PowerVan Wanabes,

There has been some concern expressed over the use of a more powerful engine
in a Vanagon Syncro.  I've read somewhere on the list that Martin Schnieder
has to fix or replace his transmission every 18 months.  I went direct to the
source.

I just got off the phone with Martin Schnieder of MSDS (he's the MS).  Here's
what he told me about his experence with Syncro transmissions and additional
engine power:

At 80,000 miles his original Syncro transmission failed while the original
engine was in place.  He repaired the transmission and installed the 240HP
Porsche engine.
Since then he has added 104,000 miles over the last 2.5 years for a total of
190,000 miles on the van.  During this time he has experienced NO
transmission failures.

I asked him about the ability of the Syncro transmission to hold up to the
additional power of the new engine and he commented that transmission
couldn't hold up under the power of the original engine.

It seems to me that if the trans went 80k with the wasserboxer and has now
gone 104k with the Porsche engine, it's doing an O.K. job of holding up.  In
fact it could be agrued that 104k being greater than 80k, that it's holding
up better.  I think most of us interested in transplants would be satisfied
with around 150 HP and that the Syncro trans would hold up just fine with
that much power.

Now, to find an engine that fits!

Jim Davis
87 Syncro
88 Wolfsburg