Hi Frank:

A sure sign of impending problems with the automatic transmission is not
upshifting. The time this happened to my Vanagon, the module with all the
small passageways had to be cleaned out.  A local transmission rebuild shop
did the work.

John
'84 7-passenger
Macon, GA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Condelli" <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:10 AM
Subject: Auto tranny question

> Volks, my travelling friends and customers, Gerry  & Sharon, who have
> spent
> the last three years travelling around South  America in their '87 Westy
> are
> now heading back toward Ottawa and are  experienceing a problem with the
> auto
> tranny somewhere in Cost Rica ~  Nicaragua.  See their travel blog at
> _www.travelpod.com/members/thymeoff_
> (http://www.travelpod.com/members/thymeoff) .
> What seems to be  occurring is that it will not shift up into top gear
> from cold
> start until it  has been fully warmed up, usually about 5 km.  I advised
> them
> to have the  fluid and filter changed.  I just received the following
> message.
>  Anyone have an idea what may be happening here and what they should do ?
> I'm thinking the valve body may have gotten crud in it.  Is that possible
> ?
>
>>>As for the transmission - yes,  it's automatic - I've had the filter and
> ATF replaced twice on the trip. Once in  Buenos Aires, and most recently
> in
> Bogota (again about 3,000 km ago) - when  I thought the gasket was leaking
> but it
> turned out to be the seal between  the transmission and the final drive.
> So,
> any other ideas why it might not  like to change up until it's warmed up
> (generally now about 5km)? I'll check the  ATF level again to make sure
> that's okay
> (engine at operating temperature and  running). I'm loathe to take it in
> anywhere unless I can find a really good shop  specializing in automatic
> transmission - maybe in Mexico? Really depends whether  it gets any
> worse.<<
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains
> (_Collection
> for  sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> _Vanagon  Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007
>