Date:         Mon, 21 Feb 2000 14:11:00 +0100
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: Syncro front diff.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Jonathan Phillips wrote:

> How do I know if my front diff is actually engaging
> correctly?  This may sound silly but I really don't
> know.

Actually, and this sounds even more stupid, you are not supposed to know
:-) It all happens automatically and smooth.

>  I haven't owned this car very long and I know
> that the viscous coupling engages when the rear wheels
> slip.  It recently snowed here and I was backing into
> a parking place that was rather slick.  The rear
> wheels were spinning but I wasn't going anywhere.  I
> opened the door and looked down at the front wheels
> and nothing seemed to be going on there either.

Both front wheels? It is not difficult to get a spin on both right side
wheels. Have you tried the rear diff lock?

>  Is
> there a certain amount of time that it takes for the
> front to engage?

It takes only a fraction of a second.

>  How much torque is actually
> displaced to the front?

Under normal driving circumstances, the front wheels get less than 5%
power from the engine. Under extreme circumstances, the front wheels can
receive 100%, but then the rear wheels must be airborne or something.

PerL
87 Syncro 112i