I figure if there's an adjustment available, it's meant to be adjusted.

Karl Wolz

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
|Scott Daniel - Turbovans
|Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 12:24 PM
|To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Subject: Re: Auto trans - 2nd gear brake band adjusting screw
|
|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
|>>