The Volkswagen Type 25 (T3) is the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter. It was marketed under various nameplates worldwide – including the Transporter or Caravelle in Europe and Australia, Type 25 (T25) in the UK, Microbus and Kombi in South Africa, Kampeerauto in Netherlands, Combi in France and Vanagon in North and South America.VW T3 Bus from VW 1984Transporter — 1980 Caravelle from VWVW T3 Camper USA from VW 1980
It was larger, heavier, and more angular in its styling than its T2 predecessor, but shared the same rear-engine, cab-over design. It was produced in a rear wheel drive version as well as a 4WD version marketed as "Syncro."Syncro from VW
The T3 was manufactured in Hannover, Germany from 1978 until 1991.Long, Strange Trip Ends for a Symbol of the '60s The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2013. NY Times Production of the Syncro continued until 1992 at Puch in Graz, Austria, where all 4WDs were built. A limited number of 2WD models were also produced at the Graz factory after German production had ended. South African production of the T3 continued, for that market only, until 2002.VW and the German MilitaryT3 Army bus vanwurks.co.ukIs it VW T25 or a T3, justkampers.com
The T3 was the final generation of rear-engined Volkswagens.Chassis codes T3, coolairvw.co.uk
History While the T3 initially featured air-cooled engines, later years had water-cooled engines in both boxer and inline configurations.
Volkswagen marketed the Westfalia camper variant throughout the T3 production, with features including a raised roof (either pop-up or fixed), refrigerator, sink, and stove.Volkswagen Westfalia Camper Models, westfaliat3.info
Examples built between 1979 and 1985 featured round headlights and basic steel or chrome-plated steel bumpers with plastic end-caps. Air-cooled models (1979 to mid-1983) lack the lower grille above the radiator of the water-cooled models, except on models with factory air conditioning. Production of the Syncro four-wheel drive model began in late 1984, with its official debut taking place at the Brussels Commercial Vehicle Show in January 1985. The original Syncros came with the 1.9 L petrol Wasserboxer and a "4+G" gearbox, with G being a low gear for offroad use (Gelände in German).
1986 model year revisions include a tachometer, more fabric choices, redesigned air conditioning, enlarged water-cooled engine with a more advanced engine management system, and redesigned transmissions. Exterior changes include rectangular headlights (on selected models), and different paint options. Alloy wheels and larger fiberglass bumpers with trim along the rocker panels were optional (standard on Hannover and Wolfsburg Edition vans). For the 1990 and 1991 model years, a "Carat" trim level was available which included all available options except the Westfalia conversion and Syncro.
Some 1979 through 1981 models received 6 welded-in metal slats covering the engine ventilation passages behind the rear windows. All later models had black plastic 16-slat covers that slotted in at the top and screwed down at the bottom.
During the 1980s, the U.S. Army and Air Force in Germany used T3s as administrative (non-tactical) vehicles. In military use, the vehicle's nomenclature was "Light Truck, Commercial".
Features With the engine and transaxle mounted very low in the back, the T3 had much larger disc brakes in the front, and drums in the rear. Axle weight is very nearly equal on both the front and back ends of the vehicle. Unlike the earlier T2, the T3 was available with amenities such as power steering, air conditioning, power door locks, electrically controlled and heated mirrors, lighted vanity mirrors, and a light above the glove box. Some of these were standard equipment in later, non-commercial vehicle models.
The automatic transmission was the same 090/010 hydraulic three-speed unit used in Audis of the era, and featured a cast aluminium alloy case for the transmission section and a cast iron case for the final drive section.
The 091 manual transmission was a four-speed unit featuring a lightweight aluminium alloy case. From 1983 a 5-speed transmission was available as an option on certain models. A 5-speed was standard equipment on Syncro four-wheel-drive models.
The automatic features a 1.0 ratio top gear, while the manual features a 0.85 top gear.
The oil filler tube for the engine is located behind the flip-down license plate door, as is the oil dipstick and the power steering fluid reservoir (when fitted) on Petrol models. Diesel models have the reservoir in the front right corner of the engine bay. Early models had a twist-on/off non-locking gas cap right on the outside just under and behind the passenger side door. A locking cap was standard on later models. 4 Wheel Drive (Syncro) models have the fuel tank in the rear above the transmission so the filler is on the right-side rear corner. The spare tyre lies in a tray under the very front of the van, just below the radiator.
Engines Because of the engine placement, a T3 has nearly equal 50/50 weight distribution fore and aft. The early air-cooled engines were somewhat expensive to produce and had some reliability problems. Volkswagen originally meant to replace them with the Golf's inline-four engine but the cost of re-engineering both car and engine made them opt for updating the flat-four instead. An overhead-cam design was mooted but rejected as a willingness to rev was considered to be of less importance than low-end flexibility and low cost. The new 1.9 L "Volkswagen Wasserboxer engine" was also originally considered for use in certain other Volkswagens such as the Gol, which still relied on the old air-cooled flat-four at that time.Kacher (May 1982), p. 33
The U.S version 1.9-litre and up water-cooled petrol engines experienced significant and repeated problems with cylinder head surface erosion and coolant leaks. 2.1 L engines suffered the same, mostly due to not having the antifreeze changed often enough, and the use of phosphated coolant, which caused corrosion in the cooling system.
Petrol engines There were four general petrol engine variants between 1979 and 1991, with several sub-models. All were flat-four boxer engines with overhead valves, push-rods, and rocker arms. Available engine options differed between regions. Air-cooled (1979–1983) Type 1 engine: (Serial # CT) air-cooled, single Solex 34 PICT-4 carburettor (not available in the United States)
Type 4 engine (Serial # CU or CV) air-cooled, twin Solex 34 PDSIT-2/3 carburettor or fuel injected (Bosch L-Jetronic) flat-four in the 1980 to 1983 models
The Wasserboxer features an aluminium case, cylinder heads, and pistons, and a forged steel crankshaft. As with earlier VW boxer engines, it has a gear-driven camshaft. It also features Heron, or "bowl-in-piston" combustion chambers, where combustion takes place within the piston bowl area rather than in the cylinder head as would be the case with flat top pistons. The switch to water-cooled boxer engines was made mid-year in 1983. T2 transporters or 'bay window' vans, produced in Brazil until 2013, were switched to inline-four-cylinder water-cooled engines and a front-mounted radiator in 2005. Over 3 million vans were produced in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Water-cooled (1983 onwards) 1.9 Litre engines: (Serial # DH) "Wasserboxer" engine used for the 1983 to 1985 models, has a fuel injection system known as "Digijet" (Digital Jet-tronic) (Serial # DF) 8.6:1 compression ratio, 34-PICT carburettor (Serial # DG) 8.6:1 compression ratio, 2E3 or 2E4 carburettor (Serial # EY) 7.5:1 compression ratio, 34-PICT carburettor (Serial # GW) 8.6:1 compression ratio, Bosch Digijet electronic fuel injection 2.1 Litre engines: (Serial # MV) Wasserboxer, used until the end of Vanagon importation to the US in 1991. Uses an engine management system known as Bosch "Digifant" which digitally manages both ignition timing and fuel delivery. (Serial # SS) 9:1 compression ratio Wasserboxer (torque 128) (Serial # DJ) 10.3:1 compression ratio, Digijet injection, only sold in European countries not requiring catalytic converter.
Diesel engines In contrast to the petrol engines' flat-four layout, the diesel engine options were all of an inline-four configuration. A turbodiesel arrived in January 1985. (Serial # CS) Naturally aspirated diesel I4. In the US this was available on 1982 and 1983 models only. (Serial # JX) Turbocharged I4. (Serial # KY) Naturally aspirated I4.
U.S. model variations
In the U.S., the T3 was sold as the Vanagon, which is a portmanteau of van and station wagon. The name Vanagon was coined by Volkswagen to highlight their claim that the T3 had the room of a van, but drove like a station wagon. U.S. Vanagon model variations included the Vanagon, featuring vinyl seats and a spartan interior; the Vanagon L with optional cloth seats, more upscale interior panels, and an optional dashboard blower; the Vanagon GL with more equipment like a padded steering wheel and front armrests; and the Westfalia pop-top camper Vanagons, which came in two versions. A Camper version known as the "Campmobile" with integrated kitchen, complete with refrigerator (which ran on propane, 110 V or 12 V), a two-burner stove, and stainless steel sink with onboard water supply. A fold-down rear bench seat converted to a bed and the pop-top included a fold-out bed; these models could sleep four adults. A 'Weekender ' version that lacked the refrigerator, propane stove, and sink of the full 'camper' versions offered an optional removable cabinet with a 12 volt cooler and self-contained sink. In 1984, the Wolfsburg edition was configured with a rear bench seat and two forward-facing middle seats. Under the bench seat, which folded down to make full-size bed, was a storage compartment and a rear heater.
Wolfsburg Edition "Weekender" models featured two rear-facing seats behind the front seats in place of a centre bench seat and a table that could fold up from the sidewall – or fold down when not in use. Multivan models featured Wolfsburg Edition trim and an interior with rear-facing seats, the same fold up table, a pop-top with an upper bed, and cabinet behind the rear seat on the driver's side. Wolfsburg Edition and camper van vehicles were outfitted for Volkswagen by the Westfalia factory.
Syncro models were manufactured in limited numbers from 1984 through 1992, with the four-wheel-drive system added by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Works in Graz, Austria, with a short wheelbase and 48/52 front/rear weight distribution. The majority of the Syncro production run used the same 14 inch wheels as the RWD version. A limited number of 16" Syncro versions were also produced. The main differences between the 2 models was 16" wheels with 205R16 tyres, larger front brakes 280mm discs instead of 254mm disc that was on the 14" Syncro but they shared the same calipers and brake pads. The 16" Syncro had larger rear brakes taken from the VW LT and fender flares which hid the area where VW trimmed the arches to give more room for larger tyres.
Model years 1980 through 1985 featured round sealed beam headlights. Subsequent models for North American and European markets featured round sealed beam headlights or smaller square headlights, with the primary lights outboard and high beams inboard. Later models from South Africa returned to round headlight housings for both the primary headlights and high-beams. This is known to VW enthusiasts as the "South African look," and swapping the square headlights to round headlights is a popular conversion by van owners with non-South African vehicles.
The T3 was replaced by the T4 (Eurovan) in the U.S. market in 1993 (1992 saw no Volkswagen vans imported to the U.S. market, aside from custom campers sold by companies other than Volkswagen).