The Vanagon Dictionary
Get to know your Volkswagen.
Look up Vanagon, EuroVan and Volkswagen Bus terms, then follow the definitions to their sources.
About the Dictionary and its data
Definitions and source records come from the shared Dictionary, which remains available at dictionary.vanagon.com.
API and data detailsResults for “Control”
79 public entries · page 4 of 4
Shock absorber
Brakes and suspensionEnglish · machine-assisted draft
A suspension damper that controls spring oscillation after the wheels cross a bump and helps maintain tire contact and road control. Paruzzi’s front oil-filled listing is for Vanagon/T25 except Syncro, and the catalog lists Syncro dampers separately. “Shock absorber” describes a function, not a complete fitment; front/rear position and Syncro configuration matter.
- suspension
- vanagon
- t25
Sink cabinet
VW Bus and camper partsEnglish · source definition
The camper interior cabinet assembly built around the sink and its water fittings. In some Vanagon Westfalia layouts it also contains or adjoins the refrigerator, storage, and electrical controls.
- camper
- interior
- kitchen
EGR
Bus terminologyEnglish · source definition
Exhaust Gas Recirculation. One of the emission control techniques, in which gases are sucked from the exhaust pipes (before the muffler) and re-circulated through the intake manifold (to be 'burned' again). the high heat associated with exhaust gases required expensive metals ... so replacing/repairing this system can be costly.
Camper 12-volt battery
VW Bus and camper partsEnglish · source definition
The 12-volt battery supply used for camper electrical loads such as interior lighting, the water pump, and controls on the documented Vanagon Westfalia. Whether a particular vehicle has a separate auxiliary battery depends on its model and later modifications.
- camper
- electrical
- battery
Sway bar link lower bushings
Brakes and suspensionEnglish · machine-assisted draft
Resilient sleeves fitted at the lower sway-bar-link connection, locating the joint while allowing controlled movement. Paruzzi lists an early lower bushing for Syncro and non-Syncro applications through the 1984 chassis break, and a different later bushing for non-Syncro models. “Lower” identifies a position; it does not mean one part fits every Vanagon or Syncro.
- suspension
- vanagon
- t25
Decoupler
Transmission and drivetrainEnglish · machine-assisted draft
In a Syncro drivetrain, a driveshaft decoupler disconnects the prop shaft so the front axle is no longer driven through it; it is not the front differential lock. A Gerry discussion on 16 May 2004 compares the original non-viscous-coupling layout, which used a driveshaft decoupler, with viscous-coupling Syncros while debating front-lock behavior. The thread is historical community discussion, not a retrofit procedure; identify the drivetrain configuration before interpreting parts or controls.
- vw
- syncro
- drivetrain
Digifant ECU
Engine and fuel systemsEnglish · machine-assisted draft
The electronic control unit (ECU) is part of Volkswagen’s Digifant fuel-injection and engine-management system. Gerry’s 1986–1991 technical bulletin index distinguishes these applications from the earlier Digijet years. In a January 1999 list thread, an owner of a 1986 Westfalia reported that the engine quit after cooling-system bleeding and asked whether fuel starvation or a failed Digifant component was involved; the thread records a troubleshooting question, not a confirmed diagnosis. Check engine code and market before identifying an ECU.
- vanagon
- ecu