I to had this problem, but with my 1988 Westy auto. Once, at around 20K
miles (I think) I took it ot the VW dealer who rebuilt it under warranty,
I believe replacing some sort of drain-valve that he said was leaking. I
don't have the service papers here at work, so I can't remember exactly. I
think the dealer put it to VWAmerica when they charged for the job. I seem
to remember $3000 or something.

At any rate, the same thing started again several years ago, but this time
there was no warranty, and there are no other symptoms, so I did not try
to fix it. I really don't even think of it much anymore, since if I drive
once a week or so I can't tell.  I think it has something to do with fluid
draining out of something that takes a little time to get
recirculated...??

Sorry for the uncertainty about this. I'd like to hear from others with
this problem. I don't plan to do anything about it if it is expensive to
fix.

On Tue, 2 Dec 1997, Bob Berkemer wrote:

> My 84 westy has an automatic that I've actually learned to like. The
> problem is that it may be getting tired. The tranny has 145,000 miles on
> it and in cold weather (northern wisconsin cold) the trans dosen't want
> to engage when it is first started. What I mean is that when I first put
> it into 1st or reverse I've got to run the rpm's up to at least 2500 to
> get any movement out of the beast. Once things are warmed up there is no
> problem other than a westy with an automatic is the very definition of
> slow : (  Oh well, who would by a Vanagon to hotrod?
>
> So to you tranny experts....is it dying? Is there any hope?
>
> TIA, Bob
>
> 84 Westy, wolfsburg...Das Bus
>
>

============================
John H. Zouck
The Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory
============================