Date:         Sat, 7 May 2016 07:12:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      5sp Transmission rebuild..
Comments: To: "Vanagons and VW Buses (Bays) with VW inline gas engines"
          <vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines@googlegroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I took mine to AA Transaxle in Duvall, Wa.    They are an and accommodating
shop to work with and they pleasantly surprised me by completing the
rebuild in under one week. The bearings  were  worn, but there were no big
expensive parts that needed replacement.   I want to thank whoever it was
that suggested NOT driving it with noisy bearings in order to not damage to
the input shaft.  My transmission was just beginning to show some minor
wear on  on the
2 gears on the shaft,  but was still inconsequential.   BTW, Matt told me
he has lot of assorted  5sp manual trans parts on hand......

   I asked them to identify and make note of the transmission parts and the
gearing I've got in there, since it seems to work almost perfectly for me,
 with my 2.0 liter ABA hybrid inline vw motor and the way I like to drive.
  They said "Euro" when I brought them the tranny, but the gearing is
almost an exact match for a diesel 5sp transmission...5.43 ring and
pinion...
1st= 4.11  2nd = 2.33 3rd =1.47  4th 1.02 and 5th .77
   With this gearing, I normally just  use the top four gears, starting
usually from a stop in 2nd gear...though off-road or steep and slippery,
 I'll use my 1st gear.....Dropping from 5th to 4th for steep long highway
 grades at about 65 mph seems to agree with this set up ....I run up the
longer steeper passes at about 60mph and just under 4000 rpms, which is
good with an inline..

  With the trans out I'm redoing my gas lines, replacing the throw out
bearing and the pilot bearing.

   I've run Swepco 201 now for 3yrs in that transmission and I will do so
again with the new innards, too.  That may have saved my input shaft gears
from deadly wear (a total internet statement)....I know the Swepco 'sounds'
a lot better inside there than the Redline did.   A lot of my Porsche pals
swear by the stuff and I still have an almost full leftover gallon from my
last gear oil change..it comes in containers sized to make you buy two for
a transmission oil change....