouts appear in Gerry’s preserved terminology FAQ. Archive discussions make the model distinction clearer: a 1999 thread concerns a Dehler Profi conversion sighting, while a 2005 thread describes a rare Dehler Profi high-roof camper. “Dehler” therefore identifies the converter; Profi is a particular conversion line, not a separate Transporter generation. Confirm the exact build and year for parts or fitment.

• camper
• conversion

English · machine-assisted draft

Community name for Volkswagen’s water-cooled, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine family used in Vanagons. Gerry’s technical index covers 1.9 L and 2.1 L versions and year-specific service topics. A January 2004 archive thread describes an owner’s 1983 1.9 L Waterboxer running roughly when cold but normally after warming up; it records the symptom and discussion, not a universal cause or fix. Identify the engine code and model year before using parts or service information.

• engine
• water-cooled

English · machine-assisted draft

The electronic control unit (ECU) is part of Volkswagen’s Digifant fuel-injection and engine-management system. Gerry’s 1986–1991 technical bulletin index distinguishes these applications from the earlier Digijet years. In a January 1999 list thread, an owner of a 1986 Westfalia reported that the engine quit after cooling-system bleeding and asked whether fuel starvation or a failed Digifant component was involved; the thread records a troubleshooting question, not a confirmed diagnosis. Check engine code and market before identifying an ECU.

• vanagon
• ecu

English · machine-assisted draft

In Gerry’s preserved FAQ alignment article, “Camper model” refers to the heavier Vanagon Syncro camper configuration, with separate alignment values from lighter non-camper vehicles. A Gerry discussion on 15 October 2003 about the “official” Syncro alignment specs quotes the chart for 1986–1991 Syncro campers with dual batteries up front; a 1999 thread separately asks about an almost-empty 1986 Syncro. These historical sources show why the exact load and configuration matter, not a current alignment specification. Use service data for the specific vehicle.

• model
• variant