Date:         Fri, 11 Sep 1998 14:09:56 EDT
Reply-To:     Jwilli941@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Todd Hill <Jwilli941@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Later style 091 transaxles
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hope this gets through with all the heavy breathers
reading Starr's report online!

<< Joel Walker wrote:

 > that's generally true ... but vw tried to cheap-out
and the 3rd/4th gear syncronizer was badly made,
and cracks. <<<

Well, I wouldn't say badly made but under designed
for the amount of torque it was expected to carry.
Its very similar to the earlier style transaxle hub but
those vehicles weighed a lot less so it didn't see the
amount of stress.  Once installed in the heavy Van
the limits were reached for that design and something
new had to be developed.  Very typical of European
engineering to make something that is rated for the
job instead of the American way of overkill.

>in the 86-91 transmissions (4-speed).
> sucks. costs about $1400 to get fixed. :(  <<

Must be including labor to R&R as well because my
091-1 gearboxes are $850.00 out the door.

And Mark Gajewski then wondered:

 >> Does that mean that '83-'85 wasserboxers used
a different (superior?) manual  transaxle? >>

Different?  Yes (variation on a theme)
Superior?  Sorta  (same basic layout as a '69 002)

Its safe to say that it is an updated and refined version
of the 002 that also has some weak points that need
to be fixed/improved.  For example, the updated 3rd/
4th gear hub seems to be doing its job as I have not
had any returns on my rebuilds (I install it in all 091s)
and those transaxles in for overhaul that already have
that hub do not show the typical cracking of the
earlier type.  (they get a new hub anyway)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Todd Hill
VolksWerks Transaxles
Olympia, WA