Mike, the AT is probably one of the best parts of your Vanagon. Just make sure to have it serviced periodically by someone who knows what he/she is doing. Here in middle GA there are not enough serious hills to comment on extended use in lower gears. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 12:53 AM Subject: Talk to me about AT's!
> Mrs Squirrel and I just got back from several days of camping in the > Sierra Nevada (spectacular weather, great camping, especially at site > #32 at Highland Lakes) and Mellow Yellow operated flawlessly, even > climbing the mighty 6% grade up highway 395 to Sherman Summit in 109 > degree (F) weather, loaded with camping gear, w/o overheating. This was > at 7pm -- I tried to wait out the heat of the day but it hit over 105F > at noon and just stayed there. I killed as much time as I could in the > shade of a young sycamore at Tuttle Creek campground near Lone Pine, but > it just never cooled off.* > > Anyhoo, on the way up, between watching the temp gauge, the tach, and > rear-view mirror to make sure that I wasn't about to get rear-ended by a > faster vehicle, I was very aware about how little I know about automatic > transmissions. > > Uphill Question: > > If Mellow Yellow had a manual transmission, I'd think nothing of > downshifting to second or even first gear as needed to keep the rpm's > up. But there's just something about running an automatic transmission > for long periods in lower gears that worries me. Maybe it's because the > transmission sounds at a higher pitch than I am used to -- I don't know. > I can't put my finger on it. Is it okay to stay in "1" or "2" with an > automatic transmission as long as the engine isn't being over-revved? > > Downhill Question: > > Some of those Sierra passes have long downhill grades at up to 26%. > Again, if I had a manual, I'd-a downshifted and used the engine to take > some of the load off the brakes. Is it okay to do that with an automatic > transmission? > > * Glad I had a Norcold refrigerator instead of the original Dometic -- > with its 45F max differential, the inside of the old reefer would have > been 109 - 45 = 64F, which is too warm for food safety or cold beer. > > -- > Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott > 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus > 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") > 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano > KG6RCR |
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