Date: Sat, 11 Sep 2010 11:15:31 -0700
Reply-To: Daryl Christensen <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Daryl Christensen <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Subject: Re: semi-urgent auto transmission question
In-Reply-To: <4c8bbee4.0663640a.2fc7.ffffc9c9@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Symptoms of a seal that's not doing its job until things warm up and the
seal tightens up enough to hold pressure..Old and brittle seals do that
frequently. Might have missed one in there maybe??
Possibly a dirty/sticking valve in the valve body too.
Might get you by for the trip, but take it back for a re-do.
Daryl of AA Transaxle
425-788-4070
"On the cutting edge of Old technology"
86 Syncro Westy with a Zetec in the trunk
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Edward Maglott
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 10:40 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: semi-urgent auto transmission question
Got my 86 van back a week or so ago after a transmission rebuild that
has been a saga. I will cover that in more detail at some
point. The short version is that the rebuilder had the van twice,
and for a long time both times.
When I got it back a week ago the trans was working better than I've
ever experienced in a vanagon. But then I've only had basically worn
out transmissions in mine. So over the 100 miles or so I've driven
it since I got it back, it has developed a problem when cold. Today
I start the van, let it idle about a minute and back up my driveway,
which is uphill. Fine. Put it in D and hear/feel nothing. Step on
the gas and it revs freely up to about 2500 then the van takes off
with a thud. For about the first block, it felt like it was maybe
slipping or was in 2nd gear instead of 1st. After that it drove
normally, but the shift points seemed a little lower than before.
I think this symptom has to do with the trans not properly developing
pressure when cold? I've had the slipping in R when cold symptom
before this rebuild so I'm a little surprised it went up the driveway
so well in R and then didn't engage D.
Checking the fluid level, it seems a tiny bit high. Probably about
1/8" above the top mark based on checking it hot, many times, and
parked on different "level looking" places to try to get a good
reading. Could this be a factor?
I was planning on taking a trip for about a week in the next few
days. Probably 1000 miles or less. I can deal with the symptoms I
have now but don't know if it will get worse or damage something
inside worse. Opinions?
Edward