By the time you buy all of the special tools and jigs needed to work on
this tranny you will have spent the cost of a decent rebuild. And at
that point, you still are clueless, even with a manual. From everything
I've read, VW tranny work is NOT like VW motor work. No wussies allowed.
No party hats. No joke. I'll tear my motor down in a dead minute, but
get the willies just pulling the bell housing on my tranny.

AA transmission on the west coast (Seattle?) is on list and will
probably reply. They have a great reputation on list (tough crowd, tears
conmen to shreds). Decent rebuild is in the $3k-$4k range. You can
probably get something fixed for $2k, and get the platinum service and
fancy crate for $5.5k.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Marketing & Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
AIM = IExplain4u
Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Spooner, Robert E.
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 1:59 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Auto tranny rebuild

Folks,
You may or may not have seen either of my queries about auto tranny
issues.

Anyway, how bad are these auto trannies to rebuild?  I'm pretty good,
mechanically, but I know nothing about these slush-box transmissions.
Do I have any chance at all to take this thing out, rebuild it, put it
back in and have it work?  I have the Haynes, and the Bentley.

My favorite local VW shop is quoting me big $$$ for the rebuild.  I
understand the $$$, it seems like a tedious job that could take a long
time...time is $$$.

Thanks for any input.

Bob
East Haddam, CT