Have you at least tried changing the fluid and cleaning/replacing the
filter? The Ford ATF is a different viscosity and doesn't use friction
modifiers like the Dexron. It may help. Keep in mind that a change only
replaces 2.75 quarts of fluid so will need to change it a few times to get
it all out of the torque converter. Even if it does work the fix may be
short lived. The failure will come and the more you deny the repairs really
needed the farther away from home or the most in opportune time is when you
will need the tow truck. No sense paying for a $1,200 overhaul now when you
can wait for it to be $3,000+ fiasco with motel bills and lost work time
etc. BTW when the tranny starts to slip and do real funky stuff it will make
lots of heat until the torque converter seal fails or the ATF blows out the
vent and then if it can keep going the ATF on the exhaust makes for a great
fire starting opportunity. Not all vanagon fires start as fuel line
failures.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Ogul
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 11:03 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: AT Question

Earlier I posted the issue I'm having where my Westy won't upshift to 3rd
until its warmed up (about 2.2 miles)  I found a thread on the Samba
suggesting switching to F type AT fluid. hHs anyone here tried that for an
ailing AT and did it help?

Jim
85 Westy