In a message dated 97-12-04 02:35:08 EST, JLDilworth@AOL.COM writes:

>On my van the knob on the dashboard is normally out --
> you push it in to engage the lock.  This seems backwards.  Is it hooked up
> wrong, or is that the way they're supposed to be?

You are correct.  The operation you described here is backwards from normal
operation.  You should be pulling the knob OUT to ENGAGE.  Perhaps someone
had it apart & hooked it up backwards or something.

>Also, is the lock only to
> be engaged/disengaged only when the vehicle is stopped, or can you do it on
> the run?

You can do this while you're moving at off-road speeds or while you're
stopped.  If you're stopped when to pull the knob, it likely won't engage
until you travel a little bit.

>It sometimes seems to take a long time (like maybe 5 secs) for the
> diff lock to disengage after pulling out the knob -- not always, just
> sometimes.  Is that normal, or should I be looking for a vacuum leak or
> something like that?

 Pulling the know "requests" that the diff lock be engaged.  It will do so
when the rotation of the axles lines up for locking and they are moving at
about the same speed.  The manual says to drive straight ahead after pulling
the knob, but I've found that by doing this it can take a very long time for
engagement. This is because the axles are not lined up and are traveling at
the same speed and don't really make any progress toward lining up.  I've had
better success at traveling a slight curve for quicker engagement.

> About the 3 green indicator lights above the knob: the right one is for the
> rear lock, and it works.  The left one I'm guessing is for a front lock
that I
> don't have, so it should never come on.  But what about the center one?  Is
it
> to show when the front wheels are getting power?  Is the fact that it never
> seems to come on just an indication that it's burned out or something?  (I
> know the front drive works.  It's amazing what this thing will do!).

Vanagon Syncros in some countries were available with a lockable front
differential.  This was not an option in the USA or Canada.  This option
would use the left knob/light which we have an empty place for.  Some other
Vanagons were made with a 4WD system like the Syncro, but instead of a
viscous coupling, they had a mechanical engagable system to link the
transmission output to the front wheels.  The middle position would have been
used for this engagement.

> Is there anything else in the syncro manual that I should know about?

Yes.  Don't ever use the diff lock on pavement.  It expects tires to be
capable of some slippage with the road surface and if you have good traction
you'ff really stress the system while traveling around a curve.

Have fun,
Jim Davis