Author Topic: Transmission codes and basic info  (Read 37118 times)

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Offline Geoff

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Transmission codes and basic info
« on: July 27, 2011, 02:05:44 PM »
Stock VW Transmissions

Type I (Sedan (Beetle or Bug) or Karmann Ghia) & III

6v Swing Axle Trans
   
12v Swing Axle Trans
   
Early IRS Trans ('69 - 70)
 4.12 R&P
Late IRS Trans ('71 - 72)
 3.88 R&P; 72 is a transitional year, use with 38 tooth 1st gear; two side covers
 
Late IRS Trans ('73 - Later)
 includes late 72, use with a 34 tooth 1st gear; one side cover; 002 Bus type gears

 

Type II (Transporter, Pick-up, Crew Cab, or Bus)

6v Swing Trans Early Bus
   
12v Swing Trans Early Bus
   
Early 68 002 IRS Bus 3 Rib; narrow case and early gearset design; easy to recognize because it has acorn nuts around the drive flanges; weak transmission; limited parts availability; prior to 11/68
'68 - 70 002 IRS Bus Trans
 3 Rib; called a 113 type Bus trans; starting 11/68
'71 only 002 IRS Bus
 3 Rib; later 1971+ transmissions use a guide around the impeller shaft to align the throw-out bearing and therefore require a different pressure plate than earlier 71 and before transmissions.
'72 - 74 002 IRS Bus
 3 Rib
1973-75 automatic 4.45:1 final-drive ratio
'74-75 002 IRS Bus Trans
 5 Rib; aka pyramid case
'76 - 79 091 IRS Bus Trans
 6 Rib; 4.56 R&P; considered to be the strongest stock VW transmission
'80 - 82 091 Vanagon
 Aircoolled engine; Side Shift Vanagons with the T4 engine; Essentially the same as the Bus 091 and can be converted to nose shift
'83 - Later Vanagon
 Waterboxer engine; Mid Shift Vanagons; cannot be converted to nose shift
094 Synchro 4x4 Rare in USA

 

Three-Rib Transmission - Early style of Type II Bus transmission used from about 1968-’73 - 3 Rib; 5.38 (Also 5.42, but it is pretty rare) R&P; no mounting ears on top of the bellhousing

 

Five-Rib Transmission - Type II transmission made from 1974-’75 - 5-Ribs; 4.86 R&P

 

A Type I Trans uses the same gearset as the 3 rib and 5 rib Type II trans so they can be built to handle about 160/200HP however they only have a 6" ring gear (its weak link).  The Type II Trans is preferred because it has a 8" ring gear.

 

The Type II 6 rib transmission is said to be able to handle 300 horsepower.

 

The Type I Trans can be used for mid engine applications by flipping the ring gear and the Type II Trans cannot. You can flip the Type II  trans upside down for a mid engine configuration, but you will need to make a few modifications for this application to work.


 

Transmission Glossary

Term Definition
002 differential
 The type of differential used in Three- and Five-rib Bus transmissions.
 
091 differential
 Considered heavier and stronger than a 002, this differential is used in late style Type II transmissions from 1976.
 
Anti Shocker
 Device used to slow the travel of the clutch arm/pressure plate and to take the shock off of a transmission in drag race type starts.
 
Ball Bearings
 Round bearings used in various places in VW transmissions.
 
Cone Washer
 Concave washer used on mainshaft on early Type I transmissions and Three-rib Type II transmissions.
 
Coupler
 Gear that couples the input shaft and mainshaft together in all VW transmissions. Also has external teeth to drive the reverse idler shaft.
 
CV bells
 Output final drive flanges for constant velocity joints
 
CV joint
 Constant velocity joint (see sidebar)
 
Detent balls
 Used to hold shift rails in position
 
End Gears
 Sometimes called axle gears, these are the outer gears in the differential.
 
Five-Rib Transmission
 Type II transmission made from 1974-’75
 
Flanges
 See CV bells
 
Four-Bolt Housing
 Early type of transmission case used in Type I transmissions.
 
Gear Carrier Housing
 Sometimes called intermediate housing. This is the next section of a VW transmission behind the nose cone.
 
Gear Ratios
 Driven gear divided by drive gear. Example: First gear is 10 tooth drive and 38 driven. Divide 38 by 10 to equal 3.80
 
Gear Selector
  The main shift fork some times called a “hockey stick.”
 
Guide Tube
 Tube for the throw-out bearing to ride on. Used in various VW transmissions
 
Hydraulic Slave Cylinders
 Clutch actuating cylinder used with a clutch master cylinder to release the clutch and pressure plate
 
Input Shaft
  Splined shaft that the center of the clutch disc rides on and is the first input shaft of a VW transmission
 
Input Shaft Coupler Gear
 See Coupler Gear
 
Intermediate Housing
 See Gear Carrier Housing
 
IRS
 Independent Rear Suspension The type of suspension and transmission VW used from 1970 up. Before that VW used a Swingaxle suspension and transmission.
 
Mainshaft
 Top shaft in a VW transmission. Contains half of the 1st-4th gearset.
 
Needle Bearings
 Long small bearings used in various places in VW transmissions.
 
Nosecone
 The front or first section of a VW transmission which contains the main shift fork, sometimes called a “hockey stick”
 
Operating Sleeves
 Round rings with teeth on the inside and are what is shifted when you go into any forward gears.
 
One-Ringed Side Cover
 A IRS transmission with one ring cast into the outside of the differential cover.
 
One-Sided Case
 AIRS transmission case that only has one unboltable side cover. The early ones had two.
 
Output Flanges
 See CV bells
 
Output Splines
 The splines that the CV bells go onto.
 
Pinion
 One half of a gearset. The “ring” gear is the other half. This is the final drive of a VW transmission.
 
Pinion Depth
 Distance of the pinion into the ring gear in the final drive section.
 
Pinion Shaft
 Bottom shaft in a VW transmission. Contains the other half of the gearset, plus the pinion gear for the final drive.
 
Pressure Plate
 Mechanism that applies force to the clutch disc and flywheel to turn the input shaft of a transmission
 
Reduction Gearbox
 Old-style Bus transmission that further reduced the final drive by having another set of gears next to the wheels. These outer sets of gears were in housings and called “gear reduction” boxes.
 
Reverse Gear Holder Setup
 The fork that supports the reverse idler gear.
 
Rhino Case
 Aftermarket braced Type I VW transmission case.
 
Ring and Pinion
 Final drive set of gears used to lower the overall ratio of a transmission.
 
Six-Rib Transmission
 Later style VW Type II transmission from 1976
 
Snap Rings
 Used to keep bearings and gears from coming off of shafts
 
Spider Gears
 The small set of gears in differential. They look somewhat like a spider, hence the name.
 
Swingaxle
 Early type of suspension and transaxle VW used. Until about 1969
 
Three-Rib Transmission
 Early style of Type II Bus transmission used from about 1968-’73
 
Throwout Bearing
 Bearing that pushes in the pressure plate.
 
Transaxle
 Term used for transmission and rear axle as one unit.
 
Two-Ringed Side Cover
 IRS transmission side cover that has two rings cast into it.
 
Two-Sided Case
 VW transmission Type I case that has two unboltable side covers. (all swingaxles and IRS up to 1973).
 

 

 

VW Transmission Codes

 

Type 1, 181 and 3w

Code  Engine Mate Final Drive Model
AA 1200  4.375 From Chassis Number 0981810
AB 1300  4.375 Up to 1970
AC 1500  4.125 On some 1300 from 1971
AD 1200  4.375  Limited Slip Diff. (LSD)
AE 1300  4.375 With LSD
AF 1500  4.125  LSD to 1970
AG 1200  4.375 Used on Type 147
AH 1500  4.125 IRS from 1969
 1600  4.125 1970-’71
AK  1500  3.875 Type 181 to 1970
 1600  3.875  Type 181 from 1971
AL 1500  3.875 Type 181 with LSD to 1970
 1600  3.875 Type 181 with IRS and LSD from 1971
AM 1300  4.375 Sedan and Vert from 1971
AN 1600  3.875 KG with IRS from 1971
AO 1300  3.875 KG from 1971
AP 1300  4.375 LSD from 1970-’71
AQ 1600  4.125 LSD from 1971-1972
AR  1600  3.875 KG with LSD from 1971
AS 1600  3.875 Type I from 1973
AT 1600  3.875 Type 1303 and Verts from 1973
AU 1600  3.875 Type 1303 with LSD from 1973
BA 1300/1500 4.375 Auto-stick from 1969-’70
BC 1300/1500 4.375 Auto-stick from 1969-’70 with LSD
BE 1600  4.125 Auto-stick from 1971-’72
BF 1600  4.125 Auto-stick from 1971-’72 with LSD
BG 1300  4.125 KG with auto-stick from 1971
BH  1300  4.125 KG with auto-stick from 1971 with LSD
BJ 1300  4.375 Auto-stick from 1971
BK 1300  4.375 Auto-stick from 1971 with LSD
DA 1500/1600 4.125 Type III SA to 1968
DB 1500/1600 4.125 Type III SA to 1968 with LSD
DC 1500/1600 4.125 Type III IRS from 1969
DD 1500/1600 4.125  Type III IRS from 1969 with LSD

 

 

Type 2

unless otherwise stated.

Codes
 Model
 Final Drive Notes
 
AA 1200 4.375 From Chassis No 0 981 810   
AB 1300 4.375   Up to 8/70
AC 1500 4.125       also some 1300 from 8/70
AD 1200 4.375 Limited Slip Differential 
AE 1300 4.375 Limited Slip Differential 
AF 1500 4.125     Limited Slip Differential up to 8/70; also some 1300 from 8/70 
AG 1200 4.375 Type 147 Fridolin 
AH 1500 4.125       IRS from 8/68 
  1600 4.125     8/69 – 8/72   
AK 1500 3.875  Type 181 up to 8/70 
  1600 3.875  Type 181 from 8/70   
AL 1500 3.875  Type 181 with LSD up to 8/70   
AL 1600 3.875  Type 181 with LSD from 8/70   
AM 1300 4.375 Saloon and Cabrio from 8/70   
AN 1600 3.875  Karmann Ghia with IRS from 8/70   
AO 1600  4.125  Karmann Ghia from 8/70 
AP 1300 4.375 LSD from 8/70   
AQ 1600 4.125 LSD 8/70 – 8/72   
AR 1600 3.875   Karmann Ghia with LSD from 8/70
AS 1600cc 3.875  From 3/72   
AT 1600 3.875  1303s and Cabrio from 3/72   
AU 1600 3.875  1303s and Cabrio from 3/72 with LSD   
BA 1300 / 1500 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/68 – 8/70   
BC 1300 / 1500 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/68 – 8/70 with LSD   
BE 1600 4.125     Semi Automatic from 8/70 – 8/71   
BF 1600 4.125     Semi Automatic from 8/70 – 8/71 with LSD   
BG 1600 4.125     Karmann Ghia Semi Automatic from 8/70   
BH 1300 4.125     Karmann Ghia Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD 
BJ 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70   
BK 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD   
BL 1600 4.125 Semi Auto
BK 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD   
DA 1500 /1600 4.125     Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68 
DB 1500 /1600 4.125     Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68 with LSD   
DC 1500 /1600 4.125     Type 3 IRS from 8/68   
DD 1500 /1600 4.125     Type 3 IRS from 8/68 with IRS   

 

 

Common Transmission Modifications

Ring and Pinion - For optimal performance, it is very important to start with the correct Ring and Pinion ratio in your VW transmission. VW and Weddle ring and pinions are available for a variety of applications. While higher ratios are stronger than lower ratios and choosing a ring and pinion that is too high or too low will negatively impact optimal acceleration, power and speed.

 

Super Differential - The stock VW trans differential houses 2 spider gears. This design is suitable for low horsepower stock applications but it's easy to blow the spider gears when you add more horsepower. When a differential  grenades, it usually ruins the side gears as well as the ring and pinion, destroying your transmission in the process. A Superdif can be added to the transmission too allow it to house 4 spider gears, whcih dramatically increasing the differential's strength.

 

Mainshaft - This is cut from a single piece of steel and includes both 1st and 2nd gear. These gears are commonly modified to allow for a lower close ratio or high road gears.

 

3rd and 4th Gears - These gears are also commonly modified to allow for lower close ratio or high road gears.

 

Welded 3rd and 4th gears - This refers to welding the syncro cone to the gear.  The stock setup is only pressed on and will spin with greater horsepower applications.

 

 

Diagrams

Longenterprises

 

 

Aftermarket/Performance Transmissions

Rancho Performance Transaxles 1015 East Elm Avenue, Fullerton, California 92831

Mendeola

PBS Engineering

Albins Off Road Gear - Australia

Berg 5 Speed

Weddle Industries