recently completed an engine change in my 1986 VWLT35
OUT: 2.4 / Petrol 6 cylinder / 4-gear box IN: (130k) 2.4 Turbo / Diesel 6 straight / 5-gear box (and i used the prop from the donor van too)
wow... learning curve or what!!!! haha...
anyway...
that was about 4 months work (juggling a few other projects too!)...
almost at the stage where i MOT the beasty and work on the cosmetics!! I love the chunkyness of the LTs... they kick... but the petrol engine was way too fuel guzzling... i swear in the 6 years of use of the petrol engine, i could sometimes see the guage going down!!! I spose its my love for the van body that made me want to keep it!! And the desire for an educational experience made me want to do the engine change!!! I got that for sure!!
anyway... cant help rambling.... and im holding back... i mean there is soo much i could go into on this subject!! have been looking for a forum like this for a while.... those funky LTs seem to have been missed by many... and so this LT specific forum is quite rare i think!!! heh...
so... my main question here is:
- given that i have gone from a 4 speed gearbox to a 5 speed... there are some gear ratio differences.... and i didnt know this before i took on the project!! (i was no mechanic then... reluctant one now!!)... so whats my best way forward?... i really dont want to change the whole axle (i dont really have access to the donor vehicle anymore - although may have access to the prop & gearbox from the petrol one...
... would anyone be able to advise me of what wheels i may be able to use to increase performance? In 5th gear the turbo kicks in way too readily at about 48 - 55mph (and the speedo could be out a bit as well i spose)!!! *maybe i could be just whimping out on pushing her... i mean theres definitely more punch in the engine... its just at the time i was worried that i wasnt accessing 5th gear (because although i changed the gearbox... i didnt change the selector or gear stick!!! haha) and seeing as this was one of the only runs in about two years that the diesel engine had been given, i was cautious. (I have since discovered that it is 1st gear i dont have access to - unless i push down the gearstick and left and back!!!).
Anyway, I currently have twin rear wheels with 6 studs... i will post the current size in a day or so (but its safe to say they ARE the small and standard ones... heh!!!)... any ideas??? any knowledge???
its been a pain also because i havnt been able to get a workshop manual for the beast... Apparently Haynes never did one!!!
oh so many stories of learning about this vehicle!! but anyway... peace all... hope to interact again soon...
mulch...
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