Hello Scott:

thank you for your assistance. Sounds are not like CV.  All the times
sound has happened I have not been in a turn.  A couple of times it
sounded like a gear grinding.  A couple of other times, it felt like a
slip, but on my "hill" test, both upshift points were right a 4600 rpm.

I have no idea as to actual mileage. At least three engines have been in
the van.  There have been several instrument clusters.

John

On Thu, 2009-12-17 at 18:10 -0800, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> Have CV joints been considered ?
>
> I've been involved with two vanagon automatic transmissions that did not
> work correctly - no, three, come to think of it.
> No noises in any of them.
>
> if the trans itself is suspect, I'd drop the pan and see what's in there.
> Also a great idea to check the differential oil .......to see if it's full,
> and to make sure it's not contaminated with ATF, which is one of the failure
> modes of vanagon transaxles.
>
> also ........on noises........it always helps to say if it's a whirr, a
> cluck, and squeak etc.
> In English we have many words to describe the nature of sounds.
>
> How many miles are on it ?
> and a nose description would be nice.
> and at least consider CV joints, and rear wheel bearings.
> Scott
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pdooley" <psdooley@VERIZON.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 5:40 AM
> Subject: Re: ominous sounds from automatic transmission
>
>
> >I don't know the problem, but my experience with auto trans is they make
> > noise for a precious short time before the major fireworks happen.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> > john
> > Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 12:37 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: ominous sounds from automatic transmission
> >
> > My '84 7-passenger, which i have owned since 1997, started making some
> > strange sounds today.  sounds apparently coming from automatic
> > transmission, but i don't think I have a dirty valve body as the shift
> > points are right on and smooth.  Noises occur while accelerating.  What
> > happens when an automatic transmission is just worn out?  What are my
> > options?
> >
> > John in Macon, GA