In a message dated 10/22/01 11:19:16 PM, turbovan@olypen.com writes:

<< Frank,
that's because the 1982 Diesel Vanagon in North America with the DZ transaxle
is one of the lowest geared cars anywhere .

If you never go over 52 mph it's fine,
but it's screaming at 60 and you can never cruise down a big grade at 70,
etc.  It's a joke.
Lousy spacing between the gear ratios - or better put : the torque curve and
the gear ratios just don't work out.  Unpleasant to drive.
People get by with them forever, but it's like having a 4-speed car with 4th
gear gone, really.

There is a rare 4-speed trans with code DM . . I have only seen one.
It's slightly better if not almost tolerable, and with bigger rear tires .
... not that bad.
Have never seen one in a Westy, just a 7-passenger.
Does that answer your question ?
  Scott
 >>

Scott,

I'm heading for 80,000 on my conversion, DZ transaxle and all. I have clocked
a real 95+ mph on mine with the engine at 6100 rpm. I have put more than
10,000 of those miles on during summer trips to hell-on-earth (southwest
Texas) from LA in daylight runs, A/C on full blast with 4 people in a fully
loaded Westfalia at 85 mph, 5500 rpm, 17 mpg and 5 hour running intervals (26
gallon fuel capacity) and she has never failed me. Still no metal residues in
the oil. The engine sings. The combination of torque, gearing and 5300 pound
slab-sided high drag box come together very well. I use all four speeds all
the time. Merging into LA traffic at 65 to 70 in third seems like it was
designed for the purpose. Mistakenly driving up Barbi Benton's driveway took
all the torque I could muster in first. Backed out of a so-called campsite in
Yosemite that required going up a mountain in reverse. Geared nicely. Then
there was that flash shift to second on Crow Mountain. Yikes. Personally
fondled em all.

I strongly disagree with all your statements. For example, with less than 1K
on the engine (diesel), I went down the Alps via the Brenner Pass at 73
indicated! Scared the hell out of the cop on the Vespa passing me.

I have posted some of the torque, load, fuel consumption and gearing data for
these vehicles and power train combinations in a separate post.

Socrates and wisdom!

Frank Grunthaner