Chuck,

Your suggestion about using a garden sprayer to put fluid into the
Vanagon's automatic transmission is excellent, and the approach I will use.

But what's the easy way to drain that transmission? You wrote of
draining the AT fluid through the dip stick tube -- I hesitate to stick
a tube in there and suck . . . .
--

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 VW Type 2 / 84 Westy: A poor but proud race.
KG6RCR

Chuck Mathis wrote:

> Craig,
>
> No 17mm allen nut hole on the automatics.
>
> The final drive and auto tranny don't share fluids.
>
> When you drain the tranny fluid from the dip stick tube you get the
> majority of the old fluid out.  When you drop the pan you will get
> some more out.
> There will still be a little left in the torque converter.  Bentley
> specifies one amount for just a drain and fill, and another for filter
> changes.
>
> A while back I bought an inexpensive garden sprayer intending to turn
> it into a pressure bleeder for the brake system.  Before I got a
> round2it hacking it up, I bought a a pressure bleeder on sale and
> tossed the garden sprayer in the corner.  While looking at pouring ATF
> through the dip stick/filler tube using a funky funnel it occurred to
> me that if I trimmed the sprayer end off the hose it would slip down
> the filler tube rather neatly.  I put a couple quarts and a little
> extra in the canister, pumped up the pressure, poked the hose in the
> tube and pulled the trigger.  In a matter of seconds the canister was
> empty and the tranny was full.  The garden sprayer, marked "ATF", now
> rests on the shelf next to the brake bleeder.
>
> >Date:    Mon, 23 Aug 2004 15:51:19 -0700
> >From:    Craig Oda <craigoda@GMAIL.COM>
> >Subject: Re: ATF filter: urban legend?
>
> >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
>
>
> Chuck
> '85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'
>