In a message dated 19/09/2008 9:45:05 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

        Greg, yes, very  simple.  There are two 17mm socket plugs.  Use a
17mm allen key, cut  off a piece about 1 ~ 2" long with box spanner.  One plug is
dead  centre bottom just behind the bell housing to drain and the other to
fill  is behind the shift rod on the RH side sort of midway up.  Make sure you
can remove the filler before draining.  Let drain for at least 1/2 hour and
have the front jacked up slightly.  Use only Redline MT90 GL4 Synthetic oil  to
refill.  It is by far the best for this tranny.  Have the van  sitting level.
 Fill with a long plastic hose until overflowing.  Let  drain until no more
is coming out of the fill hole.  Use anti-seize on both  drain and fill plugs
for future ease of removal.  If the tranny is whining  it could very well be
the input shaft main bearing has been scored.  This  bearing being very large
and robust will most likely last a long time even  though it has been scored.
So, don't be surprised if the whining does not  go away.   Is there leaking
from the seals or case anywhere that may  have lowered the fluid level to have
caused the bearing to score ?  That  bearing is the one most susceptible to
damage from lack of oil.

>>>>>>Is it possible to change the transmission fluid  with the tranny still
in
the van? The bentley isn't clear on this and the  archives keep timing
out on  me.<<<<<<<<

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008