Date:         Sat, 20 Apr 2019 09:12:43 -0400
Reply-To:     Eric Caron <eric.caron@ICLOUD.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric Caron <eric.caron@ICLOUD.COM>
Subject:      Automatic transmission pan seal update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi listers,

        Once the power steering rack was in we decided to try to fix the Automatic Transmission pan leak. 

        After recent servicing the leak had increased from about a 5 inch circle after sitting for the winter to a dinner size plate every week or so.  That was more of a leak then a drip so I wanted to try to improve it.

We got the seal and filter from Ken along with the Power steering project parts.

        So, I’m looking for some list info on this project.  Though we completed it I suspect I’ll be doing it again in the future.  I do plan to keep this van for my life time after all!


So, we took off the filler tube and then the 4 bolts that hold on the pan.  Dropped it and caught the fluid.  We first noticed the gasket had lots of hard stuff around it.  We decided it was super glue.  We cleaned off the pan completely and then used four tiny drops of super glue one in each corner to hold the gasket in place.  Tip given by Ken.  The old gasket had glue all the way around. 

We also took out the old filter.  This was easy as it was rattling around a bit, not tightened in place.  We tightened up the new filter and with everything clean we put up the pan with new gasket.  We diagonally tightened up the pan to the Bentley specs and then as indicated checked twice more after 5 minutes.  It didn’t need tightening. 

Afer a couple of runs to get it to hot temp we checked our AT fluid levels and got it to the second dot. 

It took two days but I finally got a drop of fluid to come out.  I’d hate to have done a perfect job on that seal.  I mean, the van has to leak a little! 

So after a week I’ll compare my progress but from what I can tell I got my wet dinner plate size leak in a week down to a quarter sized drop. 

For me that goes down as a success.

So, any tips on getting the gasket to do a even better job next time?  Any high end better gaskets to look for in the future? 

How often should I need to change the Trans fluid and thus the filter and gasket?  
 OK, I admit it it sure would have been nice to not only improve the drip but get it to stop completely!  Still I can really live with this.  It took two days for the first drip to even hit the paper after the job.

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto Westfalia 
Getting ready for summer