Diesel Gearbox Protection

[syncroandy]

You guys will all have to find a nice big rock at CF and test your different setups against it !



TBH in 7 years Syncro-ing I've only bent the engine bars once bad enough to need pressing straight. I think I tend to avoid the more extreme manoeuvres (sp?) though.

Prop bars on the other hand are pretty much disposable !

[toomanytoys]

bent the prop bars a couple of times..... Bent the prop once...

But you dont have to bend the engine bars to smack the box on a rock..

[v-lux]

That's Good to know you've not encountered any trouble with yours collecting stuff in the time it's been on your van. That would be my main concern with one really.

As long as it doesn't scoop stuff up, I guess there could be an argument for it actually helping due to the boxes staying cleaner? I'm always quite impressed how clean things are behind the front bash plate when it's off.

[silverbullet]

Dont take this the wrong way Ian, you are good at the old engineering and stuff but with you only doing very mild green laning just the one time (you did very well) Its hard to take all these improvements you are making seriously imho with your limited off road driving experience and lack of practical off road knowledge of using what your building on.
jed

None taken A good all-round apprecticeship, an enquiring mind and a healthy dose of common sense goes quite a way, I've found. Having said that, you have no idea of what I have done in my life before the syncro came along...

[jed the spread]

Bankok Lady Boy?

Jed

[jebiga41]

Have you considered how much heat your trapping in?
How are you going to shed the stones and gravel easily? (jed's vid, evidence of debris collection)

Now, there was a particular van that went to Syncro 25 with wads of protection on and then the owner had loads of spanner moments due to the heat and it had only been on the road getting there.
You need Air flow

There were TWO particular vans that went to Syncro25 with wads of protection, identical wads of protection in fact cuz I had them made!! One had 'loads of spanner moments' because its owner wanted spanner moments!! The other syncro, mine, is fine thank you. No gravel or stones catching as there is plenty of foam rubber between the shield and the transmission. There is plenty of airflow around the box and front diff. The shields do not hinder this at all. No overheating and plenty of protection ..... ideal. Someone even said that the front diff shield would effect the engine cooling .....

Being the owner of the said vehicle that had loads of spanner moments it was down to a rad not protection plates as it over heated even without the diff protection. Once the rad was changed for a new one the heating issues went away again this was after an AAZ install not because I wanted spanner moments. The other spanner moments at Syncro 25 were due to a split CV boot. Having run the van with gearbox protection both ally plate with holes and also a set of engine bars with a gearbox protection made with a full sheet of 2mm steel on them neither has really contibuted to over heating the gearbox although I will always go to the nearest jet wash after running off road to try and blast the most of the muck out . The gearbox with the sheet steel protection on it was rebuilt by aidan who said upon inspection was a good un and had about 100k in miles on it when I bought it. After having repaired a box which had been smacked by a rock I would say any protection is worse than none but I would still try and look at improving airflow if possible. As regards to your van Andrew you have not done an awful lot of mileage on it apart from the trip to Germany and back and hardly any off road especially in mud and as you freely admit you will not change your gearbox oil so are you really that qualified to come to the conclusion that everything is peachy with your van ???

[syncropaddy]

As regards to your van Andrew you have not done an awful lot of mileage on it apart from the trip to Germany and back and hardly any off road especially in mud and as you freely admit you will not change your gearbox oil so are you really that qualified to come to the conclusion that everything is peachy with your van ???

Why would I change my gearbox oil .... I put in new oil when Aidan rebuilt it so it doesnt need changing (as per VW's recommendations) until I get the gearbox rebuilt again. What thats got to do with anything I just dont know so Im not sure what you are saying !?! My van has been off road, towed Land Rover and Japanese 4x4s out of ditches in the snow, towed trailer loads of gravel at 3 tonnes a go, covered 1500 kms in the snow, and has been very useful thank you. I dont beat it to death during 4x4 weekends but thats my choice.

I am more than well qualified to comment on my van, which, has not needed a spanner puting to it since I rebuilt it 20000 kms ago. It doesnt overheat, have split CV boots or spend hours on the side of a foreign motorway with its owner having a spanner moment! It needs a service and a good wash and two weeks ago I had to weld up an exhaust bracket.

Before it goes off on its summer trip, I will do some preventitive maintenance, free up the siezed diff locks ........ might even put in the AAZ ....

So whats the gearbox oil got to do with it ??

[jebiga41]

Knew the mention of gearbox oil would get a reply off road doesn't mean sitting on your driveway Andrew

am more than well qualified to comment on my van, which, has not needed a spanner puting to it since I rebuilt it 20000 kms ago

do you just make this stuff up as you go along Andrew you were complaining only the week before last of a host of problems. As regards to not putting a spanner to it by the sounds of it it probably needs one, considering its still making that horrible noise from what seems to be your alternator or power steering pump since before Syncro 25.
But back to the oil if for instance the gearbox and diff were overheating with the protection an examination of the oil would show this, either that or attaching a load of heat sensors on the box (like toomanytoys was suggesting)would you be aware of any increase in temp before damaging the box or cooking your VC?

The other syncro, mine, is fine thank you. No gravel or stones catching as there is plenty of foam rubber between the shield and the transmission. There is plenty of airflow around the box and front diff. The shields do not hinder this at all. No overheating and plenty of protection ..... ideal

Again as you have no record of gearbox temperatures either before or after fitting protection plates and foam which as we all know VW did not fit as standard, and you have not dropped your oil, how could you Andrew safely say that there is no effect on the temperature of your boxes or you are not slowly cooking them to death ??
Most engineers would surely agree that without a shred of evidence to prove your point, one could be accused of talking B****x or is it just the case of if you say it enough times and in caps it must be true ?

[silverbullet]

Bankok Lady Boy?

Jed

I know I'm pretty but now you're definitely off the Christmas card list.

[jed the spread]

jed

[syncropaddy]

Again as you have no record of gearbox temperatures either before or after fitting protection plates and foam which as we all know VW did not fit as standard, and you have not dropped your oil, how could you Andrew safely say that there is no effect on the temperature of your boxes or you are not slowly cooking them to death ??
Most engineers would surely agree that without a shred of evidence to prove your point, one could be accused of talking B****x or is it just the case of if you say it enough times and in caps it must be true ?

What is your gearbox oil temperature? How much hotter will it get with the bash plates on? Is my oil getting any hotter with my setup than say, a standard set up crossing the Great Sandy Desert in Australia in an Australian spec vehicle, where the temperature is regularly in the 40's C ( which according to the Australian spec Caravelle handbook I have, uses the same oil as you and I ). In fact is my oil getting any hotter than yours? How hot does the oil need to get to before it physically and chemically breaks down enough to 'Cook' the gearbox? I would suggest that you dont have a shred of evidence to prove your point and do we need to remind each other who is the engineer here.

Just as a matter of interest, I am using Castrol Syntrans 75W85 which is API GL3 GL4. It is quite happy to work away at temperatures ranging from -26C to 100C as that is the design spec. Now you are all gonna love this bit ..... THE DESIGN LIFE OF THIS PRODUCT IS 400,000 Kms!!! This is the oil as specified by Castrol for VW Syncro. Now I happen to have a gearbox here with 375,000 Kms on it that is caked in crud and muck so if you would like to drop in and drop the oil out of that one you are welcome. I'll take the photos .....

[v-lux]

Neither of you are engineers are you?

[toomanytoys]

Here we go again.....

[v-lux]

snigger...

[Russel]

Being an engineer dosent mean squat.
Russel