Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 11:38:00 EST
Reply-To: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Changing Auto tranny fluid
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Don, I have done this too many times to count on Jettas, Golfs and Vanagons
(pretty much the same thing as far as the automatic portion of the trannies
go). The first thing you need is a large pan or oil change pan to catch
everything. Second thing you need is the gasket and filter set that I sell
for $10. Third thing is some quarts of ATF (or a gallon from Wal-mart).
Fourth thing is one of those pouring spout things you can get at Wal-mart
with the long tube on it. This screws onto your ATF bottle and helps you not
spill it everywhere when refilling.
Position the van on a level surface with the drainpain squarely under the
tranny. Use either a large wrench or adjustable wrench to unhook the fill
tube from the side of the pan. Fluid will start to come out. Let it drain
until it is dripping and then proceed to loosen the four bolts (one in each
corner) that are holding the pan to the tranny. I loosen two corners on the
same side a little and I remove the other two. This will allow you to tilt
the pan toward the drainpan and control the dumping of the fluid (this is
still a messy thing so have rags ready). After the pan seems to have drained
as much as it can remove the other two bolts and dump the remaining fluid
into the drainpan. Now you can see the cover for the filter. Only two
phillips head screws hold this up. One in the center and the other off to
one side (see Bentley for picture). If you have a hard time getting these
screws to break free (I always do) then either use a bicycle screw driver or
put some vice grips on the handle of your driver for extra leverage. When
you get these two screws loose there will be more fluid dumping out of the
tranny (stay out of the way). Now drop this cover down and you will see the
filter for the tranny and the paper gasket stuck up on the bottom of the
tranny piston housing. Note the position of this gasket and remove it. Look
in the drain pan and filter pan for signs of tranny wear (bronze or gold
flakes) and clean them with a rag and some brake cleaner. Now position your
new filter in the filter cover. Position your new paper gasket up against
the piston housing and screw the filter cover back in place. Now remove and
replace the gasket on the tranny pan (note this has a certain orientation
that you must follow or it won't stay on when you try to put the pan back).
Being careful that the pan gasket stays in place all the way around, put the
pan back up in place (you might want to stick the pan gasket in place to the
pan with some sealant and let it setup before putting the pan back. You
don't need to do this but it might help if you are having problems). Tighten
the four corner bolts. Re-attach the filler tube. Refill the transmission
with a couple of quarts of ATF. Now start the van and continue filling with
the van in "park" until the fluid is to the second line. Check for leaks at
the pan. You are done.
I hope this helps you.
Ken Wilford
http://www.vanagain.com
John 3:16
New Phone (856)-327-4936
Shop: (856)-765-1583
Fax: (856)-327-2242
