re
Curiosity leads me to ask if there is a way to determine which tranny I
have..a number on the case or something...?

there's a letter code stamped on the bottom of the trans usually ( talking
manual trans, not autos )
it's toward the front, between the ribs, covered in goo or junk usually, 2
or 3 letter code, in upper case letters about 5/16th's of an inch tall.

you might look in the Bently book  - they list some transmissons and their
codes and gear ratios.

the very best thing to do to care for your vanagon is not have any 'guest
drivers'.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 6:04 PM
Subject: Re: lazy...thread type on shifter knob

>I may have a syncro 5-sp trans in my 84 then, cause it seems to want 'down'
> for first and for reverse.  Also, my first is an almost  granny gear...I
> hardly ever use it unless I am stopped on a steepish hill and have to
> start
> or if I am on a really rough road and need to go slowly...My first
> winds-out
> at about 10mph,  and it seems like a waste of time to use it during a
> normal
> start..If I do use first to start out. I am shifting about half way
> through the intersection after a stop signal...
>  Curiosity leads me to ask if there is a way to determine which tranny I
> have..a number on the case or something...?
>
>  I guess one of those lable makers might help out "guest-drivers"...Put a
> sticker on the dash, "Down for Reverse" maybe
>  Don Hanson
>
> On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 5:27 PM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> Syncro - down for 1 and R
>> 5 speed - down for R only
>> 4 speed - down for R only
>>
>> None indicate down on the knob.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>> Don Hanson wrote:
>>
>>>   Sort of on the same subject:  Is the Syncro shift pattern the same as
>>> the
>>> diesel 5sp and do either of the two have a shift knob with the "Down for
>>> Reverse" (and first) marked on the knob?
>>>
>>>  Reason I ask is the first time I ever drove my 5sp Vanagon, on it's
>>> test
>>> drive actually, I almost broke the shifter off trying to find reverse
>>> gear.
>>> I have seen Tire Shop guys also trying to 'muscle' my Van into reverse,
>>> too.  Not good for the old linkage parts.
>>>
>>>    There is no indication on my shift knob that even hints you must push
>>> down the shift lever when going for first or reverse, though the knob
>>> looks
>>> like a stock one.
>>>
>>> ..................
>>>
>>