Well just another data point for ya
I just did a soft rebuild (ie all wearable parts clutches seals etc)
rebuilt torque converter & new tranny cooler
that was $2000 cdn bucks by a 30yr  Victoria Transmission in bc
I have a full 1 yr warranty x .ca, .us & .mx from the affliated trans shops
(we'll see if that is an good if i need to call on that)

Now I could have done that myself in a few weeks & spent some goods bucks on
tools it would
have run me ~$1000 and the effort at least 15-20 hrs for me to do it
and I am sure since the last time i rebuild a tranny was 20yrs ago that I
would mucked up installing
some thing & would have to pull the tranny at least once after the rebuild
:)

So 1700 seems real fair but I woulda done the tranny cooler too
well If i were you I'd do that tranny cooler now when it goes your gonna
spend that 1700 all over again
plus some engine tear down .... :(

----- Original Message -----
From: "robertmstewart" <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 9:33 PM
Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
Malfunction, 88 Auto

> Okay,
>
> Here's what happened...
>
> I took the advice I received and got a referral to a someone who is a
> transmission specialist in Oceanside ny, onetime transmission, the owner
Tom
> Burke did the work.
>
> He looked at the Van and determined that there was a problem with a
"stater
> pump" ?  He told me the pump was malfunctioning and needed replacement,
> additionally he told me before he removed the transmission he ran the van
> and noticed that when he gave the van gas it was fine, but the second he
> took his foot off the gas the tranny started squirting fluid out of the
ATF
> dip stick, he stated it was like a fountain. He told me the vents were
fine.
>
> So he pulled the tranny out and told me the clutch and the components
> internally were all burnt out and deteriorating and that he felt it needed
a
> complete rebuild.
>
> So he told me he basically replaced all the internal parts of the tranny,
> cleaned the internal parts, and external parts, even painting the exterior
> with a rustoleum paint. ( this was unnecessary but it did not bother me.)
he
> told me if the tranny leaks it will very visible and detectable as it will
> be easy to see over the gray paint.
>
> He also had to replace the tranny mount as it was rusted and the rubber on
> it was gone.
>
> Additionally he told me that taking off the Transmission from the
> differential unit was hard because this van was living in Rochester NY and
> the rust had made all the bolts very hard to remove, they needed to use
> torches to get the bolts to loosen!
>
> So the whole rebuild with all the parts and labor was $1795, he offered me
> to pay $1600 if I paid in cash though. He told me he gave me a great deal
as
> my mechanic told him to treat me right...
>
> So was I screwed?
>
> I felt like the guy took me.. I tried to get a complete parts breakdown
from
> him and he told me it was a complete rebuild, everything was replaced.
Which
> did not sit well with me but I felt I had no choice. He towed the van to
his
> place and having it towed to another place for a second opinion just
seemed
> like to much work since I was told he was the best in town...
>
> Rob
> --
> Rob
> NYC/Long Beach, NY
> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
> http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
> AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
>
>
>
> on 7/21/06 9:02 PM, Dennis Haynes at dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET wrote:
>
> > I've seen so much crud on top of these trannies, the vent can not be
> > seen.
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> > Of robertmstewart
> > Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 5:18 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
> > Malfunction, 88 Auto
> >
> > He said and I quote" those things never get clogged" when I told him to
> > check the vent.
> >
> > My opinion of him went down after that remark but the local mechanic in
> > town
> > says he's good and he owns two other shops as well so I guess I will
> > have to
> > see what he finds out on Tuesday of next week.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Rob
> > NYC/Long Beach, NY
> > 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
> > http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
> > AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
> >
> >
> >
> > on 7/21/06 4:53 PM, dooley at pdooley@GTE.NET wrote:
> >
> >> Did the mechanic check the vent?
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf Of
> >> robertmstewart
> >> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 4:35 PM
> >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes Trans
> >> Malfunction, 88 Auto
> >>
> >> Hi everyone,
> >>
> >> I just had a transmission specialist pickup the van, he put it on the
> > lift
> >> filled it with tranny fluid, ran the engine and the minute he took his
> > foot
> >> of the gas the ATF all burped out!
> >>
> >> He was a little surprised because he tried to hold the ATF dip stick
> > down to
> >> feel the pressure and he said there was a lot of pressure pushing it
> > out, it
> >> came out like a small fountain!
> >>
> >> He said that he suspects and internal clog or leak, he is going to
> > pull the
> >> tranny to see what's going on.
> >>
> >> He told me the there is no fee upfront for the pull but after the
> > parts are
> >> installed for the repair there will be a $350 dollar fee.
> >>
> >> Is that a good price to pull the tranny?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Rob
> >> NYC/Long Beach, NY
> >> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
> >> http://web.mac.com/rmstewart
> >> AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> on 7/21/06 10:24 AM, Larry Alofs at lalofs@RCN.COM wrote:
> >>
> >>> Yep, the valve body.  I learned about that when I rebuilt the AT in
> > my
> >>> '84.  Sort of a hydraulic analog computer.
> >>>   It can be removed with the trans in the van.  Disassembly and
> > cleaning
> >>> requires considerable care and organization.
> >>>
> >>> Larry A.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> John Lauterbach wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Larry, I think there is some sort of part in the AT where the fluid
> > goes
> >>>> through a series of narrow passages almost like a maze.  Apparently,
> >>>> if the
> >>>> passages are dirty, strange things happen.
> >>>>
> >>>> John
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: "Larry Alofs" <lalofs@RCN.COM>
> >>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >>>> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 9:11 AM
> >>>> Subject: Re: AT Fluid Burping out of ATF Dip Stick Tube? Causes
> > Trans
> >>>> Malfunction, 88 Auto
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Did they tell you what the problem had been and how they fixed it?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Larry A.
> >>>>>
> >>>>