Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:27:10 -0700
Reply-To: Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Auto tranny advice and more
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2010041817380731@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
First off, putting the cooling system in there is going to make anything to
do with the tranny look like child's play. I think Neil did that to his
Westy (air cooled to water cooled, plus an engine conversion to boot), you
might want to pick his brain before you move on with that. Your tranny
didn't come with an oil cooler because there's no water system.
VW and Audi used this transmission or some version of it in several
vehicles. I mentioned the Audi 5000 Turbo auto tranny in an earlier post
(I'm pretty sure that's the one). I was thinking if I went to a Subie 2.5 I
might find one (I understand they're rare these days) and rebuild it for
that. As I understand it, it has another (fourth) gear and at least one more
plate, and is considered to be 'stronger', but it's not fitted for an
external cooler, so you either get that case modified or you use the native
case. I believe it might require, or at least could use, some modification
to the governor so that the shift points work better for the Subie.
BTW if something about that is incorrect or incomplete, somebody please
chime in; I'm trying to make sure I have the right info.
Getting back to your Westy, I think you're still where you were yesterday:
You need a rebuild; your direct/reverse clutch is likely shot (meaning the
friction linings have worn off of the plates). If this is a project and
nobody's in a hurry, pull it out and tackle it yourself. It'll get that van
going, anyway.
Generally when this business of putting a water system in an air-cooled
comes up you get a lot of people on here suggesting that the person just go
on and get a water-cooled van.
If you decide to do the water/Subie conversion, you should have the cooler.
In that case you'll have to find a water-cooled tranny and probably rebuild
it. You could go ahead and do that instead of rebuilding the one you have,
you'll just have a cooler with no water going through it hanging there. I
don't know if that would be an issue or not, maybe somebody else does.
Good luck,
Robert
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Rob
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 2:34 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Auto tranny advice and more
I went and picked up the 83 Vanagon (full Westy) with an auto
transmission my daughter just bought. Turned out it is an 82 (air
cooled 2L motor) with an auto tranny. The transmission works for 1st
& 2nd gears but does not go into 3rd or reverse.
Sigh... not what I was expecting but I'll deal with it.
1st thing is the transmission, I am going to put a Subaru 2.2 in it
and I suspect the transmission will need more than a rebuild for
that. I just looked at the Bentley and saw the differences in auto
trannys, it looks like this year transmission did not come with an oil
cooler.
I plan to call the different auto transmission places recommended
tomorrow and see what they say or maybe find out what else I need to
look at. Sometimes learning curves are "interesting".
I could use advice on the transmission issues here.
Thanks folk.
Rob
becida@comcast.net
Western Washington State, USA