Hello everybody , I just finished flipping my 914 gearbox to use in a beetle , I replaced 1st gear dog teeth and synchro ring , diff bearings , input shaft bearing . I set the preload for the diff , backlash is correct . I don’t think the engineering blue
I found is the best in the world because it’s hard to leave Marks on and kind of peels .
I did my best to get a reading .
I didn’t mess with the pinion bearing or it’s shims, neither with the paper gaskets between the case and the intermediate plate . So I wouldn’t expect having altered the pinion depth .

Also a pic from the other side

Delete duplicate post

I'm not a trans expert . . . Calling Dr_Evil. I've rebuilt a couple over the years and I'm around mechanics that regularly set differentials up from scratch and see the patterns.

@Dr Evil


I'm not sure which side of the pinion is drive side (usually the convex side) vs. cost side (usually the concave side) given that pinion has been flipped for a bug. So my advice is worth what you paid.

I'd start with proper ring and pinion marking compound or marking paint so you can at least get a good read on what the actual pattern is. The layout blue really isn't the right material for the job at hand but is certainly better than nothing. Nice way to make do with what was on hand though.

The 2nd photo actually looks like one tooth has a nice consistent pattern but is maybe a bit deep into the root and needs pinion shim adjustment to move the pinion higher on the ring (crown gear).

In the 1st picture, I can't tell what is pattern vs. flaking but the straighter linear pattern that I think is "the" pattern is still a bit deep. It may be deep from the old gaskets having been squished a bit over the years?