IRS transmission question.

[john&mary cremer]

I have a 1970 beetle that I am rebuilding the engine in. The bug also needs
a trans.
I found a good used IRS tranny. Are all IRS trannys interchangable. And is
there any way to tell the years apart. thanks

[Jwilli941]

To John and Mary Cremer:

For the most part, yes, all IRS transaxles are intechangeable with a few
minor differences. Your 1970 came from VW with the dual side cover,
4.125 ring and pinion, early clutch throw out bearing arm. The '69s, '70s,
and '71s are identical for all *practical* purposes. Late '71s and all '72s
used the dual side cover trans case and switched to the later style clutch
pressure plate thrown out bearing arm. While these arms have different
forks for the late throw out bearing and are larger in diameter than the
early style, some late '71s had a small diameter late style throw out arm.
The 1973s and up used a single side cover case, a three bolt nose cone
vs. the two bolt of the earlier versions, a late style large diameter throw
out arm, and the 3.875 ring and pinion ratios with the fine pitched tooth
pattern 3rd and 4th gears. What does this mean to you? Take a good
look at your transaxle and compare it with the used one. Note any
differences. You can always swap nose cones but if it has the wrong
diameter throw out arm then you're out of luck. I don't know anyone
who makes a large diameter early style fork arm. All the '69s, '70s and
at least half of the '71s will bolt right in.

Todd Hill
VolksWerks Transaxles
Olympia, WA

[ver...@ibm.net]

As far as I know all IRS transmissions do interchange although I believe in
73 they geard them more for the highway
john&mary cremer wrote in message <01bd6d6c$a1b2ff40$579a7acf@jmcremer>...

>I have a 1970 beetle that I am rebuilding the engine in. The bug also needs
>a trans.
>I found a good used IRS tranny. Are all IRS trannys interchangable. And is

>there any way to tell the years apart. thanks
>