Flipping a gearbox??

[89rallye]

Howdy all,

As they say long time reader infrequent poster, I've been planning a TDI conversion in my bay for at least 3 years.

My vans currently on its side undergoing major floor repairs o im now at the point where I need to bite the bullet.

My orignial idea was to use a UN5 Diesel gearbox thinking that the ratios etc will be more suitable to a diesel engine. I've been reading a lot of kitcar forums and they talk alot about the usual G50, UN1 Audi V8 boxes etc

But I read about a guy planning to put a EJ20 scooby into a hillman imp and there was talk of using an inverted Audi gearbox saying that it is possible.

It got me thinking, since i'm on a budget I could use a Passat gearbox or something similar? I'm sure there would be outlets that would need blnking off, such as the speedo output.

Has anybody done this? Ran a box up side down.

Just thinking out loud at the moment

[13 window deluxe]

i've not done it myself but when my tdi split was on display a couple of years since at vanfest i was speaking to a chap who had put a 80's k-jet audi 1oo 5 cylinder motor in his bay with the original gearbox flipped upside down smt023 he said he cut the last 1" off the end of the box where it mounted to the engine then had re-tig welded it on 180 degrees round,he then drilled out the old drain plug to use as a breather and then tapped the old breather and fitted a plug as a new drain and ran the old level higher than usual. he said it was ok but had alot of clutch issues as the end of the gearbox was rewelded a bit off kilter but it can be done hope this helps
_________________
1964 rat 13 window deluxe 1Z tdi,
1975 rhd twin slider tintop (TBA)
1991 golf 2 gti with tweaked AHU tdi,

previous tdi swaps: gone but not forgotten
1979 rhd twin slider tintop bay ahu 1.9tdi
1990 T25 1Z 1.9tdi
1993 suzuki samurai with 1Z 1.9tdi

[89rallye]

Cheers! if nothing else it proves the theory,

you also just mentioned everything I was thinking would be a concern. Drain, breather and clutch (although I'm thinking hydraulic slave unit will be a concern), all that and the speedo pickup.

My thinking behind it all is that while the van is on its side I was going to size a gearbox up so I have been looking at UN5 boxes. Although I did plan on buying a complete GT TDI Golf at a later date for the engine and all its gubbings but now I think i'll change plan an look for a Passat or A4 which is lucky really as there slightly cheaper.

They also do a 2.5 V6 TDI in the Passat etc......