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Date:         Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:07:31 -0700
Reply-To:     Annie <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Annie <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Transmission slippage - help!
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY152-ds1344BEA6F3CE6DFEB1A549A0770@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Dennis - Apology accepted. ;-)

You know, I totally understand what you mean, though. Right now, it is my only transportation because the Safari is getting some much needed brake and electrical work done. Well, I do have the S15 pickup but it only seats 3 of us at best and there's 5 of us, plus grandma. LOL

Anyway, the Vanagon has had a lot of work done but it does need more, of course. And I just need it to not leave me stranded until the Safari is back home.

*Thanks, ~Annie Anderson* Blogger, Designer, Thinker & Mom web: annieandersonblog.com email: lsandrsn@gmail.com twitter: silverlunace <http://twitter.com/silverlunace> facebook: anniesanderson <http://facebook.com/anniesanderson> *Blazin' a trail where there is no path.*

On Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 7:39 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:

> Please accept my apologies. My response was a bit hard but it was not in > response to your gender. > I regularly see folks get these vehicles based on a perception of that > "great VW' tradition. While these vehicles are great for many reasons, > getting a 20 year old high mileage vehicle of any nature should not be > considered for long term, reliable, it has to run every day, easy to keep > transportation. If you really "Can't have any getting stranded" then you > may have to re-evaluate having a vehicle like this as your only vehicle. > The > reality is that any vehicle even new ones can and do have failures. I can > tell you some stories about my 2004 Diesel Pusher motor home. > > Engines and transmissions rarely fail without warning or cause. You are > getting the warnings. Fluid changes, magic treatments, adjustments etc., > is > just denial of the inevitable. Unless you tell a shop differently, most > will > only point out things that need to be done immediately and if you are not > using someone that knows these things intimately you will also get some > poor > advice. At some point you may find that the purchase price was just the > down payment. This will happen quickly if you live in an area with > $100/hour > labor rates and retail parts pricing. If something has not been replaced > in > the last 5 to 10 years you will at some point have to deal with it. This > includes heater cores, radiator, brakes including calipers and > drums/rotors, > wiring parts, and the suspension. Some of these repairs will require down > time. > > If you have not already done so, one of the best investments you can make > is > a towing plan. If you notice most participants on this list do much of > their > own work. Get some books, including the Bentley service manual and consider > some other education. Auto mechanics and basic electricity will get you > through most any situation and some of the night courses can be a lot of > fun. > > And since you are a girl, welcome aboard and let us know when we can help. > > Dennis! > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of > Annie > Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:05 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help! > > Dennis - > > I may be just a girl, but I'm not that dumb. ;-) > > Of course I didn't think "all I had to do was just drive it." As I > mentioned > in the original post, I bought it in January and had the transmission > serviced. I actually had more than that done - tuneup, oil change, new > exhaust, flushed the cooling system, new brakes, new CV joints, new wheel > bearings all around, new axles in the rear and much, much, much more. > > No, I'm not stupid. > > *Annie Anderson* Blogger, Designer, Thinker & Mom > web: annieandersonblog.com email: lsandrsn@gmail.com > twitter: silverlunace <http://twitter.com/silverlunace> facebook: > anniesanderson <http://facebook.com/anniesanderson> > *Blazin' a trail where there is no path.* > > On Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 6:55 AM, Dennis Haynes > <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote: > > > At 25 years and 175,000 miles that tranny owes nobody anything. The > > symptoms can be a hydraulic problem or the clutches are just plain > > worn out. You need to get it properly repaired before you burn it up > > an make it non-rebuildable. Hopefully you didn't buy that vehicle > > thinking all you had to do was drive it. > > > > Dennis > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On > > Behalf Of Annie > > Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 2:23 PM > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help! > > > > Ok . . . this morning after I took my kids to school, making sure it > > was good and warm by time I got home, I checked the fluid level again. > > It was a little below the lower dot so I added some fluid and brought > > it up to about midway between the dots. > > > > I haven't driven yet since I added more fluid but I will check it > > again after I get home this afternoon from picking up the kids and let > > you know what happens. > > > > Thanks, > > ~Annie > > > > On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 9:40 PM, Annie <lsandrsn@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > No, I'm sure it isn't overfull. It's a little below the top mark. I > > > am always super careful when I put fluids in anywhere to ensure I > > > don't get too much. > > > > > > It's got 174,000 miles on it. But I've only owned it since January. > > > Had a bunch of work done to it including a complete trans service > > > back in February/March. From what I can tell, it was very well cared > > > for in its early life. The guy I bought it from, however, had driven > > > it pretty > > hard. > > > > > > I will double check it tomorrow and make sure again that it's not > > > too full just to be even more absolutely sure. I'll let you know > > > what I find out. If anyone else has any other thoughts in the > > > meantime, please > > do > > share! > > > > > > Thanks! > > > ~Annie > > > > > > On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 9:18 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans < > > > scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote: > > > > > >> maybe Daryl will comment. > > >> > > >> one things ...make super sure it is not overfull. > > >> that's like fully warmed up and parked on the level, the AF level > > >> must not be above the top mark on the dipstick. Hyper important. > > >> > > >> re the comment " I just thought > > >> > > >> perhaps it was because I'd driven quite a few miles traveling back > > >> and > > >>> forth > > >>> to Seattle and Bellevue " > > >>> > > >> > > >> that by itself will not cause a problem .. > > >> it should be able to drive tank after thankful after thankful, back > > >> and forth across the US several times if you ask it to. > > >> Just 'driving it normally' doesn't make it act up unless something > > >> is worn or tired. > > >> > > >> how many miles on it ? > > >> be super sure it's not overfull. > > >> > > >> Scott > > >> www.turbovans.com > > >> > > >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Annie" <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM> > > >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > > >> Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 8:47 PM > > >> Subject: Transmission slippage - help! > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> Hi, all > > >>> > > >>> Seems I'm having some transmission slippage. I've got an '85 GL > > >>> with an auto trans. I've checked the fluid levels numerous times > > >>> and it's right where it should be. I did add a little a few weeks > > >>> ago but it wasn't too low. I haven't noticed any fluid leaking from > anywhere. > > >>> > > >>> The slipping seems to happen shifting from 2nd into drive and then > > >>> once you come to a stop and the transmission downshifts. Sometimes > > >>> it's like it doesn't fully disengage or something as it kinda > > >>> "clunks" once you've stopped and makes the van lurch slightly. I > > >>> hope what I'm saying makes sense. ;-) > > >>> > > >>> It also seems to slip once you've slowed down a little and then go > > >>> to speed back up again - it's like it doesn't engage again. It > > >>> started this a few weeks ago but it was very intermittent at the > > >>> time and I just thought perhaps it was because I'd driven quite a > > >>> few miles traveling back and forth to Seattle and Bellevue for two > > >>> weeks every day. (About 130 miles or so per > > >>> day.) > > >>> > > >>> Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated. > > >>> This is my only vehicle right now and the kids just went back to > > >>> school today. > > >>> Can't > > >>> have any getting stranded! > > >>> > > >>> Thanks! > > >>> ~Annie > > >>> > > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > >


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