If you have access to a detailed manual for this unit, then I would suggest you check the spring lengths to those printed.      I have no experience of this transmission type but I have worked on and repaired a couple of ZF automatics in Volvo's and a Peugeot.    I have also found spray cleaners like those for brakes or carburetors to be very useful, doing 1 section at a time to prevent a mix of parts.      Steve 
On Dec 4, 2013, at 8:43 PM, Robert Fisher wrote:

> Basically you just clean it, carefully and well. There are springs and ball
> bearings and screws that would be easy to lose, and of course there's lots
> of dirty ATF. I used a large (like 35' x 20') lid to a Rubbermaid container
> as a work surface (it had raised edges to catch the gunk). Put the lid in a
> couple of clear garbage sacks, and took a picture of every single thing I
> did, no matter how slight. Lots of lint-free shop towels.
> If you think it's excessively worn (check the plate where the bearings rub
> for ovaling) you can get a reconditioned unit from German Transaxle.
> On Dec 4, 2013 9:16 PM, "thewestyman" <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:
> 
>> I can take off the pan and change the filter and even take out the valve
>> body, but I would not know what to do with that.
>> I will try to change the filter first.  The valve body is something I have
>> not done yet.  I guess, one needs to change some items in it.
>> Zoltan
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: john Lauterbach
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2013 9:03 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: A/T changes hard
>> 
>> Time to get your van to a competent A/T repair shop for cleaning the
>> valve body, new filter, and new fluid.
>> 
>> Jojm
>> 
>> On Tue, 2013-12-03 at 20:57 -0800, thewestyman wrote:
>> 
>>> Hello to all,
>>> 
>>> This A/T is changing hard in the morning until it warms up.  I don�t have
>>> a good idea what to do with it, if any, to have it back to good order.
>>> Anyone?
>>> Greetings to all in Christmas spirit.
>>> Zoltan
>>> 
>>