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Date:         Tue, 5 Jan 2016 14:28:41 -0800
Reply-To:     T3 Technique <christopher@T3TECHNIQUE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         T3 Technique <christopher@T3TECHNIQUE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Transmission swap problems: 86 tranny onto 83 engine.
Comments: To: Rick Cooper <rickdcooper@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAG12aitp6Bfb=hVUVhdrt8RAX6nCTymkcM97O2hP=VHgX_Uvqg@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Is this a 1.9 diesel engine in your '83? If so, the input shaft from your original gearbox will be about 11mm shorter than the input shaft from the '86 (assuming the gearbox came from a gasser, not a Euro diesel or something). You can measure this to see if that is the case. The extra length is right at the end where it goes into the pilot bearing. Measure from the splines to the tip of the shaft and compare.

If your engine is a 1.9 gasser, then the input shaft is not your issue.

The other suggestions about the throwout bearing are good ones. It could also simply be that the splines of the clutch disk were not lined up with the input shaft. A spin of the input shaft may be all that you need to help get those lined up.

Thanks, Christopher www.t3technique.com

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Rick Cooper Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 11:04 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Transmission swap problems: 86 tranny onto 83 engine.

I'm trying to replace the manual transmission in an '83 Westy with one from an '86 tintop. Quite simply, I can't get the transmission to mate with the 1.9 engine; there is some mechanical obstruction. I think I'm far enough away that the input shaft has not even started into the clutch disc splines; the fresh grease I put on the input shaft has not been disturbed.

I don't think its an incompatible parts issue since they appear identical. The transmissions are both stamped 091 301 103D, the pressure plates are marked "Sachs Typ M228" and the clutch discs are both Sachs and measure 228mm in diameter. (The clutch kit from the 1983 is nearly new; the PO told me it had been recently replaced and I was hoping to re-use it.) The input shafts appear identical; the clutch disks from both will slide onto either one of them.

Why was I replacing the transmission? Gearing problems -- usually impossible to shift into first from neutral; usually had to get van moving in 2nd and then downshift to 1st. Also issues shifting from 2nd to 3rd. It seemed less expensive to swap in a good used transmission than to have that one rebuilt.

Can anyone suggest what the problem might be? (I haven't done many engine/tranny swaps, but I'm experiencing deja vu. I once tried to put the engine from an '88 Chev S10 into a 1991 Chev S10. Same problem; could not get the engine to engage with the 91 transmission's input shaft. Turns out that GM had changed the input shaft size in the intervening years.)

Thanks, Rick


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