Aircooled VW South Africa

Good day,

I am struggling finding a solution with my autovilla transmission, and I need some advises.

As my autovilla is a 1975 VW T2 based chassis, the automatic transmission is a 003, known for overheating when pushing an big autovilla. Mine is overleaking, and might have been driven with low oil level by the previous owner. I could just make it repair, but to avoid future troubles, I have been advised to switch to a 010 transmission (010 321 105) with holes for oil cooler, as we can find on Microbus.

But since months now, i have been looking for this transmission, and can't find it anywhere. Would someone know where I could find one ?
I don't really need the transaxle part as it must be better to keep the original one that fits beeter the engine.

I have also been advise to switch to a manual transmission, but the work, the spare parts needed, and the cost unfortunately don't fit my project.

The engine is a 1800cc. I will change the camshaft (Webcam 73/86) for a better breeze, and cooler heads, and modify the carburators to get also some more HP.

I'd like also to add an exhaust SSP 4 in 1, do you know if I can find this in south africa ? (https://www.machine7.com/product.php?xProd=13046)

Thank you for your advises.
Cheers,
Julien

I think we possibly had either a mail or Phone conversation regarding your dilema


I can help with the manual Transmissions Repairs no Problem

But the Auto ones are very very hard to sort out
and Spare Parts is not obtainable in SA

We helped a couple with a Auto one that we subcontracted to some one that Promised to know everything seeing they are in the game for many many years
that Auto Box turned out to be a nightmare

So If I can give you advice Bite the Bullet and change to Manual

I’m not sure where you get this information that 003’s overheat. Have you personally been driving yours?

They work just fine in autovilla’s. I recently had my one rebuild and was able to obtain all the spares locally for it.

I would leave it original. If you don’t like automatics, rather sell it and buy a manual one. It would be a pity to gut out the automatic.

I have both manual and automatic autovillas, and both pull well. The manual is obviously better having more range with 4 gears instead of 3 as well as not having a torque converter that never locks up. Changing to the later auto box will give you no advantage as it has the exact same limitations as the 003 I speak of above.

So either decide to rebuild your transmission or take on the big job of converting to manual.

Come to think of it, I would gladly swap a manual setup for your automatic as you seem to dislike it, but this ain’t going to work seeing you in JHB.

Sean pls send me the details of the people who sorted your Automatic box
As everyone in GP side were a loss as I mentioned

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

pika40 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:24 am Good day,

I'd like also to add an exhaust SSP 4 in 1, do you know if I can find this in south africa ? (https://www.machine7.com/product.php?xProd=13046)

Thank you for your advises.
Cheers,
Julien

This is available locally manufactured by Tuffex Exhausts. You can buy it from Pierre (Bugger/VDuptech) that posted above in JHB.

sean wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:24 pm I’m not sure where you get this information that 003’s overheat. Have you personally been driving yours?

They work just fine in autovilla’s. I recently had my one rebuild and was able to obtain all the spares locally for it.

I would leave it original. If you don’t like automatics, rather sell it and buy a manual one. It would be a pity to gut out the automatic.

I have both manual and automatic autovillas, and both pull well. The manual is obviously better having more range with 4 gears instead of 3 as well as not having a torque converter that never locks up. Changing to the later auto box will give you no advantage as it has the exact same limitations as the 003 I speak of above.

So either decide to rebuild your transmission or take on the big job of converting to manual.

Come to think of it, I would gladly swap a manual setup for your automatic as you seem to dislike it, but this ain’t going to work seeing you in JHB.

Thanks for your answer Sean, your experience and feelings are usefull. Well, about their bad reputatiuon, it is said here : https://www.facebook.com/VWJurgensAutov ... =3&theater

Speaking with people who had a 003 on their autovilla, they said that climbing uphill was the worst as it made the oil very hot because of the torke converter and the weight of the vehicle. That's also why VW added on their 010 (mounted on Microbus and late bay windows) an oil cooler plugged on the engine coolant circuit (only on watercooled microbus of course).
The guy who switched to a 010 on his autovilla told me that the revolution switching gear is better with the 010 as it switches in higher revolution than a 003, making low rpm period higher after switching, which gives more torque.
The 010 is known as very reliable and used during many years on many models (VW, Audi, etc...), while the 003 has been quickly replaced by VW.

I am not trying to convince anyone or disapprouve what you are saying Sean, I just write the informations I collected and try to make my own opinion to find the best solution, thanksfully with your help, and of course if it can help others.

I have a 010 in my garage that came with the autovilla when I bought it, but without the oil cooler holes and the shifting cable mountings, so I can't use it for now. Another question is, can I drill the holes for oil cooler myself ?

Too many question around these gearboxes

Thank you guys!
Julien

Bugger wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2019 5:53 am Sean pls send me the details of the people who sorted your Automatic box
As everyone in GP side were a loss as I mentioned

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Triangle Transmissions in Bellville (Cape Town)

You must speak to Alan (He knows these transmissions)- 021 939 6611

pika40 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:44 am

Thanks for your answer Sean, your experience and feelings are usefull. Well, about their bad reputatiuon, it is said here : https://www.facebook.com/VWJurgensAutov ... =3&theater



Thank you guys!
Julien

I suspected you were getting your information from such sources.

Please don't believe everything you see on Facebook, its full of utter garbage.
Secondly, those write ups in the caravan magazine are prepared by journalists that have absolutely no knowledge on what they righting on other than information they've Googled. That article is full of serious errors. Who ever wrote it doesn't have a clue.

I know of 6 003 Autovilla's and they all run well without issues.

Its simple, either decide to rebuild your current box or convert to manual.

As i've mentioned, both auto boxes have their limitations compared to a manual. You'll probably be better off with a manual.

Thank you Sean, I really do appreciate.

I will make quotations and see what is the best, including, as you told me appart of the forum, the costs for rebuilding the engine every 20000Km with a 003