--price now $495, down from $600
--uses weaker strength fluid, claiming factory fluid was too aggressive from
the start, and much too aggressive for heavy vans weighted down with stuff
--claims a torque vs. heat test would be worthless and that the only valid test
is the color of the fluid inside the VC: clear is good, brownish is going bad,
and dark or black is a cooked vc.
--claims it takes their guy a full day or two to disassemble a VC, check all
the pieces, and reassemble. Says it is a nightmare of 50 or more plates and
connectors.
--wouldn't sell the VC juice he has or the O-rings
--claims there should be no air in the VC whatsoever, and that it is a real
trick to reassembly to prevent air from getting in there. I pointed out that
Tim Smith's engineering report indicated the possibility to have 5% air in
there. Adament that there should be no air as there is no air on disassembly
there should be no air on reassembly.
--says the VC is not under pressure after being filled in any way.
--claims all heavily laden vanagons are destroying their transmissions simply
by driving around with a stock VC as the fluid is too high a viscocity for a
heavily laden VC

At 05:27 PM 6/28/99 -0300, you wrote:
>
> This was in the archive, always try the archives first:
>
> ""Date sent:            Mon, 28 Sep 1998 15:47:08 -0400
> Send reply to:          Lawrence Johnson <ljohnson@HALHINET.ON.CA>
> From:                   Lawrence Johnson <ljohnson@HALHINET.ON.CA>
> Subject:                Re: Looking for Syncro VC
> To:                     Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
>
> Ken, Rebuilt VC from German Transaxles of Bend Oregon  (1-800 892-4327), $600
> plus refundable $300 core charge. Larry '86 Syncro Westfalia ""
>
> MAINTTEC wrote:
>
> >      Thanks for all the assistance so far. Ive now come to the
> >      conclusion that by VC is on the way out... has anybody got a
> >      rough ball park figure on how much a new VC will cost me....or
> >      has anybody found a source other than from a VW dealer....Does
> >      anybody know of anywhere in Europe that rebuilds these items
> >
> >
> >      Cheers
> >
> >      Stewart Signol
> >
> >      86 Syncro 1.9TD (with permanent four wheel drive!!!)

_______________________________________________
Derek Drew                                            New York, NY
CEO, ConsumerSearch
drew@interport.net

212-580-6486
917-848-6425 (cell; this phone is a reliable way to reach me fast or to
leave messages)

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