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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 10627
Location: Western WA
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 Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
| Chris-a wrote: |
| Bill D wrote: |
... I see a temperature sender on GoWesty.com that looks like it screws into the oil drain hole?
... or do I get the tranny rebuilder to drill and thread a hole for one?. |
I was going to install a temp sensor in the go westy drain plug that has internally threaded hole for temp sensor, i opted not to install either when I realized the magnet would no longer live there. |
i'll bet a donut, a rilly large one, that the temperature difference between a sensor in the drain plug vs the fill plug is less than 2F. there is so much circulation of gear oil splash that the upper fill plug is a fine location. easy to do.
https://gowesty.com/products/gear-oil-fill-plug-with-external-hex-and-threaded-port |
Steady state temp...... yes it will be within 2°F.
Sensor in the fill plug will get you 98% of the information tht you need.
Theaded plugs are great ways to get a temperature system installed quickly.
If you wanna save your tranny, get temperature monitoring installed quickly
.... before another hot summer.
Just get it installed and you can always drill later.
You will be happiest .... NOT encumbering your drain and fill plugs.
You are adding a little difficulty to change the oil.
There are lifetime benefits in clean oil, you WANT those benefits.
Keep oil EASY to change and you'll change it more often.
=======================================
But here's what I think is a benefit to having the sensor in the oil
and up-to-the minute temperature feedback.
There will be conditions where you are driving, and the temperture is rising.
So you wanna make a change, like slow down, and see if you can get temp to drop a little.
But you don't wanna slow down "too much".
This is real.
For this you need a DIGITAL gauge.
So you're gonna prefer the quickest feedback you can get.
If you are good at drilling/tapping threads, "DRILL BABY DRILL".
Don't worry in the slightest about magnesium bits in the oil.
Magnesium is soft.
Every Vanagon you pass on the road has STEEL bits circulating in their oil.
As well as your van, yesterday.
Not just any steel, but the hardest steel known to man.
That tranny is getting slowly injured, denting its bearing races, fatiguing the gear faces.
Magnesium is so soft, it's almost like a cushion.
Worrying about magnesium is like worrying about chewing gum cracking your tooth.
You can do this job at oil-change time, drill it 'full" of oil.
Escaping oil will take out all the drill chips.
You can blow air in while threading it to push chips out.
For the sport of it. 
But really there isn't the slightest worry about a soft white metal in gear oil.
The soft bits will roll out to flat tiny tinfoiil flakes that come out the next time you change the oil.
And there's the option to change the oil real soon to get it out sooner.
I would do another soon change,
so I don't have to SEE sparklies at the next oil change,
and wonder if they’re new or old.
You are upping your gearbox care by an exponential level compared to that guy who just drove past.
Don't let magnesium chips get in the way, they are a Nothing-Burger.
But you ARE poking a hole, so you WANT good threads.
Kinda wanna be "good at drilling/threading".
Be sure you understand how to do a tapered thread, how deep to go.
If you are new, or sorta new at tapping threads, find a chunk of scrap aluminum and do a test-hole, and see if you like how the sensor screws in.
Find a way to confirm that your chosen pro is good at drilling/threading tapered threads.
====== Location =======
I like it next to the serial number.
See pics in this thread: Transaxle temp sender JB weld vs Drilled
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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MSGGrunt
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2023
Posts: 245
Location: Western, MA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 4:03 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| I think I need to ask Matt if he can add a temperature sensor hole while rebuilding the transmission or maybe even go the Full Monty and incorporate a filter and cooler as well. |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17131
Location: Brookeville, MD
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17131
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 5:22 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
| I run an external cooler setup with filter, basically V1.0 as described by others. Swepco 202. |
in all this, have you rebuilt since running the Swepco 202? |
Yes, the recent rebuild by Matt Steedle was after running Swepco 202 for 120,000 miles. The last 90,000 of that was with the cooler installed.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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MSGGrunt
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2023
Posts: 245
Location: Western, MA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 5:49 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| I would be happy getting 120,000 miles after my rebuild, but not as few as 50,000 or 60,000 miles. I am not opposed to doing all I can, regular oil changes, proper break in, temp sensor, oil filtration and cooling to see this many miles. The one thing I am not worried about, thankfully, will be the quality of the rebuilder. |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1996
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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I'm a firm believer these systems were designed to REV.
Lugging it in a higher gear, or even changing the gearing to allow for it to go to an even higher gear load- only increases the stress on the transmission (and the engine). 4500RPM is better for transmission life than 3500RPM.
We're absolutely butchering these things with taller fourths and big tires.
It makes them drive worse, and it makes them last a shorter life- "but it's quieter"..... pfff, 55mph with the windows down on a beautiful side road is what these were designed for, and they'll live FOREVER if you drive them that way.
I think anyone mentioning or complaining about their shortened transmission life should be required to mention how far from stock their 4th gearing is, not just their 4th gear..... their 4th gearing, taking into account tire size.
I'm getting a few syncro gearboxes rebuilt and regeared currently, swapping from 4.86 ring and pinions to 5.43 and a LOWER 4th gear, to properly address these concerns and restore the stock parameters of the gearbox/drivetrain. While running the calculations I found it's way to easy to be over 20% away from stock on 4th gearing. If you realistically increase the load by 20%, which could truly be exponential though- so could have far more than 20% impact, of course things won't last as planned. Oh, and then you're doing that for long stretches of highway at speeds beyond what the vehicle was designed for?
I can predict an outcome there....
Realistically if you haven't shifted in the past hour, you're cooking your transmission. No one should be cruising in just 4th for that long.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17131
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 6:39 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
I'm a firm believer these systems were designed to REV.
Lugging it in a higher gear, or even changing the gearing to allow for it to go to an even higher gear load- only increases the stress on the transmission (and the engine). 4500RPM is better for transmission life than 3500RPM.
We're absolutely butchering these things with taller fourths and big tires.
It makes them drive worse, and it makes them last a shorter life- "but it's quieter"..... pfff, 55mph with the windows down on a beautiful side road is what these were designed for, and they'll live FOREVER if you drive them that way.
Realistically if you haven't shifted in the past hour, you're cooking your transmission. No one should be cruising in just 4th for that long. |
Agreed on the gearing and tire sizes.
I run stock gear ratios after playing with taller third and fourth many years ago.
Tires are at most 5-7% over stock.
I do run in fourth (3800 rpm) for hours at a time. Like 850 miles in fourth in one day. BUT I do run a cooler and temp gauge and my transmission does not get above 150f. It is the way I travel and am not going to change it so I have to live with any consequences. MMMV. 
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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Bill D
Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2011
Posts: 104
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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Is there any tranny rebuilder that will install a cooler/filter system?
Preferably in the western states...
thanks, |
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Bill D
Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2011
Posts: 104
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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If there is not a tranny rebuilder that will install a cooler/filter system, will they at least drill the holes for such a system... and then, is there somewhere a schematic or photo of the system and/or parts list so that my mechanic can install after the tranny rebuild??? (no way I can do this myself)
thank you... |
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Bill D
Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2011
Posts: 104
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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Sodo
I got a notice of an email from you. But my system can not open that.
Not sure if that is the Samba PMail system? I have never used that system, but my system does not allow what you sent... sorry... |
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a914622
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004
Posts: 918
Location: Westend of HWY2 , Wash
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 8:27 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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As you question on a system??
Search Tilton oil pumps. You favored speed shop should have them. The early 2000 Subaru auto had a filter housing in the drivers side front fender. Good size and easy to find filter just for trans fluid. Pick your favorite cooler .
I know it’s not a transmission but this video showed what’s going on inside the case.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Jamg2gpgk
I run 2 parts 202 and one part mopar atf in mine. The atf keeps the foam down and air out of the oil so the oil can do its job.
Hope it helps see what’s going on at 70 mph in the trans
Jcl
_________________
87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru |
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khughes
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013
Posts: 878
Location: Phoenix AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Bill D wrote: |
If there is not a tranny rebuilder that will install a cooler/filter system, will they at least drill the holes for such a system... and then, is there somewhere a schematic or photo of the system and/or parts list so that my mechanic can install after the tranny rebuild??? (no way I can do this myself)
thank you... |
Yes, German Transaxle does it:
https://www.germantransaxle.com/product/water-boxer-manual-oil-cooling-filtering/
_________________
'86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin) |
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MSGGrunt
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2023
Posts: 245
Location: Western, MA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Do you have a picture or part number for the Subaru filter housing? I am not seeing anything in a quick Google search, or I am not using the right wording. |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17131
Location: Brookeville, MD
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17131
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Bill D wrote: |
If there is not a tranny rebuilder that will install a cooler/filter system, will they at least drill the holes for such a system... and then, is there somewhere a schematic or photo of the system and/or parts list so that my mechanic can install after the tranny rebuild??? (no way I can do this myself)
thank you... |
This may help.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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khughes
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013
Posts: 878
Location: Phoenix AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Bill D wrote: |
| That only is for drilling the ports. |
But that was the question asked.
_________________
'86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin) |
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a914622
Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004
Posts: 918
Location: Westend of HWY2 , Wash
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| MSGGrunt wrote: |
| Do you have a picture or part number for the Subaru filter housing? I am not seeing anything in a quick Google search, or I am not using the right wording. |
Search LL bean trans oil change. Part number is 2rko-239 is embossed on the housing.
Filter number is 38325aa032, but it’s the same as the on trans filter.
_________________
87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru |
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Christopher Schimke
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5526
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 10:27 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| MSGGrunt wrote: |
| Do you have a picture or part number for the Subaru filter housing? I am not seeing anything in a quick Google search, or I am not using the right wording. |
The housing number is 38365AA000
_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected] |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 10627
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| dobryan wrote: |
| Bill D wrote: |
| is there somewhere a schematic or photo of the system and/or parts list so that my mechanic can install |
This may help.
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That diagram is from member erste
I like it - it's simple and has all the parts.
Erste's cooler thread: 091 Manual Transaxle Cooler / Filtration System 2WD TDI
Pretty sure the TurboWerks pump is the same unit as Weddle. Its good.
I run my pump (now) at 100°F. Which amounts to almost full-time. I have added a 2nd thermostat that turns on the cooler-fan at 150°F.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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khughes
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013
Posts: 878
Location: Phoenix AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: Which Transmission Rebuild Shop? |
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| Sodo wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
| Bill D wrote: |
| is there somewhere a schematic or photo of the system and/or parts list so that my mechanic can install |
This may help.
|
That diagram is from member erste
I like it - it's simple and has all the parts.
Erste's cooler thread: 091 Manual Transaxle Cooler / Filtration System 2WD TDI
Pretty sure the TurboWerks pump is the same unit as Weddle. Its good.
I run my pump (now) at 100°F. Which amounts to almost full-time. I have added a 2nd thermostat that turns on the cooler-fan at 150°F. |
That's a nice setup. I use the TurboWerx “Spartan-series” TWX-175-12V Electric Scavenge Pump for my turbo setup, it's about $100 or so cheaper than the TWX 300 in the link. Been using it for 7 years now and seems pretty solid so far. The TWX 300 is the more bullet proof pump, but you know $100 here and $100 there adds up.
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'86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin) |
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