Date:         Mon, 23 Nov 1998 23:10:56 -0500
Reply-To:     Pat <pdooley@GTE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Pat <pdooley@GTE.NET>
Subject:      Reverse running transaxles, flippin this, flippin that...
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>When people speculate about flipping transaxles to reverse drive direction,
my
>first concern goes to the issue of lubrication.  Will that design self lub
as
>it was designed if it's upside down?  I don't know.
>
I don't plan on flipping the transaxle in my application.  Running a trans
upside down would probably be a challenge due to the fact that many oil
seals are positioned above the oil level.  Turn it over and those seals are
now submerged in oil, may leak pretty bad.  The vent is also on top, so that
would have to be plugged and a new vent cut on the underside.  Then you
still need an adapter plate, unless you want to run your motor upside down.
The premise behind the Audi idea is avoiding the use of adapter parts.
Cheap, OEM parts.  I would like to use a golf motor with VW fox or Audi 4000
transmission.  We have apparently ruled out the Audi 5000 transaxle, it
can't easily be reversed.  The fox tranny looks symmetrical and mods may be
feasible.  The 914 tranny point was raised,  maybe the Fox tranny has some
deep VW roots and can stomach a diff flip.

This whole project will probably cost more than buying a KEP adapter kit,
but the benefits are better.  The KEP kit still leaves you with a 4spd.  The
Audi deal if possible gives you a true five speed with highway gears that
would possibly be stronger than an 091 if done properly.
I never said any of this would be easy, but once a solution is obtained, 2
big weaknesses of the vanagon are solved.  A bulletproof motor and a stout
trans with proper gearing.  This will be done without looking around the
world for parts.
All the details may not be worked out, but I'm not dropping the idea and
won't stop talking about it as long as people are interested, which seems to
be the case.
-PSD.