T4 - first 1,000km

[Racemag]

few weeks and first thousand KM after getting T4 Syncro DOKA up and running again.
Impressions are positive enough. It clearly has had a busy 400,000km before me, but drives well enough. Leans a lot in the corners and does not like going up steep hills. Brakes well, traction very good on a dirt road. Sachs HD dampers recommended from UK source are firm+....I think the UK guys mistake 'handling' for 'hard ride', but these will soften off a bit. I need to do front driveshaft boots - a bugger of a job it seems. Copes with a load. Gearing is low i.e. 80 kph is 5th gear and 100kph is 3200rpm in 5th. Seems odd, but in another way it makes sense just tootling around the suburbs. SH parts from wreckers coming good...now have a working glovebox. Would like door cards that are no cracked - no hope it seems. Also a good drivers seat...again no hope at a wreckers. Also some of the wreckers are ambitious in pricing e.g. $275 for a used drivers seatbelt when they are $280 new! Belt just looks tired, though it passed a RWC.
Economy - 15l/100km in mixed urban/extra urban...may need LPG if I'm to keep it.
Got called away so came back to finish this.
Does anyone get better economy with a 2.5 petrol syncro?

[Cousin]

I did have a 1998 T4 2.5 manual petrol Transporter, Racemag, but not in syncro
Had around 700 kgs permanently in it and fuel consumption was around 10l/100km urban and hwy combined
Generally speaking a syncro would account for .5 to 1 litre extra per hundred kays
Sold it at 400,000 ks and it's since done another 40,000 without any dramas
It was originally on lpg but consumption was around 13.5l/100ks and with the dramas I had then I ditched it and went back to petrol


M

[jets]

[QUOTE=Racemag;910489]
I need to do front driveshaft boots - a bugger of a job it seems. QUOTE]

Have you found this writeup?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f136/drive-shaft-removal-procedure-t4-cv-joint-servicing-13841.html

Yes, gearing is lower for the syncro compared with the 2WD. My TDI is doing 3700RPM at 110km/hr compared with 3600 at the same speed in my previous auto TDI. I would prefer the gearing to be higher for interstate travel but its great for tootling around as you say. Mine is a camper, so ideal for exploring & sightseeing. A six speed trans would be needed to suit all my needs.
When I bought mine, I was slightly disappointed with the economy due to the lower gearing & the extra combined weight of the Syncro[around 100kg for the drive train] & the camper conversion but others on this forum said it was OK. From memory it was around 9lts/100km.

[Racemag]

[QUOTE=jets;910573]

I need to do front driveshaft boots - a bugger of a job it seems. QUOTE]

Have you found this writeup?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f136/drive-shaft-removal-procedure-t4-cv-joint-servicing-13841.html

Yes, gearing is lower for the syncro compared with the 2WD. My TDI is doing 3700RPM at 110km/hr compared with 3600 at the same speed in my previous auto TDI. I would prefer the gearing to be higher for interstate travel but its great for tootling around as you say. Mine is a camper, so ideal for exploring & sightseeing. A six speed trans would be needed to suit all my needs.
When I bought mine, I was slightly disappointed with the economy due to the lower gearing & the extra combined weight of the Syncro[around 100kg for the drive train] & the camper conversion but others on this forum said it was OK. From memory it was around 9lts/100km.

THanks for the link, will be helpful.
I found this of the VW T4 forum:

2.5 petrol (115 bhp /85 kw)
Urban cycle: 16.4 l/100km (17.2 mpg)
non-urban: 9.3 l/100km (30.4 mpg)
CO2: 286 (g/km)
CO: 0.989 (g/km)
NOX + HC: 0.367 (g/km)

If the urban is correct then I'm not doing too badly and if you guys are correct then I'm doing really badly! I'm using 95RON, which seems good enough.

[Racemag]

[QUOTE=Racemag;910693]

THanks for the link, will be helpful.
I found this of the VW T4 forum:

2.5 petrol (115 bhp /85 kw)
Urban cycle: 16.4 l/100km (17.2 mpg)
non-urban: 9.3 l/100km (30.4 mpg)
CO2: 286 (g/km)
CO: 0.989 (g/km)
NOX + HC: 0.367 (g/km)

If the urban is correct then I'm not doing too badly and if you guys are correct then I'm doing really badly! I'm using 95RON, which seems good enough.

Well just got another 260 km from half a tank. May need to get it tuned.

[Racemag]

few more tanks in it and driving like my 76 year old mother is getting me 13l/100km. 100kph in 5th is 3200rpm and I've read about the taller 5th gear, but not convinced yet that it will add a great deal in the economy stakes. As it is 5th gear is fine above 70kph around town and fifth is fine up lower hills, if I go taller I assume I'll be using 4th a lot more.