LEAKOIL Forum

Mystery solved...... . Thanks Todd.

Found this picture in an August 1958 Owners Instruction Manual. If you look real close you can see the split case tranny and the hex head drain plugs. You learn something new every day

Yes, thanks Todd and thanks to everyone who weighed in. It doesn't matter who's right or wrong. Any discussion helps the uneducated like me.

BTW, isn't it crazy that it has two tranny drain plugs???

Well, I wanted to go to Dixie Bus, but I was hesitant to try to drive this thing to Mt Vernon/Columbus without a few short trial runs. I was going to run down in the morning on Saturday in the Ranger to check the swap area, but even those plans went astray.

I decided to get more stuff done on the bus. I tried to put the WW ceiling cab panels in, but gave up. More on that in a later post. I did get going on the door and kick panels. I can't find my $16 bag of screws from WW. I gave up and just went and got some screws from HD. I think the "proper" size is 3.5mm something, but I jsut went for #8 at 1/2". Good enough for me.

I had to mess with the canopy mounts. Kirk told me to get them back on more than a year ago and scored me some decent ones. The screws I had were pretty crappy so I bought some incorrect stainless. I'll keep the stock ones for the next owner. Don't hate on me, yet.

I've also been trying to work though some "richness" issues with the motor. Josh claims I have a quiet motor, but it's running "rich". I did some research on the 28 pci carb and discovered my problem may be the volume adjustment screw on the side of the carb. This carb is pretty "Fred Flinstone", so there's not all that much to adjust. I messed with it today and I'm going out for a test run shortly. Ok here are the pics...

Not stock, but here's what I used...

The drill bit was a 7/64

Right door

Driver door

Kick panels were good quality and fit well...

Don't have the vacuum line in yet, but I installed the vacuum gas gauge...

Got the crankin 6 volt AM radio mounted, but I need a speaker and bracket...

I hate the floor tiles I put in so I saw this at HD on W. 117th for $25 so I'm going to try it on Josh's advice...

The roof mounts had to be redrilled....

Go tthe front bracket mount in with the new incorrect stainless bolts and homemade gasket...

That 28 pci carb has an idle adjustment screw...

And a volume adjustment screw for the gas. (The screwdriver blade is on it just to the lower right of the brass hex head bolt). ..

You can see I'm running RICH...

Six Volt wrote:
BTW, isn't it crazy that it has two tranny drain plugs???

Actually all the type 1 style transmissions have 2 drain plugs.
If you were to see a transmission case disassembled you would see the reason why. There is two chambers in a the vw transmission. The front for the gear stack assembly and the rear for the differential. They are separated by a wall that is part of the casting and are only connected by a couple small holes to equalize fluid levels and pressures inside the trans. Since gear oil viscosity is so thick (especially in cold weather) an individual drain plug for each chamber makes sense. It greatly aides in draining the thick oil from the entire trans.

Just for the sake of it I drained the lower differential section first til it "seemed" empty. Then opened the front or upper one in the gear stack chamber and was quite amazed at the amount of oil still up in there. Those VW engineers knew what they were doing.

As well always make sure you only use GL-4 rated gear oil in your air cooled vw trans and nothing rated GL-5 or higher as they contain additives that will corrode-eat away at the yellow metals in your transmission such as your gear syncronizers.

Can't wait to see your westy at a show...was hoping to see it at Columbus!

bastardbus wrote:As well always make sure you only use GL-4 rated gear oil in your air cooled vw trans and nothing rated GL-5 or higher as they contain additives that will corrode-eat away at the yellow metals in your transmission such as your gear syncronizers.

Todd, you are going to hell now! Just wait till the oil nazi's see this!


Sean the radio faceplate is on incorrectly. It installs behind the dash filling the space between the dash opening and the radio.

Thanks for the info on the tranny Todd. That clears it up. I'll check and make sure we put the right type of fluid in the case.

Also, thanks Ted for the correction on the radio plate. I must have looked at it for an hour trying to figure it out and I still got it wrong! I'll fix it tonight after work. Appreciate the info.

toolbox wrote:Sean the radio faceplate is on incorrectly. It installs behind the dash filling the space between the dash opening and the radio.

Actually, I like the way Sean did it originally, even if it is not correct. But what do I know?

westy66 wrote:good work on the door panels. did you install a moisture barrier? if not, those things are gonna get warped next time you drive in the rain

No moisture barrier! I'll be on the next MTV "warped" tour!

I'm praying for dry weather! I actually thought about asking about a barrier, but like the guy who should ask: "Is it ok to plug something in while standing in water?", I said, "Why ask, just do it!"

I guess I'm going to learn a life lesson. One of many errors on this project! In any event, I do appreciate the information and hope I can dodge the 'rain bullet' till this winter.

BTW, I appreciate the support about the radio plate Howie, but there are enough things wrong on this bus as is!

Six Volt wrote:BTW, I appreciate the support about the radio plate Howie, but there are enough things wrong on this bus as is!

The only thing "wrong" is not giving that bus enough exercise on the road, and driving it out to some events. Quit tinkering, and start enjoying it.

westy66 wrote:Hey sean.. Nobody is nit picking. That bus is awesome and any one of us would love to own it!

Bob is right, that bus had been passed around and neglected for sooo many years, I don't think it could have found a better owner then you.
You have put a lot of work and passion into that bus that it probably would have never got from most anyone else and you did it in record time! It takes a heck of a lot of work, time and investment to bring a old bus back like this. A tip of the hat to you, I look forward to seeing her soon.