Flo,

Something else too.....

If you have never changed the transmission fluid, you should do so. A
good oil to put back in is Redline MT 90. I run it in my own van and put
it in to relieve a shifting problem - which it did admirably. It has
shifted ever so sweet ever since. You will like the performance. Change
it out every two years.

Also, when you drain the tranny oil .........always remove the fill plug
first before removing the drain plug. This ensures that you will be able
to refill the tranny after it is drained. There is no greater
consternation than to drain the tranny, only to discover you can't get
that stupid filler plug out. (BTDT! :-( )

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

John Rodgers wrote:
> Flo,
>
> Get a short bolt whose head is the size to fit into the drain plug -- I
> think it's 17 MM but I can't remember for certain. Get two nuts that fit
> the bolt to go along with it. Put the two nuts on the bolt and jam them
> together - that is tighten them against each other. Now insert the bolt
> head into the drain plug and use a box end wrench to turn the bolt to
> tighten the plug.
>
> This works really well. Because the bolt is so short, I keep mine in the
> ash tray.
>
> Sorry, I can't help with the coolant issue.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> Florian Speier wrote:
>> so, the vanagon greeted me with two leaks today. tranny oil  (manual)
>> and
>> coolant.
>>
>> the tranny oil ssems to come from the manual tranny drain plug, and
>> it is
>> not a lot. is there any tool that can tighten the plug without
>> removing the
>> transmission? and is it very bad for the transmission to have lost a
>> little
>> oil? I doubt it was more than an ounce at max....
>>
>> the other leak..... well, coolant, left side. I still have my hopes
>> its not
>> the head. it seems to be coming from these hoses and sensors behind the
>> left, at least there are marks of dried coolant, but there is also
>> some on
>> the oil filter. So is just driving on and refilling a very dangerous
>> tactic?
>> I am gearing up for a subie conversion, so it should just be a few
>> months....
>>
>> flo
>>
>>
>
>