Mid-1980s Type 2 T3 Kombi

Late 1980s Type 2 T3 Caravelle Syncro

1990 Type 2 T3 Multivan

The T3 generation of the Volkswagen Type 2, also known as the Vanagon in the U.S., as the Transporter or Caravelle in Europe, and also to some in Britain and Ireland as the T25, was built from 1980 until 1991. It was the last of the rear-engined Volkswagens. Compared to its predecessor, the Microbus, the Vanagon was larger and heavier, with square corners replacing the rounded edges of the older models. VW Type2 T3 Kombi Mid-1980s VW Type 2 Kombi. ... VW Type2 T3 Kombi Mid-1980s VW Type 2 Kombi. ... VW Type2 T3 Caravelle Syncro File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... VW Type2 T3 Caravelle Syncro File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Volkswagen_multivan_1990. ... Image File history File links Volkswagen_multivan_1990. ... Type 2, T1 Mini-Bus The Volkswagen Type 2 was the second automotive line introduced by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Type 2, T1 Mini-Bus The Volkswagen Type 2 was the second automotive line introduced by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. ...

History

The Vanagon was built to be the modern successor to the Microbus. Unfortunately, the vehicle was somewhat underpowered in relation to its curb weight. Later versions of the Vanagon (produced in South Africa) had a 5-cylinder engine which helped performance greatly. Installing engines from more powerful vehicles — including gasoline and turbo diesel inline-4 Volkswagens, Subarus, Audis, and even Porsches — is a solution pursued by some owners. Type 2, T1 Mini-Bus The Volkswagen Type 2 was the second automotive line introduced by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. ...

Most early Vanagons had chrome-plated steel bumpers with plastic endcaps; later years had larger and squarer plastic bumpers. Chrome may refer to: Chrome is a song from Debbie Harrys debut solo album Koo Koo. ... The old steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ...

Very early models (all 1980 models, some 1981) also had 8 welded-in metal slats covering the engine ventilation passages behind the rear windows. All later models had black plastic 16-slat covers that slotted in at the top and screwed down at the bottom.

There were four engine variants over the years, which were all pushrod horizontally opposed engines (not including the diesel variants): A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to... A flat engine is an internal combustion engine with its pistons parrallel to the ground. ...

• a 2.0 L (2000cc) (67bhp) (Serial # CV) air-cooled, fuel injected flat-4 in the 1980 to 1983 1/2 models
• a 1.9 L (1913cc) (83bhp) (Serial # DH) water-cooled (or "Wasserboxer") engine used for the 1983 1/2 to 1985 models, which used a fuel injection system known as "Digijet" (Digital Jet-tronic)
• a 2.1 L (2100cc) (95bhp) (Serial # MV) Wasserboxer, used until the end of Vanagon importation into the US in 1991. This engine used a more advanced fuel injection system known as "Digifant I".

The Wasserboxer featured an aluminum case, cylinder heads, and pistons, and a forged steel crankshaft. Engine cooling is the process of cooling an engine by using either air or liquid. ... Fuel injection is a technology used in internal combustion engines to mix the fuel with air prior to combustion. ... A flat-4 is a four cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinders are arranged in a flat configuration. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Wasserboxer, as with all VW boxer engines, directly drives the camshaft via a small brass gear on the crankshaft, and a large one on the camshaft that makes direct contact, so there is no timing chain or belt to worry about. The entire mechanism is internal to the engine so there is no concern as long as the oil is changed regularly.

It also featured Heron, or "bowl-in-piston" type combustion chambers where the combustion takes place within the piston area, and not the cylinder head.

The WBX featured cast iron cylinder liners inserted into a water jacket with a "rubber lip" style head gasket, which is a very different design as compared to most vehicles. The top of the cylinder liners is pressed into a recessed cut-out in the cylinder heads, that are sealed with compressible metal rings, to prevent leakage.

Some Wasserboxers were plagued by head gasket failures due to several design issues. Engine failure was also a result of poorly placed sensors, corrosion in the cooling system and many areas subjected to leaks.

This engine is representative of the fact that boxer 4 cylinders produce a low pitch rumble, rather than a high pitch buzz/whine, when running. Some find this aspect of the engine to be pleasing, owing to the dislike of the "sewing machine" sound of I4 engines.

The switch to water-cooling for the boxer engines was made so abruptly mid-year in 1983 because VW could no longer make the air-cooled engines meet emissions standards. (The previous generation T2, currently produced in Brazil, has been switched to water-cooled engines since December 23, 2005 in response to Brazil's emission laws; the powerplant used in the previous-generation T2 is an Audi-sourced inline four.) Water-cooled models can be distinguished by a second radiator grille. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Emission standards limit the amount of pollution that can be released into the atmosphere. ...

A diesel variant of the vanagon was also available and widely sold in some markets. Unfortunately the early models had a 1.6 L (1600cc) (48 hp) (Serial # CS) SOHC Inline 4 engine which rendered the van severely underpowered, with a top speed somewhere around 100 km/h. This shortcoming was later corrected, however most likely for this reason in the north American market the diesel vanagon was discontinued after three model years between 1981 and 1983. Later models received a diesel engine of the same displacement but turbocharged, which vastly improved driveability. Fuel economy of the diesel was significantly higher than that of the gasoline model, often approaching 30 mpg US. Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ...

Because of the engine placement, a Vanagon has very nearly equal 50/50 weight distrubution fore and aft.

A four wheel drive version of the Vanagon (called the Syncro) was manufactured in limited numbers from 1986 through 1991. With a short wheelbase and 50/50 weight distribution, these vehicles have surprisingly good off-road capabilities. Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1980 to 1985 models had round sealed beam headlights. All subsequent models had smaller square headlights, with the primary lights outboard and high beams inboard.

The Vanagon was replaced by the EuroVan in the US market in 1993 (1992 saw no VW bus imported into the U.S. market, save custom campers sold by companies other than VW). The Eurovan (US and Mexico), or Transporter (UK, Ireland & North Europe) was the first front-engined van of German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and is the successor of the famous classic VW Type 2 van. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Features

With the engine and transaxle mounted very low in the back, the Vanagon had much larger disc brakes in the front, and drums in the rear. Unlike the Microbus before it, the Vanagon was available with amenities such as power steering, air conditioning, power door locks, electrically controlled and heated mirrors, lighted vanity mirrors, and a light above the glove box (most of which were essentially standard equipment in later models). Close-up of a disc brake on a car On automobiles, disc brakes are often located within the wheel disc brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. ... A drum brake is a brake in which the friction is caused by a set of shoes or pads that press against the inner surface of a rotating drum. ... Type 2, T1 Mini-Bus The Volkswagen Type 2 was the second automotive line introduced by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. ... Power steering is a system for reducing the steering effort on cars by using an external power source to assist in turning the wheels. ... Note: in the broadest sense, air conditioning can refer to any form of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. ...

The Vanagon air conditioning was, rather un-conventionally, of the "hanging" type. That is, all components of the air conditioning system that are internal to the vehicle hang from the ceiling. The air conditioning housings are infamous for cracking and falling down after the vehicle has gotten older, and there were even recalls issued to address the problem.

Starting with the 1986 model year, there was available a greatly improved air conditioning system that not only does not suffer as badly from the cracking housings, but also does a better job of cooling the interior of the van on hot summer days. This later system features an "airliner" style plastic duct that runs the length of the vehicle in the center with adjustable outlets at set intervals, rather than cooling the entire rear section via a single bank of outlets facing aft above and behind the front seats.

The controls are above the sun visors in the front of the vehicle for both systems. And the air conditioning ductwork for the later years was, arguably, a much more attractive color, being grey instead of beige. The grey color housings hold their color better than the beige, which tends to yellow considerably over a several year period.

This was one of the few vehicles ever in which the automatic transmission was tougher than the manual transmission, which was caused by the fact that, up until the 1990 model year, the 3-4 Gear Synchro Slider Hub was of a flawed design. This could result in cracking, or even breakage, causing the transmission to get stuck in 3rd or 4th gear. A new 3-4 hub design less susceptible to stress fractures was implemented sometime in late 1989, first showing up in early 1990 model year vehicles. An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the car or truck moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ...

The automatic was a standard hydraulic 3-speed unit, the same 090/010 unit as used in Audis of the era. These featured an aluminum case for the transmission section, and a cast iron case for the final drive section. Audi is a German automobile maker with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. ... Aluminum is a soft and lightweight metal with a dull silvery appearance, due to a thin layer of oxidation that forms quickly when it is exposed to air. ... Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but can mean any of a group of iron-based alloys containing more than 2% carbon (alloys with less carbon are carbon steel by definition). ...

The 091 manual transmission was a 4 speed unit, featuring a lightweight aluminum case.

The automatic features a 1.0 ratio top gear, while the manual features a 0.85 top gear.

The Vanagon has some unusual features, such as the fact that the brake master cylinder is inside the dashboard. In order to get at the brake fluid reservoir, one has to remove the instrument cluster cover and exercise great care when filling the reservoir so as to not spill brake fluid all over the instruments and dash wiring. This can also make replacing a failed master cylinder difficult. Brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in brake applications in automobiles and light trucks. ...

The battery in gasoline-powered models is located under the passenger side front seat, to protect it from the elements. This makes finding it for the first time a bit of a challenge. There is a compartment of equal size under the driver's side seat, for a second battery, which wasn't present except in the case of certain "Weekender" camper models.

The oil filler tube for the engine is located behind the flip-down license plate door, and this requires extra care when pulling into a full-service gas station, as the gas station attendant will most likely try to put gasoline into the oil unless instructed otherwise, as the caps are not clearly marked. Most early vans had a twist-on/off gas cap right on the outside just under and behind the passenger side door. A locking cap was optional, but like other amenities, became very common on later models. Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known as...

The spare tire lies in a tray under the very front of the van (as the engine is in the back), just below the radiator. To get the spare out, one must undo a bolt in the bottom of the front bumper, pull a small latch back, and swing the tray down. Radiator is a common term for several types of heat exchangers. ...

Model variations

There were several Vanagon models available in the US. Early models included:

• Vanagon, which featured vinyl seats and a very spartan interior.
• Vanagon L, which had optional cloth seats, more upscale interior panels and an optional dashboard blower.
• Vanagon GL, which had the nicest amenities (mentioned above).

There were also Westfalia pop-top Camper Vanagons, with an integrated kitchen and bedding. Vinyl products (such as these records) come in many colors. ... Spartan may refer to: Spartan, an inhabitant of Sparta, a city in ancient (and modern) Greece Spartan, the supposed qualities of those inhabitants: ascetic, simple, and self-disciplined Spartan, a 2004 movie by David Mamet The Spartan II class of supersoldiers in the Halo video games, named for the Spartans... Westfalia is the designation of various specially-coachbuilt Volkswagen camper vans. ...

There were four wheel drive Vanagons that were branded by Volkswagen as "Syncro." This full-time four-wheel drivetrain should not be confused with the system that was used in Volkswagen Quantum station wagons. The Quantum Syncro wagons had a system identical to that of an Audi 4000 Quattro. The manual transmissions in the Vanagon had an extra-low-ratio "granny gear," thus giving the appearance of a 5-speed transmission even though this gear was only used off-road. The Volkswagen Santana is a sedan version of the Volkswagen Passat, first introduced in 1981, and also known in the Americas as the Quantum (at least in Brazil, only the station wagon version was called Quantum). ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... The Audi 80 was an automobile from Audi produced between 1972 and 1995 and initially shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat. ...

Top-of-the-line Wolfsburg Edition Westfalia Campers, which had all options, were at the top of the price range. Syncro-equipped examples can still command up to $25,000 USD today. Weser watershed Wolfsburg is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Also available were Wolfsburg Edition "Weekender" models which had two rear facing seats behind the front seats in place of a centre bench seat and a table that popped up from out of the wall. There also existed "Multivan" models, which had the Wolfsburg Edition trim and interior with rear-facing seats, but the Westfalia pop-top. All Wolfsburg Edition and camper van vehicles were specially built for Volkswagen by the Westfalia coachbuilders.

Some models had optional aluminum alloy star-shaped wheels. (which were available at extra expense). Most came with standard black steel wheels with plastic UFO-shaped wheel covers. UFO can mean: Unidentified flying object United Future Organization, a Japanese-Brazilian electronic jazz band UFO, the rock band that previously featured Michael Schenker UFO, the Gerry Anderson TV series United Farmers of Ontario, a political party that formed the government in Ontario from 1919 to 1923 U.F.O...

External links

General

• Vanagon.com, the definitive website for Volkswagen Vanagon information
• The Vanagon mailing list site
• Club 80-90, the website for UK T3 enthusiasts.
• Love My Bus .com (Aircooled! Videos, Pictures, Stickers, Screensavers, Online Forum!)
• The UK's largest VW aircooled community - also includes watercooled!
• Westfalia Owners Web Site Online community for Westfalia owners and enthusiasts. The site's Message Boards are a great knowledge base of Westfalia information.

Maintenance, equipment and resources

• Bostig Engineering high tech engine conversion
• Alistair Bell's Vanagon links
• Syncro.org, resources and links for Syncro 4x4 Vanagons
• T3 Tuning, T3 stock, tuning and custom parts
• Listing of North American Volkswagen Bus/Eurovan repair shops
• Van-Cafe (formerly Volks Cafe), Vanagon parts and service, 15 years experience
• Fast Forward Automotive Inc., Vanagon engine conversions and off road accessories.
• The Bus Depot; specializes in Vanagon and Westfalia parts
• The Vanagon Engine Swap page
• GoWesty, Vanagon Parts and Repairs, specializing in Westfalia Campers
• A collection of repair and modification instructions for the Vanagon
• Racks and carriers for the Vanagon
• Vanagon Restoration for the Complete Idiot
• An online forum

Road trips

• North American road trip in a Vanagon
• Kevin & Heather's Excellent Adventure

Miscellaneous links

• A photo album of John Dagastino's 1984 Vanagon