It the o-ring is hard and brittle that could be a sign the transmission has been overheating. The inside seals and pistons could be suffering the same fate. Most automatic transmission troubles begin as internal hydraulic failures.  

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Spragge [mailto:spraggepat@gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2017 7:23 PM
To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: A/T governor R/R - necessary to drain ATF first?

Thx Dennis

Just a minor weep of fluid and I have a new oring. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 7, 2017, at 2:36 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Why do you want to check it? Nothing ever happens to it unless the transmission is self destructing and debris is getting into it.  
> Fluid loss is minimal removing the cap and then the governor lifts out. There is also a seal at the bottom of the governor shaft. When it goes ATF goes into  the final drive. It can be serviced with the trans in place. 
> 
> Dennis
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Pat Spragge
> Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2017 4:31 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: A/T governor R/R - necessary to drain ATF first?
> 
> Planning on removing and inspecting the governor on my 1989 A/T...it has an o-ring seal but does that mean that I will need to drain the ATF? Or will there be minimal leakage?
> 
> Pat S.
> 1989 Westfalia