No harm as long as it still works!    I'd guess that the tires screeched
like hell and it killed the engine.  The "reverse burn out" let the tires
absorb most of the stress.   I did this when I was a teenager on a '62 Chevy
Powerglide, and it did pop a vacuum diaphragm on an external device that was
cheap and easy to replace, but that was it.  These hydraulic three speeds
are pretty tough.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Finn Runyon
Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2012 8:48 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: OUCH

My friend's wife who owns a 91 Westy automatic made the terrible mistake of
downshifting in the wrong direction.  At 40mph she shifted from D to R!  Not
a good noise I hear, but the transmission seems to be acting normally.  What
are the worries, and should anything be done?
Thanks,
Finn Runyon
87 Westy Pooh
89 Westy Roo