My project to Syncronize a 1983 diesel Vanagon is finally showing some
real progress. I have finished modifying the front suspension mounting
areas, moved over the Syncro PS rack  crossmember, moved over the PS
pipes, moved over the coolant pipes, moved over the Syncro shifter and
linkage, mounted the rear gas tank, and built the tranny nose mount
adapter. This thing may run yet.

Remaining to do is the fuel tank filler neck and venting, install the
newer radiator and fan, and actually bolt in the Syncro drivetrain.
Finally, in mid project I decided to go with an 83 Audi 5 cylinder turbo
diesel engine that became available and I need to build the engine
mounting system for this. I am using a South African 5 cyl Vanagon
bellhousing so I am hoping that it will be pretty straightforward. Lots
of small details to work out though like the exhaust and intake systems.
I hope to someday find a 2.4 liter 5 cyl diesel from a Eurovan but I
have had no luck so far and am going forward with the 2.0TD for now.

I went for a 5 cylinder as it will allow me to have power steering and
A/C using factory brackets and belts and still keep the rear bed deck at
the stock height. The 4 cylinder diesels that have PS and A/C need to
mount at an angle that intrudes high above the engine lid. No so good
for camping but people do it. Also the 4 cylinder diesels have issues
with the starter motor. The stock 50 degree diesel Vanagon mounting
position places the starter where it interferes with the Syncro fuel
tank and so a special Diesel Syncro tank is needed. Alternatively, a
Kennedy adapter plate will let you use the waterboxer starter position
but these starters do not have enough power to reliably crank a 23-1
compression ratio diesel engine. Kennedy sells special high torque
starters to overcome this but these don't fit on Syncro trannys that
have the locking rear diff option as mine does. If anyone has found a
workaround for this please let me know. The 5 cylinder starter mounts
from the engine side of the flywheel making it no interference problem
and easy to access for servicing.

My thanks go to Larry Hamm for leading the way a while back when he
Syncronized his 82 Westy and posted the process he went through.

For anyone contemplating a similar project I recommend having the donor
Syncro side by side with the transplant recipient. Syncronizing a
waterboxer 2WD model would be  somewhat less work than what I am doing.
I suspect this will become more common as passenger model Syncros rust
away and become cheap convenient donors for transplanting into Westy
models. I am going slowly on this first one with the expectation of
doing a couple more.

Mark Drillock
Vanagon crazy man, (I'm told)