Another Freeway Flyer Thread

[aeromech]

Guys,
Just a quick thought on this subject. Let me lay out the specifics.

1968 bus
2007cc type 1 engine (about $5500 invested)
Dual Dellorto 40 DRLA's
A1 Sidewinder exhaust
Engle 100 cam
Scat heads
Doghouse cooler plus external full flow cooler with electric fan

This is a higher HP engine designed for power and dependability. It should cruise at around 210 degrees oil temp. My question is should the owner pony up for a freeway flyer tranny to get all the available speed and benefit of the big engine. I've read the threads warning against this tranny but we have a big engine with really great cooling so I'm thinking that taller gears might be a good option. After all, the 1979 buses had this size engine and taller gears. What do you think?

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[SGKent]

Beautiful engine you built.

My 2 cents. When one is in a 40 MPH headwind we see our speed decreased by a huge amount. The VW bus is like a sheet of plywood going down the highway, pushing wind in front of it. The best thing someone can do for their bus is keep it 65 or lower to avoid pushing all that air. He doesn't need a freeway flyer at 65 or lower. He is getting bragging rights as it is, a freeway flyer may reduce those bragging rights.

Back in the early 1980's I had a 1971 deluxe with a similar motor except I ran an extended sump for oil cooling instead of an external cooler. In the spring and fall, until it got up to about 105, we used to run out to Havasu from Los Angeles each weekend. It is a long drive in the desert and I would push the bus sometimes to a sustained 85mph. On average I could get 20,000 to 30,000 miles on an engine. Considering I was driving 2000 miles a month, rebuilding the engine was an annual event. At about 250,000 miles the trans showed signs of age, a slight howl. A friend who worked for a VW dealer promised to rebuild it for me but instead he showed up with a new 1979 trans and my bell housing etc and said it would give me better results than rebuilding the 002. To be quite candid, I hated the gearing. If I had a way to go back in time I would have stayed with the 002 or an early 091 like I have now on this 1977. I had no tach during the long runs out to Parker Dam and London Bridge. It wasn't until later in 1983 or 1984 that I added one and realized what kind of RPM's and load the engine sustained on those trips out to Havasu.

The owner will be really happy with that fine engine you have built for him, but I think he will be happiest if he keeps the speed down to 65 and under, which will give him a very long life on the engine, trans and CV joints. He'll have plenty of power to merge onto the freeway now.

[VDubTech]

[Randy in Maine]

Why wouldn't you just put on some taller tires like 195R14s or 205R14s?

[aeromech]

[aeromech]

[Randy in Maine]

Sell the 185s and put 205s on there and it will gear you up another 5%.

Cheaper than a "freeway flier".

[aeromech]

[mr69]

[volksterii]

[aeromech]

"Why not use an electric fuel pump?
where did you get that throttle cross bar, never seen that one. looks like the cable wont rub in the tube."

The original pump is more bullet proof thn an electric and provides a solid 3 psi of fuel flow.

The cross bar is a Gene Berg.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Randy in Maine]

Not Hancooks but Vredesteins (I have these on my bus but in a 205/65/15 size). Very nice tire so far.

http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=COMTRAC205

[ned]

Hey aeromech I run the same setup with a freeway flyer tranny and I like it. I am running Kadrons in an effort to get some fuel economy. If I drive it like a bus I can manage 21-22 m. most of the time its about 17-18. Its a lot more fun than my stock camper though.

[gears]

Install a '75 pyramid case trans. It's the last of the 002, with strong (and slightly taller) 4.86 R&P.

[aeromech]

Thanks guys. I'm getting some good info here. The bus originally had the 195 tires with a stock engine and it was a real dog on the road. Going up to larger diameter tires would be a good try now that we have the big engine, thanks Randy. I know that the owner is watching this thread and also doing his own research on the best option so for right now the jury is still out on this one.

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[SGKent]

We found that the solution to the hose issue was slicone hoses with wire inside. They outlast the heat. The issue with the paper is it will char on the outside so close to the exhaust. If you don't go with the silicone hoses at least wrap 1/8" to 1/4" of aluminum foil around it where it goes by the headers. That will protect it some keep oxygen away if it catches fire. It will still char but slower.

Here is an example of one of the kinds of hoses. There are many Internet companies that sell it. I forget who in San Diego sells rubber products but someone down there should see rubber products. They will have high temp hose that will work,

http://www.flexaust.com/cwgs

[vw76westy]

i had a freeway flyer in my last tranny
like sgkent said it will take away from the engine not add to it

given that i have a type 4 engine
the tranny was a 002 with 091 bellhousing & a freeway flyer

the 4th gear did not start putting out any torque untill i was at 65-70mph
so getting there after shifting from 3rd at 50mph was slow & fustrating
that freeway flyer got shreaded into shaving's while going up a hill
with a full load, (trans had 35k miles on it at the time)
it started with a few bucks at 60mph then a quick grinding
& waaalaaa no more freeway flyer.i had to turn around & drive home in 3rd(50miles away) like a spiltty @45mph in the slow lane


no matter how big the engine is,it would be hard to go up a hill at 25mph in 3rd
no matter how small a engine is it will march up a hill at 25mph in 2nd
going 25 in 3rd is how a freeway flyer performs at 50-60mph in 4th

i think if you want to get the most out of bigger engine
get a 75-79 091 tranny & change the bell housing to fit the type 1 engine

just think this(091) is what all the sand rail & dune buggy people use for top
performance

[germansupplyscott]

[vw76westy]

i dont know what the gearing was exactly
i bought the tranny at a time when i knew absolutly nothing about vw !!!

i walked into vw trans shop in long beach CA & asked for a brand new tranny with a freeway flyer on it.then i had it installed by a mech

5 years later i learned i had a 3 rib tranny on my bus not a 6 rib
& that is how it felt between 50-60 mph

[aeromech]

I'm going to order the stainless heater hose from Vee Dub Parts. Where can I get these seals?

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound