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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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 Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 8:42 am Post subject: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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Hello, laying in bed last night, I realized I did not install the transmission ground on my syncro conversion project. It should be obvious, but even with 4 cups of coffee, can't see it. Do I need to use one of the transmission case bolts for the one end of the cable? I can't see where the engineers wanted you to loosen a case bolt just to remove the ground strap.
Thanks. Mark
Edit: I found this picture searching. Sure looks like VW did use one of the upper case bolts for the ground strap. If I had noticed, I would have welded an 8mm bolt to act as a ground stud. Oh well. If anyone has another idea, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks
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dkoesyncro
Samba Member
Joined: December 10, 2006
Posts: 983
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 9:13 am Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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| Mine is near the fill plug where the bearing case meets the main case. The strap then connects to the trans mount on the frame. |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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Here is what I ended up doing. At some point I will weld an 8mm stud to one of the case bolts, but not on the schedule for today. Maybe if I add a decoupler at some point. Thanks though.
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rmcd
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Joined: October 29, 2010
Posts: 1349
Location: PNW - its a dry rain.
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:24 am Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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Mine is strategically located exactly where a socket needs to be placed when trying to attach the oem skid bars to the motor skid plate carrier.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight= |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50353
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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| It is very common just to use a case bolt, not worth the expense for the factory to engineer and use a special fastener. |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:54 am Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? Solved |
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| rmcd wrote: |
| Mine is strategically located exactly where a socket needs to be placed when trying to attach the oem skid bars to the motor skid plate carrier. |
Ha Ha, I actually did set the rear skid bar in place just to help my decision for placement. To those with trained eyes, I have not transferred the skid bar brackets from the donor chassis yet. I need to cut those off along with the center crossmember that has the cutout for the driveshaft.
I was just trying to make sure, I was not missing something obvious. The 4 speed bracket has a stud.
Good news is, I drove the van up and down the road a few times. Still have a lot to do, but the punch list is getting smaller. At least no more pushing the van around.
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Sodo
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Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9620
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro Transmission Ground ? |
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Congrats on gettin' this trans together!
Best wishes for a good long run.
You prob know by now what I think about your break-in trash
assaulting your brand new, perfect-surface bearings from the getgo.....
And the low (relative) cost of a few flushes of $16 FLAPS oil.... 
Don't lug that trans during break-in, some say there's a high risk of false-brinnelling 4th gear idler while it's fresh, before it's burnished.
Do lots of 3rd/4th gear changes to burnish 4th gear idler's needle bearing.
| MarkWard wrote: |
| At some point I will weld an 8mm stud to one of the case bolts, but not on the schedule for today. |
When you get time for "improvements",,, consider this.
The pic shows six good reasons to add a ground wire directly from your alternator to the van body.
Or engine to van body.
Choosing a path with 6 connections on the drivetrain sounds dicey.
Is that "real" engineering?
Anyone can see that grounding the engine is the easiest, most effective, & wise choice.
Starter to ground could be an "improvement" too, but alternator to body is quick & easy.
Consider too, the possibility that if any of those six connections go bad, power could flow thru shafts and across nice shiny clean bearings.
Or if two go a little bad. Or 3. Remember there are six..... 
If power did cross bearings and shafts (on an OLD van) it can pit bearings and shafts.
Connection1 >> Connection2 >> Connection3 >> Connection4 >> Connection5 >> Connection6 get old, the resistance is additive.... at some point.... 20, 30 years later?? electricity starts choosing shafts and shiny transmission bearings.
Probably not on a new van. A good reliable ground for the first 10-20 years,,,, this is an old-van-problem.
This would be kind of a good way to get old vans off the road and make way for new sales.
Not that any of us have old vans
Here's what I had to do recently 500 miles from home, when my battery was not charging. I called a friend for ideas and he said to ground
my engine with a jumper cable and see what happens. It sparked!! I measured 2 volts from that jumper-ground to the van body.
I drove home with that jumper-cable sitting on the engine.
At home I added a ground wire from the Cylinder head to the van body and deleted the front-trans-mount ground.
I probably should add a ground to the starter bolt, to take care of the big draws.
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