Thanks, Dennis.  It's been about 14 years since I looked at the dipstick
with the engine off.

Mike

Dennis Haynes wrote:
> Actually,
> With the engine off, fluid will drain from the torque converter and give
> a really high reading on the stick. Then the fluid level will be too low
> possible causing the trans to slip along with aerating the fluid and
> making a lot of heat and possibly causing the fluid to boil out, but
> that last part is a stretch.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Mike Collum
> Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 10:55 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
> Malfunction, 88 Auto
>
> Proper checking is done on a level plane, while hot, engine running, and
> with the shifter in park or neutral.
>
> If you were seeing what looked like the proper level on the dipstick
> with the engine off, I'd say your first problem was the transmission was
> grossly overfilled.
>
> I don't know how to advise you at this point.  Maybe someone with
> "Experience" with this particular problem will chime in.  (Experience is
> what we get when we were expecting something else).
>
> Mike
>
>
> robertmstewart wrote:
>
>>I checked in Park with engine off. 5-10 min after running.
>>
>>
>>on 7/20/06 10:31 PM, Mike Collum at collum@VERIZON.NET wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Were you checking the ATF level with the engine running and while in
>>>park or neutral?
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>
>>>
>>>robertmstewart wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hello everyone,
>>>>
>>>>I have a question for you, my 88 Auto with a used good condition
>
> Tranny all
>
>>>>of a sudden today started to fail and I am at a loss and need your
>>>>feedback...
>>>>
>>>>(The short version is this: ATF burping and how does a perfectly
>
> working AT
>
>>>>go to a non-functioning AT?)
>>>>
>>>>Here�s the background:
>>>>
>>>>The van�s past owner before the person I purchased it from was a VW
>
> Mechanic
>
>>>>and the prior owner and he installed another auto trans from another
>
> good
>
>>>>working van�s tranny several years ago.
>>>>
>>>>I have had the van since January 06. Since then the transmission has
>
> been
>
>>>>shifting normally, and for the last month I have been traveling 3-4
>
> hour
>
>>>>trips from Long Island to Upstate NY and doing some serious highway
>
> driving
>
>>>>and mountain driving. Usually I put in at least 8 hours of solid
>
> driving per
>
>>>>weekend for 4 weekends. All in all the van has performed great..
>>>>
>>>>Here�s where the story starts.. Just before my first long trip (4
>
> weeks ago)
>
>>>>I check all fluids, stupidly I did it when the van was cold, and in
>
> doing so
>
>>>>thought the ATF was low so I added just a little bit to what was in
>
> there,
>
>>>>now after about 3hrs of driving, I pull into the driveway at my
>
> destination
>
>>>>and park the van, well I see ATF fluid burping out of the Dip Stick
>
> tube!
>
>>>>Not much just a little 1/4 cup. I figure it�s just the overflow
>
> kicking out.
>
>>>>I check it in 10 minutes and the level is fine.
>>>>
>>>>Well 4 weeks pass and I drive it pretty hard to and from the LI to
>
> Upstate
>
>>>>NY, 8 hrs per weekend (3x) all is good. Today I start the van up and
>
> drive 1
>
>>>>mile away from the house in Long Island to the grocery, on the way I
>
> can see
>
>>>>smoke from the back of the van, it smells like the ATF burping and
>
> leaking
>
>>>>onto the exhaust. I park at the grocery and see it burping out, about
>
> 1/4 �
>
>>>>1/2 cup.  I do some shopping come back 15 min. later, and drive the 1
>
> mile
>
>>>>home, all seems fine. No smoke. After it cools down a bit I check the
>
> ATF
>
>>>>fluid and it appears a bit low, so I top it off with Dexron III and
>>>>accidentally over fill it but not by much.
>>>>
>>>>About 4 hours later I get in the van and drive back the same
>
> direction about
>
>>>>1 mile to go to the post office and immediately I can detect
>
> something is
>
>>>>not right.
>>>>At the stop light with the brake on I can see the rpm�s go from about
>
> 875
>
>>>>and revs to about 1,000, then levels off again, normally at idle it
>
> stays
>
>>>>right at 875. I thought the surging was strange. I then continue to
>
> drive
>
>>>>and again I see the smoke occurring again from the back of the van,
>
> smells
>
>>>>again like ATF on the exhaust, now I decide to head right to me local
>>>>standard mechanic not my VW guy cause he was closed.
>>>>
>>>>The local guy tells me the burping is normal if there is to much ATF
>
> in the
>
>>>>case. So he checks the fluid and he says the level is good. He tells
>
> me to
>
>>>>bring it by in the morning as I wanted them to check the brakes since
>
> I just
>
>>>>had all the brakes replaced (the original ones were too rusty). I
>
> then
>
>>>>decide to take a little drive just a mile down the road along beach
>
> to let
>
>>>>the fluid cycle through and burn off the stuff was sitting on the
>
> exhaust
>
>>>>and I thought that maybe taking it up to highway speed would be good,
>
> to get
>
>>>>the fluid really circulating. Bad idea...
>>>>
>>>>As I drive this simple little straight route I notice the
>
> transmission is
>
>>>>not engaging right, when I take my foot off the brake it usually goes
>>>>forward on its own, this time nothing.. I have to gas it. Then it
>
> gets
>
>>>>progressively worse. It goes into 1st, then second, then it rev�s and
>
> then
>
>>>>goes to 3rd, and then I thought, oh crap! I have problems. Time to
>
> get it
>
>>>>back to the mechanic!
>>>>
>>>>Well To late, I turn it around to go back the mile I came and now at
>
> the
>
>>>>stop light I give it gas and it goes now where!
>>>>
>>>>I am stuck during rush hour and everyone is honking, my flasher are
>
> on, but
>
>>>>people don�t pay attention. I signal for them to go around me. People
>
> are
>
>>>>screaming, others understand..
>>>>
>>>>I call the mechanic and see if they can come by and push me the 4
>
> blocks to
>
>>>>the garage, he says he can�t.  I then call AAA to haul my van back,
>
> but
>
>>>>right after I decide to start the van and try... Well it starts to
>
> move,
>
>>>>each time I stop it�s a crap shoot to whether it will move. It never
>
> gets
>
>>>>past 1st gear. I have to literally move my body a little forward to
>
> try and
>
>>>>coax the van to get in gear and move, but somehow I get to the
>
> garage. While
>
>>>>the engine is still hot I check the ATF level, I see a hair on the
>
> end, but
>
>>>>it was pretty try.
>>>>
>>>>So what is going on with all the burping and how does a perfectly
>
> working AT
>
>>>>go to a non-functioning AT?  The mechanic suspected that the AT is
>>>>overheating.. What does this mean? I just hope this does turn into a
>
> massive
>
>>>>money pit now.....
>>>>
>>>>I hope someone here can shed some light on the burping issue, and why
>
> all of
>
>>>>a sudden the transmission would not engage...
>>>>
>>>>Thanks in advance,
>>>>Robert
>>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>