Bob -

I have a Tiico in my 84 westy auto.  First off, yes, the engine can be loud
or "buzzy."  I have taken significant steps to sound proof the van and I no
longer am chasing engine noise, but rather wind noise from the front
windows (replacing seals/scrapers/felt).  The biggest improvement was made
by using self-adhesive asphalt sheets placed under and behind the rear
bench and on the rear deck.  At 65 I can hardly hear the engine at all and
even at 85 (don't go this speed often) it is tolerable.

Second, the auto seems to perform just fine with the Tiico.  My
transmission was rebuilt after the Tiico install.  That was about 20,000
miles ago and the van does just fine around town and on the highway.  I do
not have any of the gear hunting like described.  I don't drive the van
like a sports car - cause its not - and it performs wonderfully.

Let me know if you'd like further or more specific information.

Regards,
Derek

> Though my WBX is still running strong, the writing is on the wall --
> 165,000-plus miles and one cylinder head has never been off! So I'm
> thinking about my replacement options and I recently read an article in
> the Limbo newsletter about a guy who put a Tiico in his 87 Westy
> automatic. He had the usual problems with the install and complained
> about the buzziness of the engine. He also noted something I hadn't
> read anywhere before: the Tiico engine seems a poor match with the auto
> trans. This guy wrote that his trans was constantly upshifting and
> downshifting under tiny changes in load, and that around town the
> engine never spent enough time in its power zone to move the van with
> much verve.
>
> Anyone running a Tiico auto have similar experiences? Can the Vanagon
> auto trans be modified to work better with the inline engine? BW