Date:         Fri, 21 Apr 1995 10:00:30 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         drew@interport.net (Derek Drew)
Subject:      Re: Syncro Tranny Lube Questions

>Was just talking to my mechanic and he wasn't clear as to whether it was
>advisable to use use anything but VW oil in the transmission of my '87
>Syncro.

The brand shouldn't matter, the type and viscosity do.

>Specifically, he thought that VW has a unique oil for Syncro gearboxes,
>different than that for standard gearboxes.

>Is this correct?

Doubt it.

>The reason I ask is that after hearing such glowing reports, I was going to
>have the tranny drained and refilled with Swepco 201.

>Should I proceed with this or not?

Is this just a brand of synthetic? It doesn't matter. That is, the brand
doesn't matter. The viscocity does matter. 

VW in its official obscure literature indicates that synthetic is OK for the
front final drive unit but does not list synthetic as being permissable for
the rear unit. Dennis Haynes feels this is because they feel the synthetic
is *too* slippery for proper operation of the rear. But Haynes ignores this
and puts synthetic in the rear unit as well as the front.

Mr. Wheedle at Wheedle engineering told me two weeks ago that the synthetic
didn't properly handle the suspended pieces of chipped off metal, and so he
would never put synthetic into a brand new transmission unit. 

I haven't decided whether to put synthetic into my rear unit or not. My VW
dealer advised me to try it.

>Also, (showing that I haven't had time to read through my Bently), is the
>transmission gearbox directly connected to the rear differential unit?

Ya.

>If so, do they share fluids?

Ya.

>If not, what sort of lube goes in that differential unit, and is it the
>same lube that goes in the front unit?

I believe it is the same viscocity in the front and the rear. Its just that
VW approves of synthetic only in the front unit.

>And if I'm going to be super-maintenance anal (not a bad idea knowing how
>much these parts cost), should these fluids be drained and replaced at any
>sort of regular interval?

There is no interval. VW says you never need to change it. I would change
it. But it is so far down on my priority list I never get around to doing mine.

>Oh, and also, what about changing that magic viscous coupling juice every
>few years?

Forget it. Never heard of this. The thing is probably sealed anyway.
Wouldn't it be a riot if we found our we could order quarts of this juice at
the dealer? It could save us changing a $1,700 part some day.

>Paul
>puusital@adobe.com
___________________________________
Derek Drew
drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail)
derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup address, checked infrequently)