Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2000 15:11:06 -0400
Reply-To: Alain Pierre Hovasse <aphovasse@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alain Pierre Hovasse <aphovasse@HOME.COM>
Subject: Return
In-Reply-To: <006a01c01510$915c9e00$1931510c@pavilion>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Folks
I'm back on the list after a three week absence, wherein my two gals and I
took our 86 Westy and headed southwards to America from Toronto. We did 2400
miles, Boston, Hudson River, New Jersey (even drove into Manhattan),
Washington DC and back through Virginia and Pennsylvania, all in fairly hot
weather and with nary a hiccup. In fact, the thing ran like a blender, with
only a minor overheating an hour from home on our last day. In fact, we just
rested for two days before leaving again, this time for Algonquin Park,
which is a beautiful sight in central Ontario.
Sometimes I find this list, by it's very nature of offering solutions to so
many problems, scares me a bit into thinking my machine is about to fall
apart at any moment. But this machine, for all its faults, gives me and my
family so many memorable moments, I now find part of me alert to any
possible "problem" while the rest of me relaxes and enjoys the passing
scenery. I check the oil, tranny fluid, coolant and tires every other gas
fill.
In that spirit, I do have to ask a question regarding the automatic
transmission. Mine has been dripping a wee bit since I bought it last year,
and in fact I let it go dry after a long drive at the time, but my mechanic
instructed me in proper upkeep and I read the Bentley on same. But here's
what happened: I overfilled the darned thing while on this trip, early on.
It's easy to do but I should have been more cautious. So what did happen was
that a LOT of it leaked out, gathered underneath the hot engine and sprayed
all over the back door. No big deal, it leaked down to a manageable level
afterwards and I kept it good for the rest of the trip; low maintainance.
My mechanic here says it's no big deal, that when you overfill the automatic
transmission, the liquid just finds a place to leak out and that's that. But
I wonder if any of you out there have other ideas. More importantly, if one
does overfill, how to drain it when you're on the move?
Last but not least, a big thanks to all those who before my trip, offered
their phone number and other travel advice along the way "just in case". I
was happy not to have to call them but I really appreciate the spirit which
ties us all together. There were precious few vanagons on the road, some saw
us and waved back, others trundled past unseen.
Alain Pierre
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