VW Cabriolet Conversion--Trans question

I'm really leaning toward putting the TDI from a wrecked '96 Passat into the '92 Cabriolet I've been driving. (Was hoping to put it in my '78 Bus, but this will be quicker and easier and cheaper!)

Anyway, the 020 transmission that is in there is a close ratio trans and would have the TDI revving up pretty good. It is supposed to be at 70 MPH at 3500 RPM, though via a GPS unit, it was actually doing 76 at 3500 RPM (So maybe someone changed the 5th gear sometime, I dunno.) But since I would like to get the rpms down more at speeds of 70-75. My Trans' code is AUG.

I could go through a lot of effort to install the Passat's trans in the Jetta, but it would be simpler to find a more suited 020.

I have opportunity to buy an 020 coded FF, FN, and AGS.
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/VW_020_transmission.shtml

I'm not quite sure I understand how all the gears interplay, though my first impression is that the AGS would give me a slightly lower RPM at a given highway speed.

Any thoughts on which one I should go after?
What

Use which ever 020 trans that you have access to in multiples. the 020 does not take well to torque. With that being said if you don't rip on it and just cruise you can get buy with most with a longer 5th gear swap.

redcorradoguy said:

I have opportunity to buy an 020 coded FF, FN, and AGS.

Click to expand...

The AGS won't really give you a perceptable difference in highway gearing, but it is far superior in terms of fit and for other reasons. Both the FF and FN are older Rabbit transmissions. They have softer gears and open differentials. They are not as stout as the later transmissions. I used to have an FF with a quaife in my Rabbit and after breaking it 3 times I gave up. I've been using a stock 9A now for years and it has been problem free with 200whp.

The FF and FN also have 90mm CV's and because of the case design you cannot fit the 100mm axle flanges. The AGS probably has 100mm axle flanges which is what you need for it to drop into your Cabriolet. Ideally, I would be looking for an ACN/AON/ASF as it has the 3.67 R&P which will reduce your RPM on the freeway with a .75 5th gear. The only thing taller would probably be the 3.45 R&P and a .71 5th gear, but I think the 3.45 was a VW Motorsport part, and I don't think the .71 will work on any 3.67 pinion shaft. The ACN/AON/ASF also likely has 100mm axle flanges and maybe even a mini-slip differential.

btw this is one of the best resources for 020 gear ratios: http://www.scirocco.org/gears/

I would try to get a transmission with a 3.67 R&P, a .91 4th and then swap in a .71 5th if it didn't already have one. (I don't know squat about 020s so heed VWmikel's 020 knowledge on shaft size)

If you want to be nice to your transmission install a bolt kit as it should help you avoid buying the WRD 02a brackets and cable clutch conversion.

G60ING said:

(I don't know squat about 020s so heed VWmikel's 020 knowledge on shaft size)

Click to expand...

It isn't the shaft size, it's the circlip style. You may be able to use the .71 if you put the pinion side gear on a lathe and cut a groove in the side to accept the 3.67 style circlip.

The guy thought he had a ACN, but when he went out to double-check, found that it had suffered the self-machining fate. So that choice was out.

But it sounds like the AGS would be ok. Would it be possible for me to pull the 3.67 R&P out of the AUG trans that is currently in the car and install it into the AGS? I suppose with installing a bolt kit, I would be doing most of that work already, wouldn't I?

Another option that I was thinking about is seeing if he'd pull the 5th out of the machined ACN and I just install it in my AUG. (Especially if that would mean a big cost savings vs a whole trans and shipping.) Gears 3 and 4 would be taller, but in all honesty, will that bother me much?

Good to know that the larger flanges won't even go on a FF/FN trans, I had assumed I could swap them off my current trans like I did on a previous conversion.

Thanks guys!

redcorradoguy said:

I'm really leaning toward putting the TDI from a wrecked '96 Passat into the '92 Cabriolet I've been driving.

<snip>

I could go through a lot of effort to install the Passat's trans in the Jetta, but it would be simpler to find a more suited 020.

Click to expand...

Without a doubt, the 02A from the Passat is your best bet.
The costs can add up if you buy pre-fabbed mounts, but they are available. Use the Eurovan part to keep the cable clutch, and the
cable shifter can be installed without too much effort. There is a rod-shift linkage set for the 02A available out of Europe somewhere, if you look hard enough.

I have a 2002 ALH engine in my 1982 Rabbit pickup (same engine bay as your Cabriolet), and I'm running an 020 with the VWMS 3.4 final drive, a 0.71 5th, and 90mm axles.

The ALH has a Rocketchip Stage 3 with the Euro flash, and 205 injectors. It dyno'd 150 WHP.

I have ~250,000 kms on that combination, and haven't blown up the tranny.

That being said, I know the 020s can be weak, so I don't drive it too hard, gently putting the power to it, and all that.

If you put in a tranny with a 3.67 FD, and even if you install a .71 5th, you won't be happy in the long run. It will rev too high and have negative affects on your mileage.

If you have access to the 02A from the Passat TDI, go for that.
The 3.16 final is fabulous, and the 02A have more options for 5th gear.
I think a .63 is even available now.

I have an 02A sitting in my garage, but I'm too busy driving my truck to actually install it.

-Dave

MrDave,

I wasn't too excited to do all the fabbing, welding, etc to switch the 02A trans from cable shift to linkage shift, and hydraulic clutch to cable clutch, as well as whatever mounting is necessary. I also am not real interested in spending a lot of money to do this either. It seems that it will negate the reason for converting the car--saving money driving the thing!

But if I could do it fairly cheaply then I would be real interested!

Any good ideas on sourcing the parts?

redcorradoguy said:

MrDave,

I wasn't too excited to do all the fabbing, welding, etc to switch the 02A trans from cable shift to linkage shift, and hydraulic clutch to cable clutch, as well as whatever mounting is necessary. I also am not real interested in spending a lot of money to do this either. It seems that it will negate the reason for converting the car--saving money driving the thing!

But if I could do it fairly cheaply then I would be real interested!

Any good ideas on sourcing the parts?

Click to expand...

You can buy the bits required to make the tranny fit quite easy.
I can provide you with a drawing for the driver's mount, if you want to fab it yourself.

Old thread, but I hear the guy still makes them:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2248088


Basically, to fit the 02A/02J to the mk1/A1 chassis, you need:
-side mount
-rear mount
-clutch cable (honda CRX)
-clutch actuator (VW Eurovan)

and the parts from the donor:
-tranny, cable shifter, clutch, flywheel.

-Dave

I IMed that guy, and he said he recently sold the last set of mounts. Shoot.

From reading other threads, it is looking like the eurovan part has become much more expensive too. (Threads were saying it was about $35, but is now over $100.)

I abused an 020 with a TDI for 2-3 years without any issue. I hauled my car dolley hundreds of times loaded as well (even pulled the 240D Benz home with it !!) I ran pp357 injectors on a stock ecu with the stock 020 clutch.

The only issue I had with the 020 is the clutches are not as strong. The tranny itself had NO issues. I drove the crap out of that poor thing too. I only upgraded to an 02A so I had access to a cheap stronger clutch.

Uberhare said:

I abused an 020 with a TDI for 2-3 years without any issue. I hauled my car dolley hundreds of times loaded as well (even pulled the 240D Benz home with it !!) I ran pp357 injectors on a stock ecu with the stock 020 clutch.

The only issue I had with the 020 is the clutches are not as strong. The tranny itself had NO issues. I drove the crap out of that poor thing too. I only upgraded to an 02A so I had access to a cheap stronger clutch.

Click to expand...

That sounds pretty good to me! So, what trans code did you use? How was the engine RPMs at highway speeds?

Also, were you able to simply bolt on the strange inside-out clutch/flywheel setup for an 020 onto the TDI motor? ("96 TDI Passat)

You know, I never actually checked what the code was on it. It was stock for a 94 Golf 1.9TD (AAZ). The highway gearing was a bit off. It could certainly have used a taller 5th, but I lived with it for years.

The crank bolt up is the same, no problems bolting on the 020 stuff.

Another question:

The guy who had all the transmissions had someone come wanting to buy all the "good" ones, so he is thinking that possibly the ACN that "machined" itself won't be "good."

Assuming this, he is willing to open it up and pull the gears and such out and send them to me for much less than it would cost to buy and ship a whole transmission.

So if that is true, would it be very difficult for me to transfer the 4th and 5th gears into my transmission? If I remember correctly, first through third were the same ratios that I have. If I wanted to consider a .71 5th, would I be able to machine the groove in the shaft at that time, and then wait until I could track one down? (So the car isn't on down-time until I do.)

The 02a or 02j offers better gearing. I personally have a 92 cabriolet with an aug 020 and a .71 fifth from an ff on a 1z and 16" tires. It wasn't that hard to do but still seems like rpm's are high at speed.I can't tell you exactly what rpms since i stole my odb port for my aba cabriolet swap and never got my tach to work. AS far as strength i toiled with the idea of which trans for many months and have found that even the 02a and 02js seem to have just as high a failure rate. I used a 16v pressure plate with 8v clutch disk and it holds fairly well. just my 2c

020's are pretty easy to tear down. You just need a variety of gear pullers with different length arms. 02A's are better since you can use a bearing plate in a press. If you have to spend money, buy an 02A. If you have something kicking around you just want to make use of then use the 020. That's the only reason I did. I ran the stock MK3 210mm diesel clutch/tranny.