Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:12:32 -0400
Reply-To: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: robertmstewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
Malfunction, 88 Auto - Follow up
In-Reply-To: <000101c6ad2a$863b1b10$6400a8c0@MASTERPC>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
One additional note,
When I started to drive the van once I picked it up from the shop, the temp
light started flickering on and off.
I immediately pulled over shut the van off and drove back to the shop as it
was only 2 minutes away. The temp gauge just immediately started to creep up
and halfway the light came on and off constantly.
The owner of the shop pulled the engine lid off and we looked at the
coolant, it was well within the limits between the min and max. There was
nothing in the overflow at all. I looked into the tank and the coolant
looked like water. It had very little of the orange color that you see when
you initially pour it in.
So the owner of the shop poured some extra into the overflow tank, just a
little. And he added a little to the main tank.
He started it up and sure enough it went away. I drove the van home home the
5.7miles and decided to take a look at the coolant tank as I had just filled
the gas tank, I figured why not. Well what I saw was strange, it had this
gunk sitting around the top of the cap, orangey/light beige color. I scooped
it out and ran it for another 10 minutes and the temp gauge was fine. What
was it that I saw?
I figured that possibly when the ATF fluid originally blew out and the
tranny overheated somehow it must have affected the coolant? I assume that
the coolant just needed to cycle thought? I am but clueless.. Anyone have
any answers?
Rob
__________________________
Okay,
Here's what happened...
I took the advice I received and got a referral to a someone who is a
transmission specialist in Oceanside ny, onetime transmission, the owner Tom
Burke did the work.
He looked at the Van and determined that there was a problem with a "stater
pump" ? He told me the pump was malfunctioning and needed replacement,
additionally he told me before he removed the transmission he ran the van
and noticed that when he gave the van gas it was fine, but the second he
took his foot off the gas the tranny started squirting fluid out of the ATF
dip stick, he stated it was like a fountain. He told me the vents were fine.
So he pulled the tranny out and told me the clutch and the components
internally were all burnt out and deteriorating and that he felt it needed a
complete rebuild.
So he told me he basically replaced all the internal parts of the tranny,
cleaned the internal parts, and external parts, even painting the exterior
with a rustoleum paint. ( this was unnecessary but it did not bother me.) he
told me if the tranny leaks it will very visible and detectable as it will
be easy to see over the gray paint.
He also had to replace the tranny mount as it was rusted and the rubber on
it was gone.
Additionally he told me that taking off the Transmission from the
differential unit was hard because this van was living in Rochester NY and
the rust had made all the bolts very hard to remove, they needed to use
torches to get the bolts to loosen!
So the whole rebuild with all the parts and labor was $1795, he offered me
to pay $1600 if I paid in cash though. He told me he gave me a great deal as
my mechanic told him to treat me right...
So was I screwed?
I felt like the guy took me.. I tried to get a complete parts breakdown from
him and he told me it was a complete rebuild, everything was replaced. Which
did not sit well with me but I felt I had no choice. He towed the van to his
place and having it towed to another place for a second opinion just seemed
like to much work since I was told he was the best in town...
Rob
--
Rob
NYC/Long Beach, NY
88 Wolfsburg, Silver
http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
on 7/21/06 9:02 PM, Dennis Haynes at dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET wrote:
> I've seen so much crud on top of these trannies, the vent can not be
> seen.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of robertmstewart
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 5:18 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
> Malfunction, 88 Auto
>
> He said and I quote" those things never get clogged" when I told him to
> check the vent.
>
> My opinion of him went down after that remark but the local mechanic in
> town
> says he's good and he owns two other shops as well so I guess I will
> have to
> see what he finds out on Tuesday of next week.
>
>
> --
> Rob
> NYC/Long Beach, NY
> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
> http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
> AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
>
>
>
> on 7/21/06 4:53 PM, dooley at pdooley@GTE.NET wrote:
>
>> Did the mechanic check the vent?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of
>> robertmstewart
>> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 4:35 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
>> Malfunction, 88 Auto
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I just had a transmission specialist pickup the van, he put it on the
> lift
>> filled it with tranny fluid, ran the engine and the minute he took his
> foot
>> of the gas the ATF all burped out!
>>
>> He was a little surprised because he tried to hold the ATF dip stick
> down to
>> feel the pressure and he said there was a lot of pressure pushing it
> out, it
>> came out like a small fountain!
>>
>> He said that he suspects and internal clog or leak, he is going to
> pull the
>> tranny to see what's going on.
>>
>> He told me the there is no fee upfront for the pull but after the
> parts are
>> installed for the repair there will be a $350 dollar fee.
>>
>> Is that a good price to pull the tranny?
>>
>> --
>> Rob
>> NYC/Long Beach, NY
>> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
>> http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
>> AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> on 7/21/06 10:24 AM, Larry Alofs at lalofs@RCN.COM wrote:
>>
>>> Yep, the valve body. I learned about that when I rebuilt the AT in
> my
>>> '84. Sort of a hydraulic analog computer.
>>> It can be removed with the trans in the van. Disassembly and
> cleaning
>>> requires considerable care and organization.
>>>
>>> Larry A.
>>>
>>>
>>> John Lauterbach wrote:
>>>
>>>> Larry, I think there is some sort of part in the AT where the fluid
> goes
>>>> through a series of narrow passages almost like a maze. Apparently,
>>>> if the
>>>> passages are dirty, strange things happen.
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Larry Alofs" <lalofs@RCN.COM>
>>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 9:11 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes
> Trans
>>>> Malfunction, 88 Auto
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Did they tell you what the problem had been and how they fixed it?
>>>>>
>>>>> Larry A.
>>>>>
>>>>
