Date:         Mon, 7 Aug 2000 17:16:54 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Snow <mwsnow@home.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Snow <mwsnow@home.com>
Subject:      Re: transmission 4 speed
Comments: To: Jérôme Grenon <jgrenon@videotron.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <001a01bffffa$84d93ec0$8ddefdcf@sympatico.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

The gas transmission is not a direct bolt-in replacement for the diesel
model.  At a minimum, you will have to install a diesel input shaft into the
gas tranny.  I have seen comments that the diesel input shaft is the same as
for the Beetle, but this is not so.  The Beetle transmission shaft is longer
than the diesel Vanagon version.

Think long and hard before increasing the gearing.  It is very difficult to
out-engineer VW in this area.  If 1st gear is too high, you will have
difficulty getting started from standstill when going uphill.  If you change
only the 4th gear, you will create a difficult spot between 3rd and 4th and
probably find yourself running high RPM in 3rd gear on small grades at 40
MPH or so.  The gas transmissions are geared way too high for use with the
stock 1.6D engine.  1.9TDs do fine with them, though.

If I were to experiment in this area, I would rebuild the stock diesel
transmission and make conservative changes to either the ring/pinion ratio
or tire size.  Increasing tire size is the least expensive and most easily
reversible option.  The only drawback to larger tires vs. higher ring/pinion
ratio is that braking will require more effort.

Mike Snow


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hi folks,

i want to reduce my motor revolution on my 82 westy diesel and to do this i
have 2 choices:

buy and install a 4 speed gas tranny (4th gear is taller) ;
or rebuilt the actual tranny (diesel) and changing the 4th speed with a
taller one.

which option is the best ($$$)?

p.s. the actual tranny need a complete rebuilt

thank in advance for your help

Jerome Grenon
1982 diesle westy
dje1er@icqmail.com