Date:         Wed, 03 Jan 1996 10:18:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@PO2.GI.COM>
Subject:      '80 Vanagon tranny questions


I was spending some quality time under the V6anagon over the weekend
<not>, with an eye toward replacing the transmission oil. Found the
drain plug in the expected place, but I'm d*mned if I can find where
to fill it up.

In my '71 bus, the filler hole is where you'd expect, about halfway up
the side. Fill it till it starts overflowing from this hole, and you've
got the right amount of oil in it.

But on the '80 Vgon transmission, both sides have no, none, zip, zero, nada
plugs or other openings, except where the CV axles come out (I don't have
to remove one of those, do I???)

Where do you put the gear oil in, on an '80 Vanagon 4-sp transmission?


Next question: The shift rod comes from the front of the car, back to
a heavy rod that seems to extend from a transmission mount bolt. The shift
rod rotates to select a gear, and slides forward or back to engage the gear.
All this motion pivots around this heavy rod on the trans mount-- the shift
rod ends in a tube, which slides onto this rod.

On mine, there appears to be the remains of a boot on this heavy rod,
just rattling around loose. There is also a brownish-yellowish plastic
ring rattling around loose on the heavy rod, that looks like it was once
a bushing or seal, inside the tube end of the long shift rod. The shift
rod itself, flops around fairly loosely on the heavy rod, tho shifting
still feels pretty good (for a VW-- this is my first Vanagon).

Is this shift-rod-to-transmission connection, basically hosed?

Visually, it looks like it needs a new bushing to remove the slop, new
cleaning and greasing, and a new boot if that's what it had originally.
I'm torn between "rebuild it the way you know it should be", and "Don't
fix it if it ain't broke", since the V6anagon shifts well-- just kind of
stiff to get into gear.

Anyone had any experience cleaning up this connection? Are there "rebuild
kits" of parts available for this, that contain the bushing/boot/whatever?


And while we're on the subject, anything to watch out for when I start
looking at the shift-handle-to-shift-rod connection, up at the front of
the car beneath the floor? Typical parts that wear out, or need lubing,
or etc.? Any kits available here?

aTdHvAaNdKcSe,

Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com   '80 V6anagon
                              '71 VW Transporter