I've wondered the same thing. Having ripped apart and re-built a bunch
of 914/912e motor, I was a little shocked to see no windage tray in the
vanagon.

My understanding of the function of the tray though went beyond just oil
"sloshing" around, but was more to prevent the upper surface of the oil
from forming "fans" of oil that followed the crank throws.

These fans not only slowed the crank (if ever so slightly) but also
created tiny foam bubbles in the oil, which essentially dropped the oil
pressure/viscosity at the bearings. Why VW would eliminate it, one may
never know.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
Alliance: www.ntara.com
Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Stan Wilder
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 3:03 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Windage Tray 2000cc Air Cooled

I read your post On Longevity, Displacement, Efficiency and Technology
in
Conversions with great interest.
I'm certainly not knowledgeable enough to contradict any thing you
delivered to the archives.
However I do have a serious question.
You briefly mention *add a windage tray*.
I've noted that the Porsche type IV uses a windage tray but I assumed it
was basically because the sports cars are driven hard in corners and
maneuvers. Assuming that they would be splashing oil into the cylinders.
I have considered securing a windage tray to install in my 2000 cc type
IV engine in the future if and when I split the case again.
If having a windage tray in a big Westfalia vehicle has any advantages
I'd be interested in knowing why and what the advantages of having one
installed are.

Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia