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Automatics and Engine Conversions
jeremy - March 14th, 2006 at 01:04 PM

How well does the Kombi Automatic transmission perform with a engine conversion (Suby or other)

Can it handle the power increase?

Can the gearing be changed (diff)?

Just gathering some extra info :P



Jeremy


Baja Wes - March 14th, 2006 at 04:52 PM

My V6 is so torquey it makes gear changes optional, so the manual gearbox seems pointless. For offroading and crawling in traffic I'd prefer to have an auto.

Reason's why I haven't used a kombi auto are; it's big, it's heavy, it's an old 3 speed auto.

They do work well in offroad race cars though, especially when fitted with a shift kit, like an old skool tip-tronic.


seagull - March 15th, 2006 at 01:47 AM

The autos kombi & type three can have extra clutch fitted by machining down the spacer that runs it that area .The kombi auto is a heavy box but can take a good amount of hp , with this box most fail in the spider gears due to oil being thrown away from them at high speed .dilling the oil galarys makes some changes but most pump the oil out were the nose of the converter fits into the main box .This can be solved by fitting two seals to the box back to back , they fit .I have seen some big v8 motor behind kombi 2ltrs autos and they hang in there , ease them off the lights and the last for a long time .

The auto box skipping over bumps off road they die young , this kills the spider gears & flugs the main converter spline

In saying this I have built my trike with a type three auto , the one fitted now has stock clutch packs & I am very happy with it .But I will tell you the flex plate was made to take a vw ( low ) hp motor .I am running a legacy gen 1 series 113 kw motor & you can see the flex plate push forward to the diff area when you give the motor 6000rpm .
I have blown one converter to the shit house doing this , I dam well shit my own pants !
Nothing like looking at some this you have spent two years make bleedall over the ground ~


I have built a type three auto to run a wrx motor behind it iin my new ride , this I will be drilling the case and fitting a oil pump from a plane to spray oil into were it is needed .I getting a flex plate lazer cut for this one then metal sping it to shape with pucks welded to converter to stop the three bolts form shearing them off .



My plan is to fit a lsd diff center from a subaru diff to the vw auto , the bad thing its all in my head and I need to put it down on paper and then machine all the parts up .

I am sure I can make the box take 200hp with some mods .The seal kit you can buy in Australia , they are expencive to pull down & put together

I am allway on the look out for type three autos , so guys dont throw them away I bring them back to life to run another 30 years

seagull


urban_myth - March 16th, 2006 at 09:02 PM

My dad has a worked commodore series 1 v6 behind a type 3 auto in a kombi. The auto has been rebuilt with extra clutches and it handles the power well. Because of the ratios it does rev a bit hard, but the diff is a 3.5:1 and the transmission has a 1:1 final drive which means it does 3800 rpm at 110 kmh. It is much better than the gearing in the kombi gearbox though.

[ Edited on 16-3-2006 by urban_myth ]


fozee - March 18th, 2006 at 12:12 PM

Apparently line pressures can be altered to change the rpm.
My kombi auto was rebuilt by CBB in NSW. Havent had it running yet but they assured me it would handle the 200 - 250Kw i was going to be putting into it.

Will let you know in the next ocuple months if it lasts.


Desert Bug - March 18th, 2006 at 11:18 PM

G'day,

Kombis and Type 3s use the same auto, but different diff/bellhousing units, and the autos are interchangable, couple of thnigs to change, like input shaft (easy) and front/nose mount, etc. otherwise pretty straight forward.

A mate had an auto (tricked) behind a 4.4 lt P76 V8 in a Type 3 Fasty that would pop the front wheels, and the box handled fine.

Cheers, Ian.


pete wood - March 20th, 2006 at 09:52 AM

how much power/torque do you think a VW auto could safely take...with a few mods that is?

would they handle a lexus V8?


Desert Bug - March 20th, 2006 at 01:58 PM

G'day Pete,
Who knows, I guess it'll handle it till it breaks. I've got this saying "The stronger you make it, the stronger they break it!!" which you can pretty much apply to anything in life.
Cheers, Ian.


nbturbo - March 20th, 2006 at 08:26 PM

fozee---

Quote:
(My kombi auto was rebuilt by CBB in NSW.) Did you not find any body in Adelaide to do the work?I dropped mine off today to Plaza Automatics-sounds like he knows his stuff.

[ Edited on 20-3-2006 by nbturbo ]


seagull - March 20th, 2006 at 09:25 PM

I have a ford 9 " diff that we fitted to our class one with a toyota . on a smoth drive way 1st to 2nd the new pinon snapped like a peice of chalk .

the motor was putting out 198kw at the wheels , not alot in my book

I dont think I would wast my $ fitting a tyota to a vw auto


pete wood - March 22nd, 2006 at 08:50 AM

ok, ta. I guess it's the torque that kills em, right?


GeorgeL - March 23rd, 2006 at 05:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pete wood
ok, ta. I guess it's the torque that kills em, right?


Yep. more specifically, stress does it. The limiting factor is the traction of the wheels. However, if you're breaking the wheels loose in gears other than 1st you are putting more stress on the gears than they were designed for.

Smooth paved driveway would be the worst case situation for the gearbox. Maximum traction yields maximum stress. If you ran on nothing but dirt it would be a lot easier on the box!

George


seagull - March 23rd, 2006 at 09:19 PM

the second diff broke on dirt
we blow ervery bit up on drit as the wheels skipping kills every thing !


GeorgeL - March 24th, 2006 at 09:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by seagull
the second diff broke on dirt
we blow ervery bit up on drit as the wheels skipping kills every thing !


Yeah, I can see how that could happen. I was thinking of smooth dirt, not bouncy stuff, which was a bit idealistic. Get it bouncing and you'll find all sorts of odd resonances that can break things.

George


pete wood - March 25th, 2006 at 04:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GeorgeL
Quote:
Originally posted by seagull
the second diff broke on dirt
we blow ervery bit up on drit as the wheels skipping kills every thing !


Yeah, I can see how that could happen. I was thinking of smooth dirt, not bouncy stuff, which was a bit idealistic. Get it bouncing and you'll find all sorts of odd resonances that can break things.

George


you mean impulse and shock loading, ;)