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blackglasspirate
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Joined: June 24, 2006
Posts: 1612
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 Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Just got a reply from Cogscogs and they have to order the circlips and shims from Germany as well, estimating a few weeks for delivery unless we do an expensive expedited option.
So if anyone has a spare 1.5mm circlip lying around or knows where I can get one within a reasonable timeframe, please let me know!
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blackglasspirate
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Joined: June 24, 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 6:53 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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What type of ATF are you guys using in your rebuilds? Full synthetic? Type F?
I generally used mobil1 synthetic but wondering if a dyno oil would be better overall. Then again I driving a fully loaded heavy van so synthetic might have better qualities for that situation.
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Butcher
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Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:30 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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| Synthetic is my go to answer for any oils. There truly is no right answer but to use the factory spec oil. The rest are based on opinions. |
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h00drat
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Joined: May 31, 2016
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Location: Hood River
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:40 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Hi everyone. The Audi washers arrived yesterday, and they are in fact 40mm thick. However as you can see, the ID and OD are slightly different than the VW. I don't think they are different enough to be an issue, but want to see if you guys agree or not.
The ID is about 1mm larger for the Audi washer. OD obviously more, but I don't see why that would be an issue.
Thoughts?
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<<Tyler>>
1987.5 Wolfsburg Weekender / CHC / 2.0 ABA
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vwhammer
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Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 998
Location: Boulder CO.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:49 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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| blackglasspirate wrote: |
What type of ATF are you guys using in your rebuilds? Full synthetic? Type F?
I generally used mobil1 synthetic but wondering if a dyno oil would be better overall. Then again I driving a fully loaded heavy van so synthetic might have better qualities for that situation. |
I bought Redline D4 Synthetic ATF for mine but I have not run it yet so I can't say how well it works |
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vwhammer
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Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 998
Location: Boulder CO.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:54 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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| h00drat wrote: |
Hi everyone. The Audi washers arrived yesterday, and they are in fact 40mm thick. However as you can see, the ID and OD are slightly different than the VW. I don't think they are different enough to be an issue, but want to see if you guys agree or not.
The ID is about 1mm larger for the Audi washer. OD obviously more, but I don't see why that would be an issue.
Thoughts?
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I am definitely no expert but the ring in the top pic (the 1.2mm thick one) appears to look an awful lot like the shims that are used to set up the ring and pinion.
My 0.4mm ring look like the ones you bought so I think you are all good there.
I also don't think the ID or OD matters that much as long as it fits over the shaft and sits on the face that it is supposed to. |
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blackglasspirate
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Joined: June 24, 2006
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| Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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That 1.2mm shim is the same one I've had in two different transmissions. It may be used for the ring/pinion as well (no idea) but it's definitely the one used to shim the diff/trans as well. I've got two .4mm shims coming from Germany that I ordered just in case so we'll see how those compare to the audi ones.
I did the shim measurements a million different times yesterday to make sure I had it right. I did the whole calculation 5 separate times and two times ended up with a result that required two .4mm shims, then 3 times with a 1.2mm shim. The last two times I ended up with the exact same result 1.97mm, so one 1.2mm shim it is, which is a relief because I don't actually have the .4mm shims yet!
I spent yesterday replacing all the diff seals/rings and now have the trans back together and ready to mount this morning so wish me luck. I ended up going with Mobil1 synthetic ATF and Lucas 75w90 gear oil. I couldn't find Redline locally, so Mobil1 it is.
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:19 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Just put my trans back in yesterday and it shifts like butter. No leaks at first but then when I pulled into the driveway and let it sit for a bit I noticed a f#%*ing puddle under the bell housing! Seems like my torque converter is leaking. I doubled up the seals and used the metal clad ones and a new bushing in the Tc but still have a leak.
I think I’m way too frustrated to drop the trans again at this point and may bring it somewhere.
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kourt
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Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1948
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 10:21 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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I was in your shoes once. Did everything right, buttoned it up, went for a drive, and came home to a puddle under the bellhousing.
I fumed for a day at the idea of spending another weekend under the van removing/installing the transaxle (and that's how I became an expert at it).
You've got to really want to drive a Vanagon to be a Vanagon owner/maintainer sometimes. It can be a true test of patience, skill, and thought.
The ultimate problem was a cracked/leaking torque converter. That is something that I didn't believe was possible, but it was. I came to that conclusion after carefully thinking about my transaxle rebuild process and accepting that I had done all the other steps correctly, but I had not really assessed or done anything related to the torque converter except uninstall and reinstall it.
Once I got my resolve back, ordered and received the new TC, dropped the transaxle, and replaced the TC, and went for that test drive again, I was validated. No more leaks.
And what I've discovered since then is that a cracked/leaking TC is not all that uncommon.
This could be your situation, too.
Take a break, think about the possible pitfalls, eliminate them, and then give replacing the TC some consideration.
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Thanks for the confirmation, Kourt. It’s definitely disheartening. Especially since we’re currently traveling and have been doing all this work in a friend’s garage.
The torque converter was from a friend who said it only had about 500 miles on it, but he too was having trouble with leaking but presumably because of a bostig conversion (supposedly rough on the TC?). I reused it thinking it would be ok, but maybe not.
A complication of the problem is that as soon as we started having issues with the transmission we started having engine trouble as well so now I can’t tell which issues have to do with the trans and which ones are engine related. I’m getting to the end of my rope though and may need external help pretty soon. Been sleeping in the driveway for three weeks and still seemingly no closer to a resolution.
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danfromsyr
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Joined: March 01, 2004
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Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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sounds as bad as being broken down in a developing country.
maybe worse. |
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 8:02 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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| danfromsyr wrote: |
sounds as bad as being broken down in a developing country.
maybe worse. |
Right?
I also have another issue that I'm not sure is transmission related or engine related, so I was hoping someone could chime in so I can figure out next steps.
When accelerating hard, pedal to the floor, I get these power drop outs. Almost as if it drops out of gear and then picks back up (though I don't feel any sort of slippage) or like the engine just cutting out. Can't tell which, but I lose all power for a second, then it comes back in for a second, then out again. Almost a kind of bucking. It does it when I try to kick down, but also when I manually have it in first and and flooring it.
Does anyone know if that's a symptom of something wrong in the transmission? Since we started having engine problems at the same time as the transmission problems it's hard to tell which problems are coming from where. I thought maybe a bad TC could cause some of these issues. Or maybe the leak from the TC is bad enough to where the trans isn't able to hold enough pressure? I don't know.
Unfortunately we're still SOL and are contemplating just having GTA send us a whole unit. Trying to do all this work on the road it getting to be too much. If this were a project I could tinker with on the weekend until I got it right then it wouldn't be so bad.
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:04 pm Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Just an update on this problem. It seems the power cutout is when the kickdown lever engages. It happens when I actually kick down while in drive but also if I push the pedal to the metal when I'm manually in 1st. So it seems like something with the kickdown lever actuating is screwing things up.
Has anyone ever experienced this or know what it could be?
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kourt
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Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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That sounds like a throttle cable or throttle linkage problem. That's how it would present itself. With the engine off and cold, I would get a helper to press the throttle down while you check at the main points (accelerator pedal linkage, kickdown, and throttle body) for slack, or failure to return at those points.
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h00drat
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Joined: May 31, 2016
Posts: 881
Location: Hood River
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| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Sorry to hear about your continued issues man.
I got mine back in last night and drove today. IT SHIFTS. A few funny shifts, but I'm hoping it's working the kinks out (i.e. pumping fluid back into the TC, etc.). Otherwise smooth and quiet. I also need to check the throttle position lever. It's always tricky getting that just right and I know it makes it a big difference in where and how crisp the shifts are.
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<<Tyler>>
1987.5 Wolfsburg Weekender / CHC / 2.0 ABA
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:35 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Glad you got yours working! Must be nice 
I'm still trying to figure out my issues but hoping it's not something that will require a complete teardown. Fingers crossed!
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themadcap
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h00drat
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| Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:03 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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Sounds like you have the order right. What is your gap before you add the extra steel, and the gap with the extra steel?
Did you see my post about the two different pistons I tried? That was my issue. If you haven't, I would suggest going with the authentic Audi piston from WIT.
The difference between my two pistons was about 1mm in height. It made up for the extra gap I had.
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<<Tyler>>
1987.5 Wolfsburg Weekender / CHC / 2.0 ABA
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themadcap
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Location: Miramar, FL
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| Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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It's about 1.5mm. I'm thinking the piston might be it. I'll look for the part number in this thread. Thank you!
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blackglasspirate
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| Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:34 pm Post subject: Re: Building a better Vanagon automatic transaxle |
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| themadcap wrote: |
| It's about 1.5mm. I'm thinking the piston might be it. I'll look for the part number in this thread. Thank you! |
I had the same problem. The part number is the same as the one you probably have (A65965). Just make sure you get the official audi/vw brand and not a knockoff. WIT has two left in stock, so I'd head over there.
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I'm also dealing with a clearance issue with the direct drive. My layout is:
