Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:02:23 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Short shift for 5 speed
In-Reply-To: <4FEE0186.9030601@turbovans.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In the truck, bus, heavy vehicle world it is common practice for drivers to
only use the 1st gear to get started going up a hill or if pulling a heavy
load to avoid slipping the clutch. They are usually labeled 1st gear.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 3:27 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Short shift for 5 speed
Hi ..
yes Don, in practice it is a 4 speed with 'half a granny' fist gear. ..
however..
VW did not intend for people to start out from a rest in 2nd on that trans
really.
If they did, the shift knob would have 2nd marked 1st, and 1st marked "L" or
"G".
fwiw - there are two turbodiesel syncro vans in my yard right now. One is an
87 Canadian model Double Cab Syncro.
It has "L" for the granny gear.
The other one is a 91 factory europen turbo diesel syncro vanagon ..it has
"G" there on its shift knob for granny gear.
Where reverse is it not 'the big deal' about 2WD vangaon 5 speed
transmissions.
It's where first is.
ALL 'normal' gear shift patterns have 1st forward and left.
And when people hear that a 5 speed came in some vanagons, until they know
otherwise, probably think it's a close-ratio 5 speed with first forward and
left , as is normal.
At least the put reverse near 1st where you'd want it.
But to have the 1st gear lower than you need it to be really normally..
plus back, down and left ..that is just awkard as could be.
Durn shame.
and now there is a close-ratio 'normal' 5 speed that can be installed into
vangans, particularily with a subaru engine.
That's a 5 speed, ( or even 6 speed ) subaru transaxle with a reversed Ring
& Pinion installed in it.
There are a few vanagons with Porsche 911 transaxles installed. I have never
seen or driven one personally, and don't know if they are 4 speeds or 5
speeds...but by golly ..first is where it belongs !
We know darn well that a 'driver's car' like a Porsche would not have
first gear in a odd place like back and left .
Besides..
the 1-2 gear shift is almost ALWAYS in one plane, on any real driver's car.
Trucks, not so much, I'm sure , but any real 'driver's car' will have that
shift arrangement.
'One of these days' - if I ever get to it. I have plan for a 4 speed Porsche
'Sportmatic' trans .
it's a 4 speed manual trans, no clutch pedal ....instead a micro switch ( VW
Squareback has this too, but only in a 3 speed version ) on the shifter
disengages a conventional clutch using vacuum ( I have the control valve and
VW Bug vacuum large canister already ) ..
plus there is a small torque converter too ..
Works quite well, is still a manual trans, and no clutch pedal. And VW
and Porsche did that decades before the electronically controlled
semi-automatic trans, or automated manual of today's crazy modern cars.
Scott
turbovans
On 6/29/2012 11:21 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
> Dead stock well-maintained and lubricated is perfect.
>
>> The Inherent Oddness of the 5 speed trans and linkage is another
>> matter, and I can't think of any way to do much about it really -
>> other than keep it perfectly working stock.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>>
> Scott, you always mention this....oddness...of the 5sp...but it's
really
> a 4sp with a granny 1st. All 5sps are a bit strange, I guess compared to
> a 4 sp..I have 3 different 5sp vehicle types and they all use a different
> lay-out. I find the Ford Powerstrokes the strangest with reverse clear
> over to the passenger side and back....
> Don Hanson
>
