TheSamba.com :: View topic - Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle

Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:55 pm

I went ahead and ordered it! I have a What It Takes near me!
Thank you.

I will update with pictures as I proceed.

Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:47 pm

Welcome to Page 28!

Thank you all for your continued contributions to this thread. I hope it helps more people keep the Vanagon automatics alive.

kourt

Thu Nov 21, 2019 8:17 am

See what you started. It's all your fault.

Thu Nov 28, 2019 8:02 am

kourt wrote: Welcome to Page 28!

Thank you all for your continued contributions to this thread. I hope it helps more people keep the Vanagon automatics alive.

kourt

Thank You Kourt !
What took me 6 months 3 years ago,
took me 6 hours this time !

And.... I Worked !!!! heh...heh...

John C...

Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:26 am

I followed the guidelines in the early pages of this thread and rebuilt my Vanagon Auto. With a lot of patience and thinking time away from the bench I got it done. Two unresolved issues I hope someone can help me with.

After cleaning up the valve body, while preparing to re-install it back in the case, I am faced with something called ‘the manual valve’ associated with the valve body. (See item 21 on page 11 of the Techtran service manual referenced in this thread, mine does not have a solenoid, 1984 Vanagon) I have two versions, one with an Allen wrench attached with a Circlip from a donor tranny, and the original one I am rebuilding that has a plunger face instead. I can’t figure out how it works, I don’t see what it attaches to. It just seems to be there in it’s sleeve with nothing levering it

Second, while I thought I bought a master rebuild kit, I did not get the seals for the final drive. Anyone know how and where I order those.
I guess there is a third as well, I did not carefully index the flanges holding the
Flanged shafts and can’t find instructions on how to put them back.
Jeff

Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:42 am

jlaudin wrote: I followed the guidelines in the early pages of this thread and rebuilt my Vanagon Auto. With a lot of patience and thinking time away from the bench I got it done. Two unresolved issues I hope someone can help me with.

After cleaning up the valve body, while preparing to re-install it back in the case, I am faced with something called ‘the manual valve’ associated with the valve body. (See item 21 on page 11 of the Techtran service manual referenced in this thread, mine does not have a solenoid, 1984 Vanagon) I have two versions, one with an Allen wrench attached with a Circlip from a donor tranny, and the original one I am rebuilding that has a plunger face instead. I can’t figure out how it works, I don’t see what it attaches to. It just seems to be there in it’s sleeve with nothing levering it

Second, while I thought I bought a master rebuild kit, I did not get the seals for the final drive. Anyone know how and where I order those.
I guess there is a third as well, I did not carefully index the flanges holding the
Flanged shafts and can’t find instructions on how to put them back.
Jeff Is either one of them anything like this[ my '84 Auto]

Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:03 pm

Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Your’s looks like my donor. The one with the Allen wrench style. I see now that in order to make my valve body work, I have to harvest the entire parking brake and shifting mechanism from inside of my original case and port it over to the donor case.
Very helpful, thanks!!!! :D

Fri Nov 29, 2019 2:55 pm

jlaudin wrote: Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Your’s looks like my donor. The one with the Allen wrench style. I see now that in order to make my valve body work, I have to harvest the entire parking brake and shifting mechanism from inside of my original case and port it over to the donor case.
Very helpful, thanks!!!! :D No parking brake in that Transmission, parking Pawl is what you meant I'm guessing... :wink:
Glad my picture was able to help you. 8)

Sun Dec 01, 2019 4:32 pm

I'm Mike
Last Spring Mike rebuilt a transaxle w Audi Turbo parts and a NOS Porsche 944 valve body,

It worked perfectly, Mike drove it one week before the first get together.
First trip driving on highway for more them an hour Mike found gear oil under the pan, which made a mess of his leak free engine.
Mike was not happy and not in the mood to pull down the transmission
Mike made a disposable Maxipad, one for each day of coming and going to events, its a pig-mat that is sold at harbor freight bundled and tied up,now mike would not feel embarrassed from the drips.

Fall came and his vanagon was decommissioned for the winter, soon after the transaxle came back out.

Sure enough, Mike ruined the lip seal when he assembled it the first time.

lesson learned, dont be like mike,
Mike decided to install them next time using thin plastic to protect the seals
while sliding over.

At least it was a clean transaxle to handle this time

Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:48 pm

What am I missing here??
The old one slipped over just fine. Maybe it's the new seal? I do t want to force it and break something. Everything is aligned.

Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:26 pm

It's never been a clean slip-on fit for me, when mating the diff and trans.

I usually have to do a bit of output flange wiggling, and turbine shaft wiggling.

Also, your photo shows that you are working upside down. You need to have the transmission below the differential. Work on wooden blocks or a stack of cardboard. You must have access to the turbine shaft and oil pump shaft.

The Bentley illustrates this--trans on bottom, diff on top.

kourt

Fri Dec 06, 2019 3:36 pm

Ok I will flip this thing around and try the right way.
Thank you!

I also got the piston from WITT and it solved my clearance issue!

Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:28 am

Got everything in and went for a drive and now I have a semi-automatic 😂
From a complete stop, I have to place the transmission on 1st and work my way up to Drive. The bus won't move at a stop on drive. I really hope this is some adjustment thing.

Since this transmission is sitting in my 73 bus, I don't have a way to rig the kick down. Not sure if the kick down is essential to this?

Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:09 pm

you MUST hook up the relay lever (Manual Valve) on the side of the transaxle or at the very least secure it in the middle of it's travel.
if left at the rearward most spot it will slip and have very soft shifts
if left at the forward most spot it will hold out up shifts and once it does shift will be firm maybe with a bang.

you CAN rig a dual throttle cable arrangement from the pedal with one cable to the throttle of your carb/fuel injection the 2nd cable to your relay lever on the side of the transmission. if you want kickdown to function you can have the 2nd cable set to hit the detent for kickdown at or just before the 1st cable to your carb/injection hits WOT..
in other words kickdown at 90~100% throttle, just make sure you allow full throttle plate motion so it doesn't limit your throttle.

Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:55 pm

I'll see how I can secure it halfway, I am experiencing the soft shifts you speak of.

Is this related to the issue in which I can't move in Drive from a stop? I have to manually upshift through the gears. Reverse gear feels a bit "too responsive" or tight? Not sure if that's an accurate description.

Do you know what nut pitch type I need for the kick down? I don't even have a kick down assemble just the thread sticking out. Id like to at least secure it midway.

Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:13 pm

the kick down is a slotted lever that turns the co-axial shaft at where the shift linkage connects. it should already have a nut on it

https://smallcar.com/automatic-accelerator-cable-instructions.html

Quote: Automatic Trans Cable Instructions
Back To Previous PageBack To Previous Page
Install the provided bracket onto the side of the Vanagon Automatic transmission.
Insert the original Subaru cable housing into the square opening in the bracket.
If your Subaru cable is of the round type, it can be trimmed to fit in the opening.
The other end attaches to the left attachment point on the throttle body just like a stock Subaru.
Insert the provided cable with the barrel end at the engine and attach the other end of the cable to the lever on the transmission using the original Vanagon barrel nut and adjust for full throttle.
The throttle when properly adjusted should make the transmission shift down when pushed completely to the floor. (See the Bentley repair manual for complete instructions)

Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:14 pm

from this thread
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177016

VWlewis wrote: Here is a pic of the new parts ... my helpful VW parts department came up trumps!

As you can almost see, the hole at the top for the bolt with a flat head is actually supposed to be locked to the lever using a slot. (see comments by Jeremy above)

The bottom end shows the threaded bar is actually a rounded rectangle .. and I bought the plastic cover that would have made this job so much easier if it had still been in place!

So now I have the parts I can get on with a full changeover. The cost was $50 which is a bit high :shock: for a piece of steel but at least I know it will fit and do the job properly!

The cable part # is 252723555F
The lever part # is 09032120E
The nut part # is N011371
The Cap part # is 010321227

Hope this is useful to someone out there! :D

(VW)Lewis

Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:45 pm

danfromsyr wrote: you MUST hook up the relay lever (Manual Valve) on the side of the transaxle or at the very least secure it in the middle of it's travel.
if left at the rearward most spot it will slip and have very soft shifts
if left at the forward most spot it will hold out up shifts and once it does shift will be firm maybe with a bang.

you CAN rig a dual throttle cable arrangement from the pedal with one cable to the throttle of your carb/fuel injection the 2nd cable to your relay lever on the side of the transmission. if you want kickdown to function you can have the 2nd cable set to hit the detent for kickdown at or just before the 1st cable to your carb/injection hits WOT..
in other words kickdown at 90~100% throttle, just make sure you allow full throttle plate motion so it doesn't limit your throttle. . With my stock set up pictured, does the manual valve look to be in the correct place in my picture?

Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:55 pm

I've looked up these part numbers and I can't locate them anywhere.
My only option is to fabricate a kickdown lever and run the another throttle cable and adjust accordingly.

Not sure what nut size I'm looking at, but I'll figure something out.

Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:47 pm

jlrftype7, I'm not sure myself. I have to figure out what nut I need to screw on to the shaft since I don't have a kickdown lever.

In addition...
As long as I manually go through the gears, the transmission works great. All gears respond, however, putting in drive from a complete stop does nothing.
I have to manually go through the gears.

I removed and inspected the governor and I did not find anything "visually" wrong with it. After cleaning it and reinstalling, I'm experiencing the same results.