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Date:         Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:18:24 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
              Malfunction, 88 Auto
Comments: To: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <44C041FE.7030607@verizon.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Actually, With the engine off, fluid will drain from the torque converter and give a really high reading on the stick. Then the fluid level will be too low possible causing the trans to slip along with aerating the fluid and making a lot of heat and possibly causing the fluid to boil out, but that last part is a stretch.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Mike Collum Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 10:55 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans Malfunction, 88 Auto

Proper checking is done on a level plane, while hot, engine running, and with the shifter in park or neutral.

If you were seeing what looked like the proper level on the dipstick with the engine off, I'd say your first problem was the transmission was grossly overfilled.

I don't know how to advise you at this point. Maybe someone with "Experience" with this particular problem will chime in. (Experience is what we get when we were expecting something else).

Mike

robertmstewart wrote: > I checked in Park with engine off. 5-10 min after running. > > > on 7/20/06 10:31 PM, Mike Collum at collum@VERIZON.NET wrote: > > >>Were you checking the ATF level with the engine running and while in >>park or neutral? >> >>Mike >> >> >>robertmstewart wrote: >> >>>Hello everyone, >>> >>>I have a question for you, my 88 Auto with a used good condition Tranny all >>>of a sudden today started to fail and I am at a loss and need your >>>feedback... >>> >>>(The short version is this: ATF burping and how does a perfectly working AT >>>go to a non-functioning AT?) >>> >>>Hereıs the background: >>> >>>The vanıs past owner before the person I purchased it from was a VW Mechanic >>>and the prior owner and he installed another auto trans from another good >>>working vanıs tranny several years ago. >>> >>>I have had the van since January 06. Since then the transmission has been >>>shifting normally, and for the last month I have been traveling 3-4 hour >>>trips from Long Island to Upstate NY and doing some serious highway driving >>>and mountain driving. Usually I put in at least 8 hours of solid driving per >>>weekend for 4 weekends. All in all the van has performed great.. >>> >>>Hereıs where the story starts.. Just before my first long trip (4 weeks ago) >>>I check all fluids, stupidly I did it when the van was cold, and in doing so >>>thought the ATF was low so I added just a little bit to what was in there, >>>now after about 3hrs of driving, I pull into the driveway at my destination >>>and park the van, well I see ATF fluid burping out of the Dip Stick tube! >>>Not much just a little 1/4 cup. I figure itıs just the overflow kicking out. >>>I check it in 10 minutes and the level is fine. >>> >>>Well 4 weeks pass and I drive it pretty hard to and from the LI to Upstate >>>NY, 8 hrs per weekend (3x) all is good. Today I start the van up and drive 1 >>>mile away from the house in Long Island to the grocery, on the way I can see >>>smoke from the back of the van, it smells like the ATF burping and leaking >>>onto the exhaust. I park at the grocery and see it burping out, about 1/4 ­ >>>1/2 cup. I do some shopping come back 15 min. later, and drive the 1 mile >>>home, all seems fine. No smoke. After it cools down a bit I check the ATF >>>fluid and it appears a bit low, so I top it off with Dexron III and >>>accidentally over fill it but not by much. >>> >>>About 4 hours later I get in the van and drive back the same direction about >>>1 mile to go to the post office and immediately I can detect something is >>>not right. >>>At the stop light with the brake on I can see the rpmıs go from about 875 >>>and revs to about 1,000, then levels off again, normally at idle it stays >>>right at 875. I thought the surging was strange. I then continue to drive >>>and again I see the smoke occurring again from the back of the van, smells >>>again like ATF on the exhaust, now I decide to head right to me local >>>standard mechanic not my VW guy cause he was closed. >>> >>>The local guy tells me the burping is normal if there is to much ATF in the >>>case. So he checks the fluid and he says the level is good. He tells me to >>>bring it by in the morning as I wanted them to check the brakes since I just >>>had all the brakes replaced (the original ones were too rusty). I then >>>decide to take a little drive just a mile down the road along beach to let >>>the fluid cycle through and burn off the stuff was sitting on the exhaust >>>and I thought that maybe taking it up to highway speed would be good, to get >>>the fluid really circulating. Bad idea... >>> >>>As I drive this simple little straight route I notice the transmission is >>>not engaging right, when I take my foot off the brake it usually goes >>>forward on its own, this time nothing.. I have to gas it. Then it gets >>>progressively worse. It goes into 1st, then second, then it revıs and then >>>goes to 3rd, and then I thought, oh crap! I have problems. Time to get it >>>back to the mechanic! >>> >>>Well To late, I turn it around to go back the mile I came and now at the >>>stop light I give it gas and it goes now where! >>> >>>I am stuck during rush hour and everyone is honking, my flasher are on, but >>>people donıt pay attention. I signal for them to go around me. People are >>>screaming, others understand.. >>> >>>I call the mechanic and see if they can come by and push me the 4 blocks to >>>the garage, he says he canıt. I then call AAA to haul my van back, but >>>right after I decide to start the van and try... Well it starts to move, >>>each time I stop itıs a crap shoot to whether it will move. It never gets >>>past 1st gear. I have to literally move my body a little forward to try and >>>coax the van to get in gear and move, but somehow I get to the garage. While >>>the engine is still hot I check the ATF level, I see a hair on the end, but >>>it was pretty try. >>> >>>So what is going on with all the burping and how does a perfectly working AT >>>go to a non-functioning AT? The mechanic suspected that the AT is >>>overheating.. What does this mean? I just hope this does turn into a massive >>>money pit now..... >>> >>>I hope someone here can shed some light on the burping issue, and why all of >>>a sudden the transmission would not engage... >>> >>>Thanks in advance, >>>Robert >>> > > > >


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