Date:         Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:29:15 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Automatic transmission question--slipping
In-Reply-To:  <4d1b79350910201739w2d937b18ld59f4556c679c6f9@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Minor leaks become major leaks that become unit failure and lead to a
rebuild. See if the leak is coming from behind the torque convertor, in the
back of the bell housing.

Cya,
Robert

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 5:40 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Automatic transmission question--slipping

Thanks, all. It measured completely differently after a running test
as described. Now that it's up to level it operates great. Now to find
the leak, minor as it is.

Thanks again,

Jim

On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 7:02 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Engine warmed up for at least a few minutes. Vehicle fairly level
including
> side to side. Engine still running in neutral, ATF should be between the
> marks on the dipstick. Just like the engine the top mark is not the full
> mark. It is the maximum do not exceed mark.
>
> The symptoms she described are the result of in internal pressure loss.
> Broken seal rings on the direct clutch drum or a ripped piston. A
competent
> shop can do a pressure test (in the Bentley) or drop the valve body and do
> what is called an "air test" We use compressed air to operate the clutches
> to see if one has obviously failed.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Jim Felder
> Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 9:24 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Automatic transmission question--slipping
>
> My daughter's 91 automatic has been behaving fine, but recently I
> noticed a little spotting on the back hatch, which led me to check the
> AT fluid level and it was a little bit low.
>
> When I mentioned it to her, she said that the car had recently been
> doing a weird thing starting off. The engine would race, sometimes
> barking the tires when things engaged. At a stop sign, rather than
> keeping the car at the line on a hill, the slack in the transmission
> sometimes--randomly--lets the car roll back a few feet before it will
> "catch" again.
>
> I have never had a vanagon with an AT. What's the proper procedure for
> checking the level? The owners manual gives some detail but does not
> even specify whether the car is to be running or not when the level is
> checked.
>
> Anything else I should be considering?
>
> Jim
>
>