Real life experiences with 915 transaxle?

[-Alex77-]

I'd like to hear real life experiences with 915 transaxle. Anybody?

-Do you have rebuilt or non rebuilt unknown condition transaxle?

-How is it working? What oil are you using?

-Did you use bug at 5 speed conversion parts or not?

Also why did you decided to put 915 transaxle? How much power planning to put through it?

Please, no opinions that bus 4-speed or T1 berg-5 would do the job

[gears]

My former company sells more special ratio gears (including complete dog box conversions) for the 915 than any other US company. Guaranteed success (for racing) with a 915 gets pretty expensive. I often steered the most serious guys toward the later G50 series transmissions, due at least in part to the far superior Borg Warner style synchros in the G50. (Porsche finally dumped the pathetic Porsche-patented synchronizing system.)

If your install is basically for stock use, the 915 will give long service life when shifted sympathetically. The best bang for the buck, however .. oh wait .. you don't want to hear that opinion.

[torsionbar]

[gears]

[Type 5 Joe]

Shift gently = your slow

Listen to the man who know what he's talking about....

I'm suprised to learn that Good (Gasp) costs more.... Wow I learn a lot on here.

[Glenn]

[Stripped66]

[Type 5 Joe]

Those trannies are junk, and the hacking you have to do to your car in order to install it will make it junk also.

[gears]

I hate to date myself, but I well remember Turbo Bob in the BAE turbo Bug .. the first to do 9's decades ago. If we all followed a single path based on one man's success, we'd be drag racing with POS 901 boxes. I spent some time studying the bits in that car. There's a bunch of changes that could have made it go faster, even back then.

[-Alex77-]

Ok, something like this i expected.


G50 has wery long ratios for beetle, with shorter 8:32 R&P it would be okay, but even the R&P costs over $2000


People who are saying that they are junk, have they tried rebuilt 915 with good shifting mechanism?


Then, how about berg bus 5-speed? It cost roughly about $4-5k and can it handle 250-300hp?

[gears]

I don't think anyone's saying the 915 is "junk" .. just that it isn't the best choice for speed-shifting. If you're dead set on using a 915, rebuild it using 930-style synchro teeth and associated bits on 3rd & 4th, which will eliminate the issue of peeled-off retaining circlips on these two gears (internal retaining snapring, rather than external circlip).

But you are still withholding vital information, like: How are you using this car? If one were to assume (because you're set on having 5 speeds) that this is a hot street car, then you could confidently use the 915 "as is". The best oil to use would be Swepco 201, or if that's difficult to find, just use Castrol LSX90 (easier to find in Europe).

Since you've now opened the possibility of using a Berg 5-speed, my suggestion would be to have one built following the strengthening tips found in this thread:
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=89944 , even if it's just for a hot street car that occasionally sees dragrace starts.

250 hp in a street car doesn't mean much, as that horsepower is only utilized perhaps 1-2% of the time, and the gearbox isn't nearly as brutalized in the way it would be in a drag car.

[-Alex77-]

Sorry, vital information is here:

Engine will be 2,6-2,8 litre displacement T1 with 98-100mm bore nickies and JPM heads, +250hp.

Car will be germanlooker std sedan with mendeola a-arm suspension. Rear tires 265/35R18

Type 1 trans is not really an option, due to weak ring and pinion etc. Otherwise bus berg 5-speed sounds good, especially about the shifting(?)

Street and autobahn driving, occasional strip and track.

Yes, i have heard that swepco 201 is good for 915 transaxle. I have in mind the early 915 which has 7:31 R&P, these have nice shorter overall ratios than late ones. Ofcourse any old 915 needs basic checking and some rebuild, also shifter and joints needs be good to shift as well as they can.

Just that i dont have any experience with 915, and all the horrorstories give me an idea that it shifts like a truck transmission at worst

[gears]

Part of the problem with the 915s is that guys don't fully understand what to look for when inspecting/replacing shift components. A shift sleeve (operating sleeve) that would look good to a VW guy, is quite often worn beyond use in one critical area.

What doesn't help is that the brand new replacement German synchro teeth arrive without the required 9* angle cut, as do many of the shift sleeves. Most Porsche mechanics don't even understand this issue, and expect (as they should) that the new parts that they purchase from the parts houses are ready for installation. Even some of the new synchros require tweeking so that they'll provide smooth shifts from the getgo.

[-Alex77-]

I used to hate to think that 901/915 may shift like a truck transmission, when i was considering them, now i dont need think anymore


Now i feel that my coming rancho built "pro drag" berg bus 5-speed with all weddle gears incl r&p + LSD is superior compared to stock 901/915 transaxles

Ratios will be 3.33-1.93-1.3-1.00-0.77 + 4.13 r&p
_________________
Lasercut parts and CAD design

[JiI]

Anyone know if you can use a vw shifter with a 915? I have a 915 but the stock 915 shifter is a giant beast and won't fit between the seats in my kit car.
I've designed a few shifters but the forward backward throw is huge but the side to side is tiny!
Could really use some input!! Thanks!
Jeff

[jpaull]

Have you considered a Weltmeister short shifter?

Here is one that MIGHT work:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173978761210?hash=item288...BMysnQ2b5h

[JiI]

[gears]

The 915 has recently been transformed into a true racing transaxle. Troublesome Porsche-patented synchros are eliminated, and shifting is sequential. With a huge diff bearing added to a custom adjustable side cover (and a number of other upgrades), this latest 915 iteration will be run at Daytona & Sebring races this Spring. 915 components have become almost as expensive as G50.
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com

[Clatter]

I went the 915 route in my Fastback,
Using the Bug@5-speed stuff including their shifter.

Big shift rod/nosecone difference vs. the beetle trans; much lower in the tunnel.
Bug@5-speed shifter reaches way down into the tunnel to align with this lower shift rod.
This gives it a super short throw, which makes an already truck-like trans shift even more vaguely.

If i had to do it over again (which i might )
I'd section the tunnel to 'sink' a factory shifter into the top.
Your problem of the shifter being long might just solve itself if you have the shift rod aligned to the trans.

Otherwise,
If you're still in the planning stages,
Plan something else.
_________________
Bus Motor Build

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