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Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:01 pm

Just got back from a 600+ mile trip in my 83 5-speed. Everything went smooth and without problems. I think I averaged around 55-57 mph and I think I very nervously hit the old magic number of 62 mph once or twice by accident going down the mountains of TN. I did employ A LOT of coasting, man.

I do not currently have a working odometer and was curious of my fuel mileage

What are my brethren diesel guys getting per gallon?

Did they make any 83 4-speed manual trannys? Any diesel autos? How many of you stock diesel guys drive 83s?

Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:30 pm

24-25 MPG all in-city driving. 27MPG round trip freeway driving averaging 72 MPH. 1.6TD (intercooled).

No '83 4-speeds in North America. No automatic diesel vanagons were made by VW anywhere. I have an '83.

Andrew

Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:37 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote: 24-25 MPG all in-city driving. 27MPG round trip freeway driving averaging 72 MPH. 1.6TD (intercooled).

No '83 4-speeds in North America. No automatic diesel vanagons were made by VW anywhere. I have an '83.

Andrew

Averaging 72mph!? Wow. I guess one can get away with that in a TD. I've heard warning after warning against going over 62mph in a NA diesel.

Thanks for the response.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:50 pm

I've had it up to almost 90 with pedal left over when I chickened out. :lol:

Andrew

Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:14 pm

Also, all the folks telling you you shouldn't go higher than 60 are driving '82 4-speeds. Even with stock sized tires, with the 5-speed you're still only turning 4,000 rpms at 70 which is quite comfortable for the 1.6NA motor.

Andrew

Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:58 pm

hmm... I just recently passed my 1000 mile 'break-in' on my rebuilt 1.6TD, planning to let it run around Michigan end of the month. Had a 4 speed from an air-cooled put in, too. Can I expect a similar 4,000 rpm at 70 with this set-up? (Don't have a tach in there...)

Also thinking of putting on some Hancook 195R14's...

Byron

Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:21 pm

Tell me about the 5 speed. I am going to look at a sick 83 with a 5 speed. The guy says the first gear is a granny gear. I thought the granny geared 5 speeds were syncros? This is an 83 1.6NA window van.

This guy knows nothing about Vanagons, let alone the diesel he owns.

So what kind of 5 speed should it have?

Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:52 am

Wannadrive, I think you will be more likely seeing 3500 rpm at 70mph with stock tires. I was able to knock off 300 rpm going to 16s with a taller tire. I used a stock 4 speed from an 80 aircooled on my conversion. I was working at the dealer when the 82 vanagon diesel came out. I remember the window sticker stating 29 mpg city, 29 mpg hwy.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:52 am

I was told that the 5-speed is essentially the four with a "granny-gear" 1st. In other words, the fifth speed is the same ratio as the fourth in 4-speeds. Is this not true?

If it is true, then what is the point? Why did they even bother? I rarely even use the 1st "granny-gear".

I've got the taller Hankooks, btw and really didn't notice much difference.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:00 am

I have never driven a 5 speed diesel. I can tell you my 4 speed with the TDI just about jumps across the intersection already. I can't imagine what it would do with a granny first. Maybe VW felt the heavy load combination with low power and torque would work better starting off on steep hills.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:04 am

With the air-cooled transmission and stock 195/75R14 tires, you will see 3,500 rpms at 67 and 4,000 rpms at 76MPH.

The 5-speeds don't have a true granny gear, they are just geared very low for the 48 hp diesel engine that was fit to them. With the 27" tires I have with my 5-speed I get very similar top gear as the air-cooled 4-speed with stock tires. It is actually fairly nice to have the extra gear. Also, if having a 5-speed rebuilt, the r+p can be swapped in order for significantly higher gearing. The DX ('83 diesel) 5-speed has 4.11,2.33,1.48,1.02 and 0.77 gears with a 5.43 r+p. The WBX 4-speeds have 3.78, 2.06, 1.26 and 0.85 with a 4.57 r+p. The gears are taller in the 5-speed the r+P makes them shorter.

Andrew

Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:07 am

coolwind57 wrote: I was told that the 5-speed is essentially the four with a "granny-gear" 1st. In other words, the fifth speed is the same ratio as the fourth in 4-speeds. Is this not true?
Not True. Andrew can expand on this when he reads it but I know from talking with him that this is a misconception. I can't imagine a lower gear than the 82's 1st gear.

I strangely averaged 27 mpg on both city streets and highway driving in my 1.6 n/a diesel westy. The original owner told me he got the same thing for 23 years.

I am currently working on rebuilding a 1.6 TD for my westy and hope to lower the rpm's on the original 82 trans with 215x75x15 BFG's

Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:08 am

Looks like you beat me to it Andrew

Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:50 am

coolwind57 wrote: I was told that the 5-speed is essentially the four with a "granny-gear" 1st. In other words, the fifth speed is the same ratio as the fourth in 4-speeds. Is this not true?

If it is true, then what is the point? Why did they even bother?
Well, there are at least 8 different combinations of 2wd 094 5 speeds. different r&P, different 4th and 5th gears.
the stock 83 tranny DX, had a.77 5th gear and 5.43 R&P so that is quite a step up from the 82.
And:62mph? WTF! my tired old 82 will hit 68 mph every day and does. Not that I'd perhaps want to listen to it for hours at a time.. I might slow down a little on a long trip. I think it will actually get a bit better MPG at lower speeds.
there was a great link from Frank Grunthaner a while back regarding his own 82 that he bought new. He had no concern at all about buzzing the thing as fast as it would run. (He did, however eventually convert it to a petrol in line engine.)
Anybody remember that link?
Al

Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:49 am

in my 1980 1.6TD I get 25c/27h but I figure both @ 25mpg as I have a heavy highway foot. run about ~75mph on the flats.. and with the K14 European turbo (smaller) I still maintain speed on 'most' hills.

I do need to further tinker & tune my TD but I don't have a EGT gauge yet so no playing with the fueling.

I did loose a hose and overheat mine this weekend on a camping trip.. monsoon rain and under instrumentated engine.. bad combo.

I have a buncha instrumentation upgrades I've had in my head and will implement when I'm back up & running shortly.

Dan