got the tranny now its time to go to work

ViolentBlue · 02-22-2000, 07:52 PM

Got my tranny, its a 914 sidesift transaxle,
its one of the later units with only one side plate on the differential, so I assume I'll have to pull all the guts to flip the ring gear, Not to afraid of the task, but I am a tranny virgin (never attempted something like this before) so now's the time to learn.
I'll keep you informed, any words of advice admonition, and the like are welcome, but I'm a stuborn type who probably won't listen to you anyway and end up breaking the darn thing so I better start looking for a new one right away kinda guy.

VB

kokanee · 02-23-2000, 05:34 AM

this may be helpful:
http://www.telemacom.fr/bonekar/VolksWagen/TypeVier/us/Tranny.htm

ViolentBlue · 02-23-2000, 01:57 PM

I came acros Bonkars page a while ago, This page covers some of the more general areas in the conversion.
However there are some issues that will be specific to my particular situation.

first and formost is the shift linkage, being that I'm using a 914 sideshift 901 and not a 901 from a 911, the linksge will be different.

Also this tranny will have different mounting points than the 911 version.

the ring gear will have to be flipped also to get this going the right direction, otherwise I'll only have one gear forward and five gears reversed. this poses a particular problem because there is only one differential side plate on this tranny, meaning I'll have to pull all its guts out just to flip the gear.

Now on the shift linkage front all seems to look good. The side shift tranny has a very simple layout fot he gear selection. its just a matter of figuring out how to adapt this to my bug setup, and fabricate what needs be. Hopefully this won't turn out to be too much work.

The tranny mounts look as though they'll be easy to do, this particular unit has some 914 specific mounts that will come in handy, in particular there are two "arms" near the front of the tranny that will be great for reducing torque flex in the engine and tranny. Its just a matter of some cutting and welding on the pan.

as for flipping the ring gear, well, Hopefully all goes well, for the most part I think as long as I put everything together the same way it came apart, everything will work out well.

VB

crazylarry · 02-23-2000, 03:21 PM

I think trying to use a 914/901 tranny is crazy! You might as well muont the tranny up side down! 914 tranny is ment to hang from the car your turning it around and bolting it to the fork tube. A 911 tade forks like a bug so the stock mount can be adapteded the a T-1 and still have a very stock look. As far as the diff the cover is on that side so you can shim the diff. If you can flip the you would have to take it all apart and put it together several times. The linkage is simple in the side shift 914 tranny but to run a normal shift rod would be a B itch. it would have to start outside the chassis tube and the cut back in to the shifter. As far a cable shifter I don't like them they don't seem to take abuse very well at all. If you look at VW rail thet use a T-1 tranny and are mid engine must of them use a shift rod the pivot. The 911/901 tranny might be a little more exspensive but that is want EVERONE use I have never seen a 914 tranny used. there is Too many problems with it in this aplication. sorry but I don't want you to waste time and money.

Larry
L_anderson@mailcity.com

ViolentBlue · 02-23-2000, 04:09 PM

I saw a type2 pickup in the november issue of VW Trends that was using a 914 transaxle, so it can be done.
I apreciate your concern, however, I bought this tranny for really cheap, so this is a bit of an experiment, if it dosn't work then Oh well I blew a couple bucks and learned something new.

I'm finding out quickly that the shift linkage is going to be interesting, but it is doable. If I can do the majority of the work myself (and manage not to screw it up too much) this might be a cost effective alternative to the 911 901.

its easy to say it cant be done, but untill you try you'll never know.

VB

crazylarry · 02-24-2000, 12:23 AM

I'm not saying it can't be done anything can be done if you have the time and money. The bus you mentioned. they also use a 914 rear suspenion that would eliminate the chassis fork horns. Also in the artical they said that it took a bunck of cutting and welding. GOOD LUCK. You might be able to find a junk 901/911 tranny and use your 901 parts to fix it. Then you would have the 902/911 tail section and shift linkage. I think the interals are the same to thats a thought. oh well.

Larry

ViolentBlue · 02-24-2000, 04:38 PM

I wonder how difficult it'd be to adapt a 914 rear suspension like that. It'd be interesting to see,
how would it be set up I wonder, it was still a rear engine confifuration, how would that be done? I imagine it'd take a lot of custom fabrication to do, but the results would be neat.
Something for me to keep in mind when it comes time to do the type3.

anyway the body is almost done at the shop, went in to check on its progress, and was delighted to see it pained up nicely, but wasn't so delighted when I noticed some screw ups, and the body shop owner was beligerant about it, expressing quite loudly that he really didn't want to correct the problem, oh well, if he persists, I'll just take it elswhere to be finished and he won't see the rest of his money.

VB

ViolentBlue · 02-27-2000, 12:47 PM

well I got going on the tranny work this weekend, decided that I'd take the plunge and crack open the case and see if I couldn't figure it out.
Once I started tearing it apart and I saw the basics of how it went together, it was really easy. I removed the shift mechanism, and had to pull all the guts out to flip the ring gear, they all came out as one piece so that was that, pulled the differential out and slid the guts back in, slipped the differential back in bolted the side plate back on and that was that part of it.
while it was apart I did a visual inspection of all the gears and bearings, out of everything there was one bad gear and one bearing needing replacing. but they were both in the tail end of the tranny so they were easily removed, now its just a matter of finding replacements, I have a line on the bearing but need to find a replacement for the gear, hopefully Ican find it at a gear shop locallyt, but its more likely that it'll be difficult to find.

well thats the saga to this point, pulling the tranny apart was a weekend well spent. I'm confident enough now that I'm considering pulling the tranny from my wifes golf and see if I cant fix it myself.

VB