Huh? What r&p were you going to put in? One can certainly bump up
the ratio of 4th gear a bit with one from a 5 speed. I think that may be
a .77. (not sure.) List member and friend Max Wellhouse  has a higher
ratio 4th in his not-quite-stock 2.1 and I think he likes it. Maybe Max
will pipe up and say what ratio?
    This is one problem of putting in a TDI engine. While the WBX engine
makes its peak HP around 5000 rpm, the TDI makes it around half that. So
you get a Vanagon that cruises happily at 35mph and pulls like a bear to
45.
    There ARE r&p's out there suited to use with intercooled and chipped
TDI's. They are made in Germany and sold in Germany. Ratios around 2.95
to 3.50, I think. The price was more than I paid for my good 91 Vanagon.
    I'd recommend you wait.!!
Al Brase

Christopher Gronski wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>Still pondering my transaxel changes. I do not have the money right
>now to do an engine conversion but I will almost certainly be moving
>to a TDI conversion in about 2-3 years. My question is this:
>
>Should I make the ring an pinion changes NOW even though my 2.1L gas
>engine will be going back in? Really I'm just interested in how much
>money I'll save versus doing it later, and what the performance hit
>will be with my 2.1 in the interveening period.
>
>Chris
>
>
>