Date:         Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:01:17 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Need some assistance to see if my mechanic is overcharging
              me...
In-Reply-To:  <8C9FD569-7AFE-4310-A6C4-E1A0DDD282AC@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

The price is outstanding. The only thing I would advise against is the
following:

> Installation of 3rd Party Transmission Wing Cooling System (welded)
> (this is the little metal wing sold by Terry Kay.

This part is completely and utterly unnecessary, particularly if
you're already putting in a separate air/fluid cooler. Even if you
weren't and you were relying on the stock fluid/fluid heat exchanger,
it would be a bad approach to the problem. With the stock system,
transmission temperature is held at the same temperature as the
coolant, whose temperature is regulated by the thermostat. As Terry
says on his web site,"the trans temps dropped 30 degree's--enough to
drop the needle on my temp gauge to the bottom of the LED red coolant
level indicator". This shows a complete failure to understand the
system. If you want the coolant (and the transmission by extension) to
run cooler, you put in a lower temperature thermostat. You let the
radiator do the work, as it is already in the airflow by necessity and
has more than ample cooling capacity. You don't glue on a
drag-inducing scoop to the bottom of your vehicle--- that's just
stupid. Save yourself a few cents in improved gas mileage. Skip the
scoop.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Lastwagen"
'90 Vanagon GL - "Wiesel"