Official Vanagon acronyms, meanings, etc.

[MsTaboo]

I asked the mods and got the OK to start a thread about all the different abbreviations, terms, acronyms, and shorthand used in our world.
I'll start this but please feel free to add info.
I'll come back and clean up my part and add more.

First off lets start with what a Vanagon is. It's a Type 2, (sometimes called a T3 as in the third version of the Type 2).
All rear engine, rear drive, forward control (see below) VW buses/vans are Type 2. Type 1 is the famous Beetle, Type 2 was started when a Dutch seller visited the VW plant and saw a beetle platform with forward controls, rear engine and rear wheel drive, and a long workbed the factory was using to move stuff around the plant and suggested VW needed to build a vehicle that could carry more than the Beetle.
A quick sketch later and VW's second model and the basic layout of the Splitwindow bus was born (1950-1967) later undated to the Baywindow (1968-1979) and then our Vanagons (1980-1992) and in South Africa until 2002.

So, Splitwindow? Air-cooled, rear engine, rear wheel drive. You've seen them, it's a divided windshield like an old truck. They kinda looked like the old buses from the 50's so the name Microbus was coined for the models that could carry lots of passengers. The media has tabled this version the "hippy bus" because during the late 60's beat up old Splits could be had for cheap and they were used by the counter-culture kids to get around. However the term sucks as these were sold to middle class families all during the 50's and 60's and were dependable transportation and functional campers.
Baywindow? Air-cooled. Big curved windshield. Still a bus.
Vanagon? Early models were air-cooled because VW didn't have the water-cooled engine ready yet. The name was a marketing tool for North America, a cross between Van and Station Wagon. Lame. It's still a rear engine, rear wheel drive, forward control layout like the early models, A Bus. Elsewhere it's a Transporter, Bullie, Caravelle, etc. There are many different models.
All later VW vans are built like mini-vans. Front engine, front wheel drive, with the driver sitting behind the front wheels.

Syncro. The Syncro is an AWD (4x4) version of the Vanagon built by VW from 1985 through 1992 in Germany and partly in Graz Austria by the company Styer-Puch. (And also later in South Africa until 2002).
They were pretty expensive and not many were sold because of the way VW sent the bodies around Eroupe to have the different bits installed. A very capable vehicle that should have gotten more press, exposure, and a better business plan to reduce costs. VW missed the SUV boat!
The AWD was supplied by a viscous coupling (VC) between the driveshaft from the rear transaxle to the front differential. When the rear wheels start to slip even a tiny bit, power is combined with the front wheels for traction.
Cheaper models came with only the VC, but most models sold in N.A. came with locking rear differential. Models sold in the rest of the world could also be ordered with locking front differentials, but VW of N.A. was afraid US drivers couldn't handle the locking front diff and would crash.

Some common terms.

A/C, (Sometimes AC) Air Conditioning. A/C works better so as not to be confused with AC electrical.

AC, Alternating current. Our vehicles are unique in the camper versions have both AC and DC electrical systems. AC is the type of juice you get from the power company, usually 120volt but also 220v. Current flows both directions in alternating circuit. (look it up)

AC, Air-cooled. The cooling mechanism of early VW engines. Only very early Vanagons came with these ('80, '81) when VW didn't have the Wasserboxer ready. Poor choice for such a heavy vehicle.

AWD, All wheel drive. Meaning that at any given time one of the four wheels can be providing power to the ground. Pretty basic on the Syncro but better than 2wd! Not to be confused with lockers, or solid shaft setups.

BFH, Big f*cking hammer. Usually used by hack mechanics who don't have the right tools to get the job done.

DC, Direct current. This is the 12volt system in almost all cars Current comes directly from battery/alternator + and returns to - in a circuit. (look it up)

Decoupler, A device available as aftermarket but designed by VW engineers when they developed the Syncro system. Attached to the front of the transaxle it is vacuum operated to disengage the driveshaft from the front differential.
In N.A. it is usually the middle knob on the Syncro control panel.
Different ideas about the usefulness of the device. It is absolutely required when the VC is replaced by a solid shaft, but when used with the stock VC setup it is thought to reduce gas consumption when driving long straight freeways. VW decided it was not needed, but all Syncros that came with lockers have the wiring on the vehicle.

ECM, Electronic control module, also called ECU, electronic control unit. The computer that runs an engine. Fairly basic in a stock Vanagon, can be much more complex with modern engine conversions.

ECU, Electronic control unit, also called ECM, electronic control module. The basic computer that runs an engine. Fairly basic in a stock Vanagon, can be much more complex with modern engine conversions.

FLAPS, Friendly local auto parts store.

Forward control. What this means is the steering gear and the driver are mostly in front of the front wheels, giving a very clear view down the road. Some people find this a bit scary but VW did a very good job protecting the front driver and passengers with crash zones. Vanagons are safe.

FUBAR, F*cked up beyond all recognition. Usually from a PO, or very bad repair shop.

IMHO, In my humble opinion. Sometimes used by experts (or hopefuls) to point out mistakes made by others.

Lockers, Device within the differential to couple both rear (or front on some rigs) wheels for additional traction. Rear lockers can be used on snow and other loose road surfaces pretty much full time (kinda hard on the transaxle so best limited use) front lockers are very limited as they effect steering in a negative way, only good for straight line pulling when stuck.

N.A. North America. Means both Canada and America (yes they are separate countries!).

NA, Not available

N/A. Normally aspirated. Meaning the engine does not have a turbo or supercharger.

PITA, Pain in the ass. Self explanatory.

YMMV, Your milage may vary. Was used by car advertisers back in the day when hyping unrealistic gas mileage. Now used to express that if you try something suggested, it may not turn out the same way based on your abilities.

VWAG, Volkswagen Auto Group. Blanket corporation for disbursing profits and blame.

WBX, Wasserboxer. This is the water-cooled engine that VW would put into the later models. A flat four horizontally opposed engine very much just like the early air-cooled engines except with a water jacket built around it for cooling and higher performance. Sometimes called the Wasserleaker because of many failures of the head gaskets from poor maintenance and early design.
There were several models of this engine that put out different levels of power. Mostly 1.9L and 2.1L. With horsepower from 50hp to 89hp! The DJ 112hp engine was available in Europe, but this was stripped of pollution controls.
All were pretty weak, VW should have gone with a newer six cylinder engine like the one Oettinger developed (3.2L at 165hp and 3.7L at 180hp) The poor performance of the old slow four cylinder engine design hurt Vanagon sales. The Wasserboxer was a fifty year old engine design with a new water jacket wrapped around it. Bean counters!

PO, Previous Owner.

OP, Original poster. Someone who first started a thread.

POS, Piece of Sh*t. An abused vehicle usually by POs or bad luck.

OEM, Original Equipment Manufacturer. VW didn't make everything that came on their vehicles and bought parts from many different suppliers. This used to mean the parts supplied by an OEM were as good as what came on the vehicle, unfortunately as corporations have decided excess profits are more important than quality parts this is no longer true. Buyer beware.

OME, Old Man Emu, not to be confused with above. OME is a Australian maker of shocks and other bits sold for Syncro's.

NOS, New Old Stock, This means parts which were supplied to VW and are usually still in their original VW boxes. New, unused. Not old used parts.
These are getting very scarce as stashes of old parts get found and sold.

Supercharger, Device attached directly to air intake on an engine to increase air pressure/power. Usually driven by a belt from the engine, robbing some power at lower speeds but helpful depending on design. Newer models can be driven by an electric motor requiring a separate battery setup/system.

Turbo, A fan like device attached to the exhaust flow for spinning another fan like device to increase intake air pressure on an engine. Power booster. Helps when driving in high altitude where air is thinner.

Westy, short for Westfalia. These are the VW factory campers. Which are actually built by Westfalia-Werke. There are other camper conversions but these are the most sought after because of quality.

Doka, It's a double cab pickup version of the Vanagon. Almost always called a Transporter. Doka is short for DoppelKabine. Not really available in N.A.(some sold in Canada) because of the Chicken Tax (below) Came in both 2wd and Syncro versions and a very limited Tristar.

Tristar, an upscale version of the Doka work truck. Much nicer interior.

Sinka, It's a single cab version of the Transporter. Short for single. Available in 2wd and Synco. Again not sold in America.

Chicken Tax, a regressive 25% tax imposed on VW trucks by tame congress critters owned by Detroit. Made the very capable VW trucks too expensive to import and compete with Detroit trucks in the late 60's and 70's. Still in place.

Poptop, Usually Westy but other brands as well. A liftable top that opens up space for two sleepers "upstairs" with a canvas tent. Older versions had just one window facing forward but new canvas is now available with three windows for better ventilation.

Hightop, this refers to a hardshell top with addition headroom. Westy hightops allowed room for two to sleep "upstairs". Other brands are not always tall enough, and some are very tall!

Weekender, A stripped down version of the Westy. Different models and different names, but mostly meant no kitchen.

Carat, A very nice seven passenger version, slightly lower stance and with extra goodies like body cladding, and all the power windows, mirrors, cruise control etc. They have two rear facing jump seats with a fold up table between them and the rear passengers. Rear seat folds flat like many Vangon versions to allow sleeping.

Multivan, a Carat but with a Westy poptop for extra sleeping space along with a smaller version of the rear cabinet found in Westies.

Seam rust, this is a term you will see in for sale ads (as in "only a little seam rust!") The way VW built the bodies of the Vanagons was with folded metal edges, spot weld together, the open outside seam was then filled with a sealer to weather proof the junction. Unfortunately any moisture on the inside of the vehicle gets into the seams and rust from the inside out. A common problem for a vehicle that gets used as a camper. Often when seam rust starts to show outside the damage inside is bad. Buyer beware.

Transaxle, this is the bit in front of the engine that contains all parts that supply power to the rear wheels. The bell housing where the clutch meets up with the transmission and the differential that turns that out to the wheels. Syncros transaxles have a extra low gear housing and output shaft to power the front diff and wheel.

VAGcat, Volkswagen Audi Group catalog. A online source of part numbers and schematics.

VC, Viscus coupling. Device within the front differential of a Syncro which provides the switching action between the rear diff/wheels and the front. Provides the AWD function. The VC is a fairly small device, only about 8 inches long and four in diameter. It is basically a silicone fluid filled camber with alternating plates. Half attached to the front diff shaft, the other half attached to the drive shaft from the the transaxle.
Whenever there is even a tiny difference in speed between the two sets of plates the fluid "bulks / humps" up and locks the two sets together and provides one driven wheel up front (through the differential, either side) and one the rear (either side) so together the two driven wheels give better traction. Improves diving dynamics on curvy roads, in the snow, on dirt, and just about everywhere. Not as good at pure off road as other systems, but works remarkably well for how simple.

YAECT, Yet another engine conversion thread. Quite common threads in the 2010's as people got sick of breaking down with wasserboxer engines. Modern engines give better performance and reliability. Lots of controversy about using engines from other brands vs VW. World sourced engines prevail. VW just doesn't have a good flat four or six. Lots of great ideas.

Z-bed, The fold up/down and out bed that came on many models of VW buses.

Much more to come, including reorganization! (7/23/20)
Have fun, add your own!
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
When you stir up shit you're bound to get some on yourself.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)!

[campism]

Who are you calling "Pervious?"

Chicken Tax was on all imported trucks, not just VWs.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas.

[MsTaboo]

[jimf909]

[Californio]

These can be overused: My ECU was FUBAR so I went to the FLAPS but nothing OEM for T3's. Etc. But good to have a list.

[VicVan]

[ALIKA T3]

PITA is one I see often
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[campism]

CLK is essential for these vans, the alloy wheels (AKA Toliman) from the eponymous Mercedes model, which are popular for upsizing and are near-bolt-ons.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas.

[campism]

BFE: unspecified remote location where you do not want to find yourself when X or Y or Z starts going wrong because you forgot to check on it before you left, and you swear--honest to God, please get me home--that you'll never make that mistake again as long as you own the van.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas.

[MsTaboo]

[quote="jimf909"][quote="MsTaboo"]

[Merian]

VWAG

was there ever a VWKG ?
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....

[tjet]

Good info.

Yeah when I search German Ebay, I use VW T3_____. UK Ebay is VW T25_____.

[fxr]

BFH - Big Fine Hammer (well, along those lines...) a bit like RTFM - Read The Fine Manual.

As for things becoming FUBAR, a Brit might use TU - i.e. udders vertical. As for me, BTDTGTTS - been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[B.O.B.Wanders]

AC for"Air-Cooled" may sneak in occasionally for the early vans
_________________
83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[Zeitgeist 13]

[stuzbot]

[MsTaboo]

Hi everyone. I haven't forgotten about this project, just got waylaid by medical stuff again. Will try to pick up where I left off.
Thanks for the contributions!
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
When you stir up shit you're bound to get some on yourself.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)!

[ledogboy]

I sorta miss YAECT: yet another engine conversion thread. That used to be a real thing around these parts...
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice...

[MsTaboo]

[levi]