Date:         Tue, 11 Oct 2005 16:03:42 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: 90 Carat Auto TDI Conversion: MPG ect.
In-Reply-To:  <001e01c5cead$aeeaba90$6401a8c0@IBM92F477862D4>
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> So that's 45 mph in 3rd gear on the automatic?
> If so would a ring/pinion changeout make it do-able?


It might kinda' work, maybe, doing a lot of torque converter spinning with
that 3-speed auto; but so far as I've heard there isn't such a thing. The
auto differential section is completely unlike the manual. I reckon you
could have something unique made from scratch, but you'd still run into
problems with trying to climb up through only three very widely spaced
gears, as the dual planetary gear transmission doesn't lend itself to the
addition of more gears. With the auto, all you can get is what you've
already got. If one had enough money to throw down the rathole and wanted an
auto, I'd say a pre-93 (or is it pre-94?) Tiptronic Porsche tranny and a TDI
would result in the smallest headache.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon
"Keine Bange, wir holen die Zange!"