"More Torque" Gear Reduction Starter Adapter

This simple adapter plate lets you bolt a late-model VW gear reduction starter to your Bus or Vanagon, doubling or tripling the torque (depending on your original starter's specs) while drawing less current from your battery. Instructions are included. The beauty of this design is that it uses a commonplace Bosch SR0408X/0409X starter found on late model TDI diesel VW's - not the hard-to-get proprietary starter that other conversions use. If you ever need to replace the starter, no problem, just buy another Bosch starter and bolt it to the same adapter plate. Please see the link below to purchase the starter. Note, we only recommend using an an actual Bosch unit (whether rebuilt by Bosch or by another rebuilder). There are some aftermarket starters (mostly Chinese) which are claimed to substitute for the Bosch but are actually slightly larger and may not fit.

Note: Please choose Manual or Auto Trans in the drop-down menu above.

Note to Syncro owners only: This will fit all Syncros without a locking differential. If you have a locking diff, your Syncro must have the longer 55mm (2.25") diff lock bracket, shown in the link below, and corresponding longer pin. It will not work with the shorter 40mm bracket. Also you will need to cut a 3/4" notch in the bracket (as illustrated in the included instruction sheet). If you would rather not notch the bracket you can use a Bosch SR0425 starter instead, but it is not as high torque as the one we recommend.