Itinerant Air-Cooled

Hello all,

The project for this spring is to swap out my growling transmission during Colin's IAC visit. I am keeping it all stock: 5.38 gear ratio, nothing fancy.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching vendors and settled on Wright Gearbox because of his positive feedback on the Samba. So far, it has been a mixed experience.

Rick was very good at communicating his pricing and his turn around time. He asked a lot of questions that helped me, as a novice, understand my options. He was not very responsive after the rebuild began. He never sent any shipping or tracking info, and only after numerous calls and emails did I pull from him the delivery date and shipping company.

The transmission arrived packed in cardboard and Styrofoam peanuts. (!!!) Gulp. The peanuts were broken apart and stuck in every nook and crevasse of the body of the trans. It took some careful picking and some compressed air to get it all cleaned up.

But perhaps the worst part was a chip in the bell housing. I'm going to try to attach an image.

My question to the forum: is this chip a deal breaker?

Frustrated,

James

To clarify, the chip in the bell housing is on the outside of one of the holes where the transmission case would bolt to the support bar.

If I can figure out how to post an image, it might make more sense...

The chip seems cosmetic, I wouldn't worry about it. Looks like it was dropped in shipment or it would be black paint.
You could also file a claim with the shipper and get it taken care of.

The inner diameter of the bell housing indexes with the engine case "ring" for concentricity. I would not worry if it was my transaxle, but I also get prissy with folks who have their heads too far up Bentley's…… Nevermind………

Have you contact the builder for information on why they packed it so poorly?

Robbie

Thanks guys.

An additional question:

I don't know if it can be seen in the photo, but the hole is not "closed", meaning there's a gap where the ends of the circle would meet. That can't be right, is it?

James

asiab3,

I did contact the seller. He waved off the issue:

"Yea I see it, that's not going to effect any thing it will be fine. Thanks Rick @Wright gearbox"

I'm not encouraged.

hambone,

I was following your woes with Rancho closely, and armed with info from your experience, I decided to go with Wright Gearbox. I hope I didn't make a mistake.

James

Anyone spelling it 'Volkswagon' is an automatic write-off, in my book.

Hi all,

An update and perhaps a cautionary tale for anyone looking to swap out their tranny.

I sent the following to Wright Gearbox:

"Hi Rick, Upon closer inspection there's another issue. Please take a look at the attached photos. On both sides of the bell housing, the flanges are not contiguous at the bolt holes. The hole is not "closed", meaning there's a gap where the ends of the circle would meet. Before I install this transmission, I want to document these defects and get your assurance that they will not affect the way this transmission will mount to the support bar nor will it compromise the bell housing."

I spoke with him by phone and he swore up and down that none of these defects would be a problem. I asked him why he shipped the tranny in a cardboard box with foam peanuts instead of on a pallet, and he essentially said that is the only affordable option.

I told him I wanted something in writing to the effect that the damage would not impact the warranty nor the integrity of the unit. He said he would send an email to that effect.

So I'm left to wonder about how other vendors might have handled the issue or if there was even a practical resolution. If I really wanted to push the issue, I'd have to ship the tranny back to California, get a new bell housing installed, and have it shipped back, likely at my expense, unless I raised hell.

I want to support great vendors and give them props when it is due. So here's hoping that this is a blip in the process and that this tranny will mount up and perform flawlessly.

Fingers crossed.

James

The defect looks like it will not cause a problem. If it were mine I would take a file to any high spots it may have caused. Install it and be happy you have a non growling tranny. Don't let the small stuff cause you grief.

The photo posted seems to show that the ID of clutch housing has been clearanced/cleaned up, leaving a shiny band. Perhaps the ding at the
bolt hole made that necessary. On a stock clutch housing I have at hand, the inner wall of that bolt hole is tissue-paper thin (so is the other
left-side mounting stud hole), and any machining on the inside would surely cause a "gap" on the inside of those holes. All that stuff seems
completely insignificant to me.

Thanks for all the info.

Next up: gathering other parts for the IAC visit.

Questions for the forum:

1. Are there opinions about the Sachs clutch kit from Bus Depot? It's Brazilian. The OEM components from Wolfsburg West are twice the cost. I would certainly cough up the dough if it is worth it.

http://www.busdepot.com/kf22401

2. For the clutch: rigid or sprung?

3. With the engine and trans separated, I assume we will replace the crankshaft seal. When we do, I also assume that Colin will have us measure for endplay. What size shims should I have on hand?

Thanks in advance for the forum's expertise.

James

appetite wrote: ↑

Thu May 04, 2017 3:58 pm

1. Are there opinions about the Sachs clutch kit from Bus Depot? It's Brazilian. The OEM components from Wolfsburg West are twice the cost. I would certainly cough up the dough if it is worth it.

Short answer, worth it! The German pressure plates fit our flywheels, the Brazilian plates will go on, but they'll never fit just right. Both can use some balancing out of the box, though the German ones I've installed were much closer to perfect when new.

Long answer, the Brazilian pressure plate is a few mm smaller in diameter. The VW flywheel has an inner circumference where the pressure plate sits, and the plate has to fit that inner circle without wiggle room on the sides. This allows the Brazilian pressure plate to be mounted offset a few mm, (thanks, gravity,) which will cause a vibration and thrashy rumbling that increases with engine speed. The extra price of the German pressure plate will easily pay for itself by preserving the life of your engine and eardrums.

2. For the clutch: rigid or sprung?

70crew, are you out there? We found a brand new rigid clutch disc on his beautiful restoration that just didn't give very good clutch pedal feel. (Anything other than a sloooooow release at idle shook the whole car.) A dusty box in his shed had some "made in Korea" no-name sprung disc that gave beautiful and shudder-free operation after we sanded both sides. Bottom line, if you're going for a record quarter mile time, go solid. If you enjoy a smooth and pleasant Volkswagen experience, go sprung.

3. With the engine and trans separated, I assume we will replace the crankshaft seal. When we do, I also assume that Colin will have us measure for endplay. What size shims should I have on hand?

I bet you two will measure! AirCooled.net sells a pack of shims with a few of each size.
http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Flywheel-S ... im-kit.htm

Clear as mud?
Robbie

Thank-you, Robbie. Now that you have answered all these questions acceptably, I can go adjust Chloe's valves after her break-in flogging from Atlanta to Pensacola.
Colin

Robbie,

Clear as day. Thanks very much.

James

Yeah, so speaking of Brazilian Sachs pressure plates that do not index to the flywheel worth a crap, mine is most assuredly defective. Even after centering with three .009" feeler blades, I got the balance acceptable but there is a clutch chatter and vibrating pedal from what I surmise is a damaged/defective diaphragm spring.

I have a vintage three-arm 1970 Fastback pressure plate that I hope to install today without destroying the engine balance, fingers crossed.
Colin