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Date:         Tue, 17 Jun 2014 01:00:57 -0400
Reply-To:     Vincent Dow <ianvincentdow@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Vincent Dow <ianvincentdow@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: new standard trans popping out of 1st
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY406-EAS52BA5774B177B38BA0C0EDA0110@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I'll be following your progress with this. I have an 82 air-cooled (trans) pushed by a 95 Subaru 2.2. (I really, really like the gearing and pickup with this set up!)

Five years ago it popped out of 4th - top gear :( That was on a highway in Montreal. It's popped fourth half a dozen times since. I started reading on this phenomenom, turns out it has to do with *vanagon transaxle sudden death syndrome*

The specific ailment is a broken 3/4 slider. I've seen pics online of this part. A flat, steel ring with three blades coming off it. It looks like something you could break with a hammer if it was in a vice. I suspect I have one broken blade (or wing) on mine and so I can drive it forever if I hold it in 4th with bungie-cord - or usually by hand if I'm in highway traffic and need to feel it just right.

Taking my foot off the gas is what causes the stick to pitch forward towards neutral. It's incredibly nerve wracking on a city expressway, as my side mirrors are blowing back out of position.

The replacement 3/4 slider and 1/2 slider from AA Transaxle of Seattle look extremely tough - I've seen pics of them side by side with the OEM VW part -- that thing looks like it's from a ten-speed huffy.

I think this summer I'm going to do the rebuild - have a shop do it here in Laval Qc. The shop is reputable, and they shouldn't be too busy during the summer when Quebeckers are driving their westfalias and porsches.

(anyway, I'm just kind of blabbing on - I like talking vanagons)

I would have done this rebuild a lot sooner - but I don't highway drive that much anyway. My van stores my tools and moves a lot of stuff around town. I've driven it back and forth to New York city about ten times, and even went 1800 miles round trip to nova Scotia. Gone through a few bungie cords, and wore my arm down holding that thing for hours on end.

I was warned that eventually the rest of the 3/4 silder would break, and then I'd be S.O.L., stuck in Reverse or fourth. but I've managed to keep that wolf from the door.

A few times I started in reverse and found the shifter was stuck , but simply rolling it back a few inches would break it loose. So i can't really complain.

On Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 9:13 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:

> You got a bad trans and the only fix is to hold in first. The detent that > holds it in gear is in the trans itself. Popping out is sign of bad > bearings or a worn housing. > > Dennis, > From my phone. > ________________________________ > From: Daniel O Stevens<mailto:dosteven@SYR.EDU> > Sent: ‎6/‎16/‎2014 2:44 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Subject: new standard trans popping out of 1st > > Years ago my father bought a rebuilt aircooled Vanagon trans from a fella > who's project lost steam. > So not from the rebuilder itself, but at a good discount. > > Forward to now and we put it into my van and while adjusting the linkage > What a pain that is.. While I can get it nicely into all gears (after a > buncha tiral/error and cursing) > But no matter how I adjust the linkage at the pinch bolt coupler in the > middle > I can't get 1st to stop popping out.. > It's frustrating laying under the van working with the linkage pinch bolt > where it takes micro-mm adjustments to make from little to too much > difference. > > I feel I need to lengthen the overall shifter length to keep 1st from > popping out. But I can't move the balls/arm on the trans any more > (rearward) when in 1st by the shifter.. > So since it's all the way pushing back, maybe I need to shorten the arm to > not engage 1st to the limit? That seems counter intuitive. > > Also I heard of at least one other incidence as mine where the poster was > recommended from 2 trans shops that 1st gear would seat in after some time. > And in fact did for this poster in about 2weeks.. > > Anyone have any tips or btdt tricks to getting the 1980-83 aircooled > (diesel) linkage set up and happy? > > I do (did) have new bushings in the shifter linkage in the past 3yrs. And > the old transmission wasn't bad just getting tired from a lot of heavy use. > > Thanks > > Dan in Syracuse >


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