Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2002 10:11:55 -0700
Reply-To: pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Subject: Re: 3.3L MOTOR FOR VANAGON.....I JUST GOT THE SVX
In-Reply-To: <200206160400.g5G40Gsm254972@homebase3-int.prodigy.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Transmission life and times.
The 094 in my vanagon doesn't know how many horsepower the motor can
deliver, it just dumbly passes torque from the source to the load. If I
whiz along at 85 on the superslab, the transmission doesn't know that, it
just handles the load. If it takes 75BHP to do that the transmission
doesn't know that, it just passes it on.
The 094 and 091's are pretty good transaxles, the desert racer folks in the
far southwest use 'em a lot. A good rebuilder like Transaxle Engineering in
Chatsworth (818.998.2739) will bring your box up to better than new for a
grand or so. New 3-4 hub, bearings, seals, replacement of obviously worn or
damaged parts and so on. Running Swepco or a similar high quality lubricant
will postpone wear significantly. It will wear out some day. Perfect
health is of course the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
As I mentioned to Smallcar some time ago, transmissions fail in three ways.
The first, accelerated wear, is due to higher than normal running loads,
like accelerating up a hill under full power, or towing a trailer up a hill.
Any use that runs the box closer to it's design limit will produce
accelerated wear. How much depends on lubricant properties and how long the
operating conditions remain near the design limit. If you burn it at both
ends, the candle won't last as long.
The second failure is catastrophic part failure due to stresses on a
particular piece. The 3-4 hub is one part that is underdesigned even for
normal use. Refitting a better designed hub that has been properly stress
relieved in its manufacture will push the failure threshold higher than the
"old" part. Impact loading such as high torque gear changes often found in
street GP situations can stress parts beyond their capabilities. Not that
any one of us would do such silly things as stoplight GPs.
The third failure is operator error in changing gears. With high torque
available in the new motor a missed shift under power can neatly trash the
particular gear pairs involved.
A fourth failure to be considered is not installing the transaxle correctly.
The shifter mechanism MUST have some degree of "float" at the shifter arm to
compensate for the motion of the transaxle in the mounts. If the float is
not available, then the gearsets don't engage fully and extreme accelerated
wear can occur. One symptom is "popping out of gear" under load.
So make sure on your re-installation that the shift linkage allows the
proper amount of "float".
Jeff at Transaxle Engineering can explain this much better than I can, give
him a call if you like.
So spend the money to upgrade/rebuild the transaxle, use a top grade
lubricant, and drive gently into the sunset in your new ride over and over
and over...
If you want a racecar, have Brian at Smallcar install a 5sp into the SVX.
If you want a nicely performing 4500lb brick, put the SVX in your vanagon.
Add the 15" wheels and the upgraded brakes, you need 'em anyway.
