A VW transmission question

[nightwalker]

Hey Howdy, Good morning all,,,,,,,, I have a question about a transmission, right at the end(front) of the transmission there is a small cone apendage where the shift rod enters into. now on the drivers side on the side of that cone is a plug hole with no plug and oily looking residue on it....... Here is the big question,,,,,,, Is this supposed to be filled to the bottom of the hole with some kind of gear lube and then plugged with the appropriate size plug, if so what type weight oil should be used........ ??? Allso a side note, the main body of the transmission does have the plug in it with no residue so it is not leaking................... Hey I appreciate your time , thanks for any info you could provide...... Brian
1200 VW engine..no clue to year model............ any Ideas on how to identify that as well???????

[Vern1]

Greetings,
The 1200 was pre '66 in USA replaced by a 1500 in '67.
Does the tranny have two CV joints on each side with a 1" or so drive shaft between them or just a boot next to the tranny with a tube about 2" in diameter going out to the brake drum?
That will tell me if it's an IRS or swing axle tranny.
TheSamba.com :: Volkswagen Classifieds, photos, shows, forums, and information has all the VW info you could ever want and probably some you don't.....

[nightwalker]

hey thanks for the responce....... the tranny does have a round thingee with six star bit bolts in it where it comes out of the side of the tranny likewise where it goes into the wheel thingee..... the axel is about exactly 1 inch thick,,,,, there are two boots on each side (of the trike) , axel distance between them is about exactly 6 1/2 inch.... is there any more info you need to figgure out the missing plug theory??????????? thanks again Brian....

[nightwalker]

OOps I may have miss-spoke...... that site is great, I looked up the engine numbers........ H 0043387 doesnt that make her a 65' 1500 cc ???
above that number on the alternater/oil fill tube bracket is Zundfolge 1-4-3-2
Dont know if it matters but the tire size is 145R15 78S ................... hope that all makes more sence to you than I ......... thanks Brian...

[Ozarkryder]

You can't go wrong getting yourself a copy of "How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual Of Step By Step Procedures For The Compleat Idiot" by John Muir. It was originally written in the 60's, and is commonally called "The Idiot Book". We had a VW trike for 10 years, and it was invaluable - everything from general information, setting the valves (A MUST DO on air cooled VW engines) to rebuilding the whole motor. It's a fun read, too, written in the 60's counterculture style. I got my first copy from a well stocked bookstore, and they are available from Amazon, on eBay, etc.

[nightwalker]

Hey Don, thanks for the information, I will seek out that book, right now we are in the infamy side of trikes, especially VW.. we got our trike a week ago and today am assemblying the painted parts to be able to ride today.... so many things to get ready, no time for tinkering now/yet..... I still am in a quandry about the transmission???? I seek and absorb knowledge like a sponge..... But still I do not even know what motor oil is best. Right now 15W40 dino seems to be the Most reccomended..... have you any oppinion.......
Hey Thanks for the comeback...... Brian...

[Ozarkryder]

Hey Nightwalker- oil in general is good, and I fully approve of using some. The 15w-40 should be OK. On The Blue Trike with a bored out 1600 the Trike Shop recommended 10W30.
If the 15w40 works for you, stick with it. I think oil preference has sparked almost as many arguments as politics and religion! I know people that use nothing but straight 30 dino oil, and others using 5w40 synth. Both seem to work just fine - the biggest thing in a VW motor it to keep it cool, (keep your doghouse clear of junk, some add an oil cooler in hot climes) and keep it clean. Does your trike have an oil filter kit? These engines didn't originally have a filter, just a screen in the sump. Adding a filter kit gives a larger volume of oil, hence better cooling, and cleaner oil is always good.

Sorry I can't help you much on the trany issue. I have experience with only 2 VW based vehicles - The Blue Trike had an fully automatic trans, and I had a
'71 bug with the AutoStick. Still had to shift, but there was no clutch.

[nightwalker]

Yep I think I will use some LOL hahahahahaha I have to change mine soon. I have no idea what it is running now but I do have a slight leak, somewhere in the shroud ( upper) cover. the previous owner said that his wrench said that it was about an hours job to uncover the leak and fix it with a grommet. I do not know if that was a story but I need to address it soon... 60 miles will drop the level a little on the dip stick so I know it is time to put the fix on her........ Hmmm oil basket, here and I thought it might have a filter on it. go figgure, them germans sure do stuff simple............ later Brian.......

[katfish16]

It would have to be the oil cooler then. it has 2 rubber grommets under it.

[nightwalker]

Yup I see it in the book now. I even think I could do it, I usually break something else when I am fixin' something else I previously broke fixin' somthing else...........hahahahahaha Now to find a solution to my tranny question,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[vance]

hi...i also have one of those vw trikes...so do four or five of my friends here in middle ,ga.... we all use 30w oil in our vw trikes...we change oil about every 2000 miles...and maybe clean the strainer twice a year...it only holds about 2 1/2 qts. of oil... the best thing you can do is add the new disc rear brake system to your trike if it's using the old drum type brakes...if you're thinking about adding the extra oil cooler unit ? they leak...???

vance in middle ga.

[Ozarkryder]

Nightwalker - the grommets for the oil cooler aren't hard to change, it is getting to it that takes time. Vance is pretty much on the money about the added oil coolers - most I've seen do seem to develop a leak sooner of later.

If you don't have an oil filter kit installed, you might consider one. Keeps the oil cleaner, and adds about a quart to the capacity of the oil system. Won't have to get to the screen as often, either. The filter will be obvious, hanging on the left rear of the engine. Ours had a nice shiny chrome cover to brighten it up. Never leaked in the 10 years we had The Blue Trike.

Good advice from vance about the disc brake conversion, too. That was the best mod I did while we had The Blue Trike.

[hermit]

Zundfolge 1 4 3 2 is the firing order of the ignition system. I am not sure about the tranny question, so will not venture a clue. Good sdvice from the others on the repair manuals. I personally clean the oil strainer on my VW's each time I change the oil. Doesn't hurt, is cheap insurance. You can gather some info from the screen as to what may or may not be going on in your engine. Hope this helps, Good Luck with the VW trike.

[nightwalker]

Wow, thanks all for the information, these forums are soooooo good that way, if it has happened to someone it will be told,,,,,, We are enjoying the trike, it is a little rough but we are a work in progress, right now I am discovering that even tho I am within 31 miles of Fort Worth Texas, the parts availability is not quite what I thought...... I have a JC Witney on order and I am sure they have all the good stuff...... right now the trike is up on blocks, some cosmetic work and some mechanical work.... right now I am dealing with some unknn builder who just cobbled up the clutch and break levers and that Oh So clumsy throttle peddle, Soon to be a twisty on the bars hahaha Still havent found out about that extra open plug hole in the tranny........ Brian...

[vance]

in regards to the open hold plug on trans.....
it's not where the back up reverse sensor is located is it ???

vance in ga...

i have back up lights installed on my vw trike and had to put a new sensor on the trans for hook-up of back up lites....

[nightwalker]

Good Morning....... You may just have something there.......... it is a threaded hole that sits way high on the very front " cone" of the transmission, the " cone " bolts onto the front of the tranny, it has three " ribs" on top for streangth, the Hole sits just under the level of the ribs so if it was a oil or grease hole it would be a max fill the hole level would allso be just above the linear line that the shift rod lies on, if you know what I mean.... I never thought it was tranny grease or oil fill but I thought it might be a lube point for the shift rod......... You may have solved the question.... reverse indicater hole........ Hmmmmmmmmmm thanks Brian...

[nightwalker]

Good Morning. Well perhaps that isnt the solution either... after looking more closely at the front of the transmission I did se a sensor that is on the ( passenger side) of the front of the tranny and it's direction is straight forward........ I'm gonna have to give up, sell the trike, and buy a moped................... Hmmmm or I will just put a rubber cork in it and forget about it hahahahahahhaha Hey everyone be safe, and still have a great weekend....... Brian...

[BlueTrinity]

You guys laugh at the "rubber cork" but as an ex-West Virginia Redneck, I can't tell you how many times in my economically challenged teen years that I did that, or helped one of my motorhead friends do it, after due diligence (SWAG) convinced us it was a non-critical (wouldn't keep it from running) part.

Never had an engine fail because of it

[nightwalker]

I hear you blue trinity........... Well I did manage to change out the gromets on the oil cooling tower..... all good right?,,, wrong...... oiled her up and the next day fired her up and shazam,,,,,,, droplets of oil littered my cardboard underneath ene engine.. well we took her out for a shorty, came back and tore her down again, figguring the grommets werent right or something......... took the shroud completely off and looked at her and fired her up without the shroud, expecting a gush from the tower, shazam..... NOT ONE DROP....... did several short runs of a minuet or two so as not to overheat the engine........ NO DROPS so of course we buttoned her all back up, fired her up. shazam oil droplets once again....................Hey administrator, may I swear but once here???

So now the last (LOL) big question since the rubber cork fixed the other problem,,,,,, Is it possible the cylinder set on the drivers side is a little loose or something? a seal or gasket loose or something........It is hard to tell, but the oil droplets come from at or near the base of the clyinders.... am I crazy or does Herbie have a Bad A $$ brother??????? any comments or solutions welcome,,,, Brian...

[John Luciano]

My Tran question Why is the shifter on the left side. seems more natural to shift with the right hand and # 2 Can an automatic be put into a VW trike that is now stick shift?