Date:         Sun, 5 Sep 2004 07:57:36 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Subject:      Re: Auto tranny: adjust or replace?
In-Reply-To:  <413AB0A8.30207@adelphia.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Not only a question of what is easier for the shop to do, but also which
one will actually fix the problem.  My guess is that changing the fluid and
filter and adjusting the one thing that is adjustable from outside the
tranny (2nd gear band) will not fix the problem.  I got a "good used" (AT)
tranny for my '86 after a lot of struggling with my trans, and a "good
used" one I got.  My mechanic who I have very high confidence in, said the
"good used" tranny he was putting in for me was especially good because it
was from a van that had been running very recently (and having good
transmission performance) before engine trouble parked it.  He said that
transmissions that have sat for any amount of time are not likely to be
very "good" due to damage to the seals or something.

The first "good used" transmission I got, which was free to me for coming
to pick it up, had been sitting outdoors but covered with the pan off of
it.  Moisture had gotten to it and I believe had damaged the valve body.  I
took it apart, and mine apart, and used the best parts of both, put in a
rebuilt kit, but still had trouble.  My mechanic charged me $750 iirc for
the "good used" tranny, and installation.

Edward

At 02:22 AM 9/5/2004, you wrote:
>The automatic transmission in the 84 Westy slips when shifting while
>climbing, or when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd while going up a grade.
>Could be as easy as installing a new clean filter and adjusting the
>throttle linkage.
>
>If it's not that, then it might require having a transmission shop
>adjust the bands (I reckon). Or I can get a good used auto tranny. Which
>is the easier job for a shop: adjusting the existing transmission or
>installing a replacement?
>
>My local shop is closed until Tuesday and I may want to snag that used
>tranny if it seems to be the more logical route.
>
>--
>Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
>KG6RCR