excellent reply Ken.

exactly how I figure it works.
My guess that turning the screw in is 'more'...
it tightens the brake band a bit more.
and obviously it has to not drag at all when not engaged ..
then grab hard when it is.
  I figure it is only 'hope' that could help it keep going a bit more ..
if that's what the problem is ...a worn brake band for 2nd gear.
If it's    worn beyond spec or useful life ..it's just worn out.

I had the pan off and all looked pretty nice in there.
I have driven about 200 miles since then.
that it's intermittent seems a bit strange.
the miles are fairly high on it ..
so I know it's probably really due for a rebuild really.

just thought I'd ask.
thanks !
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Wilford" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: Auto trans - 2nd gear brake band adjusting screw

> Scott, I am not an auto transmission expert, nor do I play one on TV.
> However, recently I had to deal with an issue that required me to rip
> into the autobox and deal with this 2nd gear band adjustment.
>
> It is kinda cool how it works.  There is a piston that is behind the big
> round cover on the driver's side of the transmission.  I am talking
> about the one that is on the automatic portion and has a big round clip
> that holds it on.  The 2nd gear band is just that, a circular band that
> goes around the outside of a drum.  The band is split on the bottom side
> and there is an ear of metal on either side of the split.  One ear
> pushes up against the finger that is attached to the 2nd gear piston.
> The other ear is pushing up against the adjuster screw that we are
> talking about.  So when you set this adjustment, you are setting the
> amount of clamping force that you are putting on the band as it tries to
> grab the drum when the piston is actuated.  I am sure that you don't
> want to adjust it too much because this will stop the piston from
> traveling all the way, or make the band drag all the time and cause
> other problems.
>
> I set the adjustment per the Bentley manual and it was pretty simple to
> do and worked great afterwards.  If you drop the pan and find chunks of
> the band in the bottom of the pan, don't bother trying to adjust it.  It
> is dead.
>
> HTH,
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> On 3/9/2011 6:04 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> Hi all..
>> has anyone ever fiddled with that adjustment ?
>> I am aware of what Bentley says ..
>> just wondering if anyone has tried say, a qtr turn this way or that .
>>
>> thanks.
>> scott
>>