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posted on December 4th, 2011 at 05:34 PM
Automatic Bay Kombi's
Hi all, I'm considering purchase of an auto Bay Kombi and as I haven't had any experience with them before I thought I'd ask here.
Could someone give me their knowledge or experience on them, as far as the auto goes compared to a manual, in areas such as:
- driving, are they similar in 'power' to the equivalent manual model
- reliability of the automatic system - same as a manual, or more issues? Do any part of an auto wear out quicker than a manual...especially the
transmission?
- any specific maintenance required to an auto over a manual?
- issues with the transmissions, i.e. harder to repair, parts, etc?
- fuel economy, do they use more fuel?
I'm not looking for a speed machine and have looked at an auto with type 4 engine, I'd like something that cruises OK on the highway at 100 and does
OK in town. Any advice appreciated, thanks!
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posted on December 4th, 2011 at 06:08 PM
I have only had a Vanagon auto on an air cooled 2L - pretty much the same as a late bay
I am led to believe the 2L is the go over the 1.8L auto - something to do with the change mechanism
As for the actual 2L box - thay are solid as a rock.
I believe they are the same base as the 944 auto
I did have an issue with mine where it wouldnt kick in to 2nd until it had really warmed up - like 10 minutes.
Every one told me it was a major rebuild
Ended up getting a mechanic to pull the screen and it worked a charm after that
I have a 2L auto vanagon 2.1L water cooled - and I love it
Futue te ipsum!!!
MISS VDUB
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posted on December 5th, 2011 at 12:25 PM
If you can drive a manual, get a manual. Unless you have a heap of money to burn when the gearbox shits itself. You can pick up a replacement manual
box cheap, you can with an auto. It's not worth the pain and dollars when something goes wrong (as it has with a friends).
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"
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posted on December 8th, 2011 at 12:48 AM
I had a 1976 2L panel auto (and wish I still had it). Mine had the usual cheap/nasty extractors fitted (by me! ), but with a 2" baffled muffler, and it had the late model fuel-inj runners and plenum but with a carby
(visualise a Scooby EJ manifold with a piddly Stromberg off a Holden plonked on top!).......the things u do to keep a daily driver going when you work
13day fortnights!
Anyway, around town it averaged 12.5L/100km, on the freeway/highway at a steady 105kph it returned 11L/100km. Off the mark it was "lively", which is
VW-speak for heaps better than stock, either manual or auto, but after the first 60ft you were toast! Top speed (in the Territory of course......) was
140kph, which is bloody fast for a stock height Kombi I rekn. Highway revs is basically the same as a 2L 4.58 diff with standard 0.89 4th, the auto
diff ratio is 4.11:1.
I love the autos personally, you don't give up much to the manuals in performance, but the shifter seems less intrusive to the walk-through, and
it's just slack really. Parts are easy to get, but they rarely break, the Audis/Vanagons use it (010), easy to rebuild (like a Trimatic or C4).
Oh yeah, and if you go around a slightly damp corner at the lights at 20kph, then DUMP it coming out, it spins up in 1st and spits the back out a bit,
hahaha! Endless hours of fun for all passersby!
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posted on December 11th, 2011 at 01:22 AM
There were two different auto boxes used in the Bay Kombis - the earlier 1800 Type IV Bays were fitted with 003 Autos and the later 2L bays were
fitted with 010 autos.
I have a '78 Auto Bay and a '90 Auto Caravelle - the autos are basically the same internally (both 010 gearboxes, the one in the Caravelle has an
extra cooler on the side of it). I have not had any experience with the 003 auto, but I can't imagine that there would be a great deal of difference
as far as driving and servicing them is concerned. Perhaps rebuilding them may be a different story....
I had major problems with the auto in the Bay - started as a small ATF leak from around the torque converter area and has resulted in three rebuilds
without the Kombi actually moving. I would just like to point out that this was not a fault with the box but rather a fault caused but the 'expert'
that reconditioned the auto the first and second time. He has gone out of business now. PM me if you would like more info - I'm happy to name and
shame.
The Caravelle has not given me any grief at all. Both of the vans are easy to drive and are surprisingly quick off the line but loose out power-wise
once it gets into 2nd.. but if you are not planning on drag racing it.....
I just love driving them in traffic and an auto in good condition will shift very smoothly under normal driving conditions.
The engine does turn a few 100 RPM faster in the auto at highway speeds, which you could assume will have a negative effect on fuel economy. I have
never driven a manual for any real distance so I can't give comparison figures.
I am told that all the parts are available new. Second hand parts in re-usable condition are becoming hard to find so a rebuild will vary in cost
depending on exactly what you need and how much of your box is still usable...they are quite a tough box, but many of them have had very little
servicing and have done massive numbers of miles. I wouldn't expect that they would cost much more that a manual box to reco (depending on who you
get to do the job).
Servicing is really only limited to changing the ATF and filter at the scheduled interval - and keep an eye on the diff oil level. One of the main
problems is that the seal between the auto and the diff begins to leak. As the ATF is under pressure in the auto box it forces its way past the
damaged seal, into the diff. This dilutes the diff oil and leads to bearing failure. I check my diff oil level every time I do an engine oil change
- it is just a matter of pulling the filler plug out of the side of the diff. If you don't get a fountain of rather thin looking liquid pour out
then everything is still OK
I have always been a big fan of manuals but I am not planning on 'updating' any time soon... and I have to agree with the last line of modnrod's
post
R
40hp, 6V and ...er... slowly making improvements
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
), but with a 2" baffled muffler, and it had the late model fuel-inj runners and plenum but with a carby
(visualise a Scooby EJ manifold with a piddly Stromberg off a Holden plonked on top!).......the things u do to keep a daily driver going when you work
13day fortnights!
