Okay, four questions, actually.

The AT in our 84 Vanagon appears to be what Bentley's calls "090 except
code letters NH." I used the illustration of the accelerator
cable/linkage on page 37.12 to make the identification.

Question 1: is there a better way to identify the transmission?

This transmission has been slipping badly, especially between 2nd and
3rd. Today I drained the ATF, dropped and cleaned the pan and ATF
strainer cover, installed a new filter and gaskets, and re-filled the AT
with Dexron III ATF.  It is shifting MUCH better. The old ATF was pretty
brown, and there was some sand-like swarf in the pan.

Moving on, I want to check the throttle linkage to the AT. The
adjustment procedure at
http://www.vanagonparts.com/at_service.html says that you press on the
accelerator pedal to full throttle position. "Throttle lever must
contact stop . . . "

Question 2: what stop?

" . . . but kickdown lever on transmission must NOT be in kickdown
position."

Question 3: After a bit of study, I have determined that the kickdown
lever is the same as the "shift lever on transmission" (Page 37.12). But
what exactly IS the kickdown position? How can I tell if the kickdown
lever is there or not?

Next, I want to adjust the 2nd brake band. The illustration on page
38.12, Fig 15, shows the brake band adjusting screw.

I just received my handy Harbor Freight 1/4''-drive  inch-lb torque
wrench. The illustration in the book suggests that the screw is being
adjusted with a socket on the end of the wrench (there is a closed
wrench behind the socket wrench holding the lockwasher). But on my
transmission, the screw looks like it wants an Allen (hex) key to adjust
it. I reckon I have found the right adjusting screw, but before I mess
anything up,

Question 4: Does the 2nd brake band adjusting screw on this transmission
want an allen key to turn it?

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
KG6RCR