Date:         Sun, 5 Jan 2003 08:32:01 -0600
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Whining sound from  transmission
Comments: To: SD Kraning <PopTop88@CHARTER.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi,
   I recently had some success using a transmission flush product.  The
one I used is called Sea Foam Trans Tune.  I got it at a FleetFarm store
in WI.  I haven't seen it at my local FLAPS in Chicago.  The can says:
Part No. TT-16 Manufactured for Sea Foam Sales Co.
  PO Box 5178
Hopkins,MN 55343-1178

The vehicle was a 92 J**p C*rokee with the AW4 transmission made by
T*yota.  The PO sold it as "needing transmission work".  It would not
engage at first when cold and when warm it would slip about one time out
of three when stating up from a stop sign.  The fluid smelled awful;
perhaps burned and maybe from an additive that the PO said he had tried.
  I initially did a simple drain and refill and convinced myself that
there was some improvement.  After driving it about 50 miles, I tried
the Trans Tune.  According the the directions, I put in 1 pint, and then
drove the car at least 5 miles shifting into all gears, etc.  I then
drained it, dropped the pan and replaced the filter.  The filter did not
seem to be clogged and there was very little sludge in the pan.
  The trans now seems to behave completely normally and I am very
pleased.

This, of course, was not a Vanagon transmission.  YMMV.
  Let me emphasize that this product is for flushing and is not a leak
stopper type of additive.  I have seen the Berryman B-12 Chemtool
recommended for this purpose, but their can does not say anything about
using it in transmissions.

Good luck,
Larry A.


SD Kraning wrote:
>
> Hello All -
>
> Does anyone have any advise about rebuilding an automatic transmission?
>
> After my '90 Carat/ gets hot, I begin to hear a sound coming from directly under the center/rearward section - kind of like a whirring or whining (bad bearing??) squeal that intensifies with the RPS. Also I am just starting to experience some slippage between 2nd and Drive. The transmission fluid definitely needs to be serviced (I just checked it for the first time since I bought it 5 mos ago), so I'm just wondering if I'm in for a re-build, or if it could be that it just needs to be serviced.
>
> Any thoughts on how much I should expect to pay for a rebuild job? Is it worth looking for a used trans?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Scott K.