>
>  While
> under the van, I noticed a leak, from my formally believed to be, leak
> free van. It looks like the loss of auto fluid was coming from the lower
> bolt on pan.

While we're on the subject, one other non-intuitive place to check for ATF
leaks is the shift governor cover on the left side of the final drive unit.
The O-ring there gets old, or some goofball "repairs" a cracked or pinched
O-ring with red permatex (PO of my van, I am looking in your direction!),
and it leaks ever so slowly, dripping down the side of the final drive and
collecting on the bottom, looking very much like a bad seal between the
transmission and final drive.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"