After the ATF is drained, what's the easiest way to refill and check the level?

I've heard of a 17mm allen nut hole.  Or, is this for the gear oil in
the final drive section??

I was thinking of just pouring a few quarts of tranny fluid down the
tranny filler tube with a special funnel and checking the level with
the stick.    I disconnected the tranny fluid filler tube and drained
most of the fluid in the process.

Are there other things I should chck out before taking the van out for
a test drive?

I guess the automatic transmission and the final drive differential
share the same fluids?

-- Craig

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 17:28:28 -0500, Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com> wrote:
> Someone referred to a drain plug.  My '91 doesn't have one; it may
> depend on the year.  On mine I have to loosen the nut around the
> filler/check tube where it goes onto the side of the pan at the bottom
> of the trans.  Sometimes these are hard to get loose and easy to round
> off.  If you use an adjustable wrench, be sure that it is tight.
>   Good luck,
> Larry A.
>
>
>
>
> Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> > Well, I wasn't a.) born knowing how to change my AT's filter, b.)
> > clearly can't even find it without asking questions of the group (I
> > searched the archives, honest! used "automatic transmission filter" as
> > the seeds, and c.) but reckon that with sufficient information I can
> > probably do it without breaking the car, I shall order the recommended
> > kit and have a go at it!
> >
> > Thanks for the help, everyone.
> >
> > Oh -- will I need to buy some more red goo to replace that which has
> > leaked into my armpits?
> >
> > --
> > Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> > 71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
> > KG6RCR
> >
> >
> >
> > Robert Fisher wrote:
> >
> >> Interesting question. There doesn't appear to be a blow-by-blow for
> >> changing
> >> the oil either, unless I missed it. So maybe they figure you a.) are born
> >> knowing how to do this, b.) can figure it out on your own, or c.)
> >> shouldn't
> >> be doing it at all if a or b do not apply. I dunno.
> >> I personally suspect that very few people actually do this bit of
> >> maintenance, in that many don't even seem to know about the
> >> transmission has
> >> a filter- then again, that could just be me.
> >> There's pretty good picture of the thing at 38.25 in the Bentley.
> >>
> >> Cya,
> >> Robert
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <j.michael.elliott@ADELPHIA.NET>
> >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >> Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 10:13 AM
> >> Subject: Re: ATF filter: urban legend?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> jbange wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>> I've poked
> >>>>> through the Bentley's manual and can't find any mention of an ATF
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >> filter
> >>
> >>
> >>>>> . . . Male Pattern Blindness? Or was the suggestion inaccurate?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> Nah, it's there. I changed mine just yesterday. It's a flat round
> >>>> screen
> >>>> thingy INSIDE the transmission. You have to pull the bottom pan off the
> >>>> tranny to get to it. It usually comes in the same package with the big
> >>>> rubber transmission pan gasket.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>> Then WTF? How come Bentley's doesn't mention it anywhere that I can
> >>> find?
> >>>
> >>> Is there a procedure online that describes how to pull, inspect and
> >>> replace this filter? I've never opened a tranny before.
> >>> --
> >>>
> >>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >>> 71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
> >>> KG6RCR
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>