Date:         Wed, 5 Jun 2019 22:08:26 -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 Positive update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi folks,

Recently I receive some good information on this list concerning a persistent Automatic transmission fluid leak. 

        We seem to have solved the problem.  I will give out two shout outs to list folks on this solution.

Dennis Haynes gets the shout out for the diagnosis.  He emailed that it was likely that if the pan gasket was not leaking but that fluid still seemed to be coming from the corner it was likely the second gear piston gaskets.  I hope I’m saying that right.

Well, when we took off the cover and went to replace the gaskets we found the outer one was broken and hard as a rock.  Not a gasket at all but a hard piece of plastic. We replaced it and the O rings.  We could not replace the inner gasket because the one that came with the kit was too large.  Luckily that was the one gasket on my transmission that was still soft and supple and working. 

We did not replace the other gaskets. Two thick rubber band like gaskets one about a foot in diameter and one about 4 inches, and a paper one.  Once put back to gather and run, there were no leaks.  We have gone on a few short runs and still not a single drop leaking. 

I want to thank Ken again for getting me the parts quickly and He  gets another  important shout out.  I Asked Ken to describe the process of changing the seals and he took time to give me a detailed description.  My friend assisting me had never done this job on a vanagon.  Before the adventure was complete I explained the tips Ken had given me and they were critical to our success. 

I also, want to state that it was a Sunday and a vacation weekend and still at one point when we got stuck I called Dennis and sure enough he called me back to help.  Lucky for him he called just as the last bolt went in and the job was basically done.

Some thoughts for someone doing the seals. 

That second gear cover was really hard to get off.  It was so dirty the clip looked like a full circle and the gap was hard to find. 

But the real hard part was pushing it back in and holding it there then getting the clip back in.  We finally had to rig up a way to get a lever in there to push it in and hold it so the clip could pop in.  

I’m embarrassed to describe the crazy way we did it but in the end we found a pretty easy trick using a floor jack and a lever and a small piece of wood.  

So, the only mystery left is why the gasket was the wrong size for the second gear piston.

Others planning on this job would want the correct one. 

I asked Art  to double check and he said the two gaskets looked correct except one fit perfectly and the other was too big for the other spot. 


Any thoughts about what happened there would be appreciated.  

Still the job is done and the leak is gone. And that transmission is super clean having had multiple fluid changes.

Tips, and thoughts on this work are appreciated.

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto