Volkswagen W8 engine – specifications
Built: 2001–2004 · Series: Other models
Data for the version built 2001–2004
More machines from model year 2001
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Volkswagen Type 2 (T3): the classic rear-engined Transporter, built from 1979 to 2002 in Germany and later in South Africa as a van, bus and pickup
The Type 2 (T3) is the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter, built in Germany from 1979 and then continued until 2002 in South Africa, well after Europe had already moved on to the successor T4. Volkswagen was among the last major makers to keep a rear-mounted engine in this generation, before later Transporter generations switched to a front engine with front- or all-wheel drive.
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The T3 started with air-cooled boxer engines carried over from the previous generation and switched in 1982 to water-cooled inline engines, including diesel variants - a technical break midway through production that splits the line into an air-cooled and a water-cooled phase. The T3 was offered as a panel van, as a multi-row passenger bus, and as a pickup, plus the Syncro four-wheel-drive version for off-road use.
As a light commercial vehicle in class N1, or as a small bus in class M1/M2 depending on the variant, the T3 could be driven on a category 3 licence, later category B. The rear-mounted engine gave the van a flat, uninterrupted load floor with no engine tunnel, which made it especially popular for conversion into a camper or a mobile workshop.
When buying a used T3, the corrosion state at the known weak points - strut towers, sills and the lower edge of the load doors - matters most, since moisture tends to collect at the rear around the engine. On air-cooled models, the cooling air ducting should be complete and undamaged, and on water-cooled models the coolant circuit and front radiator deserve a close check for leaks.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells Type 2 (T3)
Technical data
Engine
| Displacement | 3,998correct |
|---|---|
| Bore | 81 mmcorrect |
| Stroke | 90.2 mmcorrect |
Origin and approval
| Vehicle type | WR8 petrolcorrect |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
When was the Volkswagen W8 engine built?
Production years: 2001–2004.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 13 individual figures for this model. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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