Auto Gearbox

[Sir Brixalot]

Since I've had it, in cold weather it takes about 10 seconds before it will drive off. It's always been sluggish on hills but seems to be getting worse. It goes up and down the gears fine. Recently the fuel economy has dropped drastically.

I need to get a leak fixed and the garage has suggested doing all the gearbox seals. Do the symptoms sound like gearbox or more like torque converter?

My understanding is that gears sticking is likely to be gearbox and slipping is likely to be torque converter. Have I got this right? Re reading US sites it could be the seals between the bands?

[cassandra]

Hi, auto boxes have always been one of the 'Dark Arts' which us mere mortals are not privy to! Best to take the whole van to a decent autobox specialist and let them work there spells and magic. These things generally need very specialist knowledge and tools to re-build properly and if you have a leak and slipping/selection issues then a re-build is probably the best way to proceed. Slipping could well be the torque converter but could also be brake bands slipping, sticking gears could be low or wrong oil or, again brake band problems or perhaps a blocked strainer or worn oil pump or oil pressure regulator. The list of possible causes is enough of a reason to leave jobs like this to the experts.

[Sir Brixalot]

Hard to find an expert round here. I've had quite a few bad experiences recently and i'm trying to gen up as much as possible so that I can tell which garages know their stuff. I was ringing around for quotes which varied wildly in price and in which parts of the auto gearbox system were included. Drove an an hour and twenty minutes the other day for an appointment arrange via emails only to find they were too busy and I'd have to go back another day. Another one knew the gearboxes well but couldn't accommodate a high top. It's the chasing about that is so annoying about having an older van. I seem to spend more time fixing it or getting it fixed than enjoying camping in it.

[cassandra]

Hi, just a random thought but do you have an independent Mercedes specialist near you? Most older mercs are auto and most 'classic' owners would not pay main dealer prices, hence a local merc specialist should know a decent autobox specialist. Does that make sense?

[Sir Brixalot]

I'll have a look. Loads of autos in the US and most of the info is on Vanagon sites

[Smiffo]

I'll have a look. Loads of autos in the US and most of the info is on Vanagon sites

Apologies if I come across as asking a dumb question - but I assume poor ATF in the gearbox has been considered?
No experience of this at all, and have only ever owned one Auto Box'd car ( which ran flawlessly. )

I do however know of a friend of mine some time ago who had a wedge shaped Auto Vauxhall Cavalier...
He had weird symptoms which resulted in him only being able to reverse..!!
( Apparently he just left it longer and longer. )

Not sure how the symptoms started out, but his turned out to be old ATF fluid and not enough of it in there...

You may have considered this and checked it already?

[Sir Brixalot]

Changed it twice. I overfilled had to drain some out. Level is correct now.

[cassandra]

Hi, I get the feeling you really want to try and sort this yourself rather than paying out for what could be very expensive professional help so a couple of questions. Your first post mentioned a leak- where is it leaking from? secondly and no offence intended but are you checking the level correctly as most autos are checked with the engine running after moving the selector full travel from park and back again. I realise this may not be the case with a T25 but just a thought. Finally, have you changed/cleaned the oil strainer inside the 'box?

I realise I may be stating the obvious but just wondering?

[Sir Brixalot]

Thanks for the advice. I was kindly emailed the VW Auto manual which goes through the filling procedure and it is done with engine running after driving about 6 miles. I had overfilled it previously but I've been told it would just pour out of the breathers before bursting a seal. The main leak is from the 2nd gear brake band piston cover but is not too bad since I siphoned out the excess. I've done the gasket and strainer and there was one 3mm thin metal strip in it. I've changed the ATF twice, the first time would be sump oil but 2nd should have cleared the oil a bit but is still looks pretty dark. It feels like it's slipping and I think the MPG had dropped a lot(although I'm still monitoring it to make sure)

I'm definitely not going to do it myself, I park and work on the van on the road and do everything I can but this is too much. I just want to make sure I don't get ripped off and that the garage goes to the right part of the gear system first.

[Sir Brixalot]

E D I T

[camper]

https://www.hardyengineering.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; This company is very good for gearbox repairs established for years. If you can drive it to Leatherhead it might be worth discussing the auto box issues for repairs

[Sir Brixalot]

Spoke to them today. Nice guys and he knew the van had a 3 speed straight away

[kentishvanman]

Hi,
You could try Stanton Automatic Gearboxes in Tonbridge, Kent. Reasonably near you. They have a website and a good reputation but I have not used them.
They are 10mins from me so if I can help anyway just yell.
Don

[Sir Brixalot]

Cheers mate. The leak isn't too bad so I'll wait until Christmas is over