Would this be consistant with the fact that it only starts to get
difficult after being driven for a while?

Thanks for the suggestions,  and for the help with the squeak.

wes

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003, Bob Stevens wrote:

> The tranny experts here will give you the best diag. Wes, but it does sound
> to me like the 3rd-4th slider is going or gone?? The other "squeak" sounds
> to me like the plastic mechanism under the rubber boot on the floor at the
> base of the shifter. I lifted mine the other day and greased it with light
> grease and that made things very smooth. I also spray some silicone on the
> two sliding supports on the shaft under the van and that also makes a big
> difference in smoothness.
> Bob Stevens
>
> http://groups.msn.com/BobsPhotoShare
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tiico
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wesley Alden Pegden" <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 5:44 PM
> Subject: very mysterious tranny problem...
>
>
> > So...
> > If I go out to my van right now and start driving around, it will shift
> > like butter.  I mean reallly smooth.  I just put redline mt90 in 2 weeks
> > ago, and it feels like it.
> >
> > But after driving through the city for ~30mintutes or so, it gets tougher
> > and tougher to shift, to the point where it takes a couple tries to go
> > from 4th to 3rd gear.  Next day?  Smooth as butter.  What's going on?
> >
> > On a possibly unrelated note, the shifter (not the tranny, I think)
> > sometimes makes a sqeaking noise along the 1st-2nd gear axis, kind of like
> > a window wiping noise.  Is there anything I can lube to fix this?
> >
> > Thanks for any help on these!
> > wes
> > '84 (manual) vanagon.
> >
>