Date:         Sat, 28 Mar 1998 12:18:44 -0800
Reply-To:     Danny Fuller <dfuller@BIOMAIL.UCSD.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Danny Fuller <dfuller@BIOMAIL.UCSD.EDU>
Subject:      Re: auto tranny vs. manual/1
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>Ok, for those of us that are too poor to pay someone else or just like doing
>the work ourselves, what type of service does an automatic tranny require?
>
>Pete


You undo the filler tube at the side of the case (may require
yanking/jiggling).  Unbolt the pan, then take off and clean the filter
(behind odd shaped plate held on by 2 screws).  I use paint thinner and
compressed air to clean both the filter and the pan.  I keep a small,
strong magnet in the pan to collect the fine metal particles that
accumulate.  Contrary to Bentley, you can re-use both the pan and filter
gaskets if you're careful and the rubber is pliable.  Put everything back
together, dump in about 2 and a half quarts of DEXRON (I,II,or III) , then
you're ready to go (check the fluid level after warming).  The beauty is
that you need nothing but the oil, the filter is re-usable, and it only
takes about 15 minutes.

Dan Fuller
'90 Carat (Auto)

PS.  Due to an assembly error at the factory (forgotten shim)  I had to
rebuild my tranny after 60K miles.  I've since put over 100K miles on it
trouble free.  They are EASY to rebuild yourself.