Even with the 3A you need to mount at 50 degrees.

You don't need a diesel tranny; you can just use a Kennedy adapter plate.
The wasser trans has better gearing anyway.
If you can source a diesel trans cheap you can pull the bellhousing and put
it on your wasser trans.
Just depends on what is available to you.

If you go 50 degrees you will need some specialized parts, like the oil pan,
oil pump pickup, load bars and motor mounts from a diesel vgon.
Make sure you get and use the thin metal strip that attaches the diesel load
bars together underneath the motor.

You can use either a diesel flywheel or a Kennedy unit.

I suppose you could mount at 15 degrees like a normal I4 water-cooled VW
motor, but you would have to seriously drop the motor to get lid clearance.
Your oil pan would be precariously close to the ground and drive axle
alignment would be compromised and the sifter may not work proper.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Cullen Stewart
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 7:35 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: I4 Engine conversion

I am considering an engine swap in my van and do not understand what the
clearance issues are. I would like to install an Audi 3A 2.0L into it and
don't want to cut the engine cover. Is this possible with the stock
waterboxer tranny or do I need to switch to the diesel tranny ? I know the
3A has a shorter deck height than an ABA 2.0L so should this allow it to fit
without hassle. My waterboxer needs heads, clutch and exhaust which adds up
to a lot of $ just to have the same weak motor and poor gas mileage.