LD50’s syncro… attempt #2, now #3 – It moves ;)

[LD50]

ok well most of it went to a VW scrappy. They took a whole truck full of stuff away in the end. Sad but also “enlightening”.

I’ve still got some bits left – the engine building stand, the G60 short block + pistons, and I’ve not even dug out the stuff from the other shed yet but that’s mostly components, a couple of pierburg carbs and whatnot.

Having already nearly got stuck a couple of times at the new place.. funnily enough the syncro may actually be kinda a perfect car for being there. 4wd when you need it but still ok doing distance too. Idk if it’ll ever get that far but I can hope.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by LD50.

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[LD50]

Ok well in a surprise twist of events, I’m doing some work on a farm at the moment and I’ve done more offroading in the syncro in the last month than the previous 15 years. The farm land rover died so the syncro has become the de-facto tractor and has been seen dragging giant water containers up and down hills (multiple at once) as well as dragging my van up a fairly steep muddy track, in the rain. I’m thinking about fitting the whole undercage thing I built and whatnot as it would be quite handy for antics here. It didn’t really make sense as a vehicle in northampton but round here it would be perfect for winter.

I’ve currently got no 4wd in reverse (yet to be investivated but I think I forgot to plug in the vacuum thing) so have to think about how I approach things so as not to get stuck but it’s been hilarious and the syncro has done me proud. With some all terrain tyres like I have on the van i think it would be unstoppable xD

• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by LD50.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by LD50.

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[Chris S]

I was thinking about you only the other day, good to hear it is going well!

[LD50]

hiya 🙂 Yeah it’s been “challenging” to put it mildly, especially as I’m working full time too and very much subject to weather and the elements, but my number of “fun with syncros” experiences per week have increased dramatically, which I am very pleased about indeed.

In a few weeks I’m changing my work to a more flexible thing too so I should have a lot more time for hooning around in the syncro and on the dirt bike. So far the move seems to have been a positive change I think.

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[LD50]

[edit: nvm found this thread: https://forum.vwsyncro.co.uk/forums/topic/no-4wd-in-reverse/?highlight=4wd%20in%20reverse ]

Btw re fixing 4wd in reverse – I found a little vacuum pipe which seems to head towards the rear of the car (possibly around the transmission tunnel but may also have been elsewhere, it was a while ago now). But when we spoke I’m sure we established there was a solenoid in play too. possibly to control the freewheel. Do you happen to know where I’d find the plug for that solenoidor what I’m looking for? I can’t really get undeaneath the car easily at the moment (soft, uneven ground).

I guess the reason I didn’t plug the vacuum hose in is because it’s now got a KR loom and the KR loom doesn’t expect to have 4wd gubbins so there may not be wires for it. Do I just need to feed it vacuum to operate? so add it to the general vacuum melee?

Whilst I don’t have my etka machine, I have all my old photos though so if I know what I’m looking for I might be able to figure it out.

I seem to recall there was a single green sphere vacuum reservoir and there’s also the triple-sphere one under the battery tray. My syncro seems to currently have the triple one, but do I need the single green one too? If that’s the one for the freewheel I can probably locate it (and maybe even nearby plug details) in my old engine teardown photos from the GU motor.

I’m hoping I still have the GU loom but may well have got rid of it in the frenzy before I left

• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by LD50.

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[LD50]

So once the rain stops it looks like I need a non-return valve and to plumb the vacuum hose in to operate the diaphram thing, that seems straightforward enough.

The electrics might be a bit more interesting. From reading that thread it seems like the freewheel is engaged when the car’s wiring thinks it’s in reverse, and I don’t think that’s a state which occurs in my car yet (though mechanically it does reverse).

I’m still using the syncro box with the KR motor so i think it should still have the reversing switch on the gearbox, though possibly not the wiring for it in the loom, in which case I guess I’m going to have to make something aren’t I?

Would it be feasible to have a manual switch to engage 4wd in reverse? I haven’t checked but I’m guessing if there’s no reversing light happening at the moment (bc kr wiring and gu hardware) so presumably I won’t be triggering any solenoid either.

From memory the KR box/loom has a 2-contact (individual blade) connector where the reversing switch is on the syncro box, which is presumably also a reversing switch, so perhaps I can wire the one into the other (if I still have the GU loom), or even just wire in a switch to engage reverse (in electrical terms) manually.

It’s absolutely throwing it down at the moment so I can’t check now but will see if the reversing light switch is still in the gearbox and whether I’ve got the GU loom still.

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[Chris S]

I have a 3 ball underwing res here if you need it? but unfortunately nothing else for the rear/reverse 4wd system

[LD50]

thank you Chris, but I think I already have that one – seemed to be present in the engine bay already, presumably because that’s also part of the KR system.

I have to replace the pas/coolant belt so will have another poke around it when I do that 🙂

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[LD50]

A little rough round the edges, but she starts first time, sounds great and is getting regular off-road action… which seems like progress 🙂

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