Date:         Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:04:33 -0500
Reply-To:     "Philip R. Hanlon" <prhanlon@DIBBS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Philip R. Hanlon" <prhanlon@DIBBS.NET>
Subject:      auto tranny questions
Comments: To: Vanagon List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Dear Vanagoners:

        The AT in my 1991 Carat has been one of the reliable items. Still going
strong after 125K miles and two engine burns. As John Anderson mentioned,
the torque converter oil seal must be going, because the front of my engine
compartment does have a fine coat of oil. But wouldn't the fine coat of oil
be gear oil and not automatic transmission fluid? The oil seal appears to
seal the converter from the final drive. Bentley does indicate that the
torgue converter itself is filled with AT fluid.
        My question: can anyone explain how the torque converter works? I've
figured out that it's bolted with three nuts to the engine flywheel and
meshed with the drive shaft on the final drive (differential.)

Philip Hanlon
Mobile, AL  91 Carat