Can't engage Neutral or Reverse

[erikgundy98]

1990 Automatic Vanagon.

Pulling out of a parking spot in a parking lot yesterday, van made the sound like I hit something, however, I pulled back into my parking spot, looked around (saw nothing) and then left. But then it slipped (felt like it was in Neutral until RPM got to 1200, then it engaged 1st gear and then proceeded to shift naturally, clean, through all 3 gears (Auto Transmission).

All the way home. Two stop lights, about 2 miles from where it slipped. Freeway drive, to side streets, into driveway. No issues.

Then I went to put it in Reverse, or Neutral, the van boggs down, and would die if I pushed on gas more.

I will read the Bentley when I get home. But I thought of the Samba first.

I checked AT level, and it reads HIGH, like really high. It is a light brownish color, not red. I believe it used to be red.

I will flush the fluid, but dont think that is the problem. I jacked up drivers rear wheel, put van in Neutral, and I was able to rotate tire forward, but not backwards. However, it sure felt like something was engaged in transmission. I also heard sloshing of fluid as I turned the wheel. I dont think I have heard that before.

Getting under there in a few. Will read Bentley first. Anyone have this problem, or ideas?
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'90 Multivan Westfalia

[dabaron]

verify the shift linkage is not loose. have a helper move the gear selector and watch the lever on the transmission. go from Park to 2nd and watch the movement of the lever. have the helper move the gear selector forward stepping thru to drive, neutral, rev, and park.

i'm not sure about the fluid level and color, does it smell burnt?
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1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic
"burnin oil and cookin coils" -- Destructo

BiWerks Design, LLC

[AtlasShrugged]

Do check the shift linkage for sure then look up the faults in this PDF if that is not the problem. Although it is not Vanagon specific the diagnostic and repairs are.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/tchaad/Lost%20Knowledge/at_010.pdf
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'Let's Go Brandon'

[Jake de Villiers]

If the seal between the differential section and the transmission is gone, you'll get mixing of the two fluids. As neither fluid is appropriate for the other part of the transaxle problems occur!

Several good writeups on this issue here on The Samba.
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[AtlasShrugged]

Do check the level of gear oil in thee Diff. 17mm allen and if no gear oil drips out
then top up till the gear oil drips out and see how much was lost. Should not be much.

Usually when you have the back to back seals fail and gear oil/ATF intermixes, the automatic's friction plates slip and no forward or reverse movement at all.
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'Let's Go Brandon'

[erikgundy98]

Is there a way to know whether my ATF Cooler failed?

My Engine coolant (overflow bottle) is still solid green. I would think (novice) that it would darken up if it was mixing with AFT (if the AFT was getting into the coolant).

I know what oil and antifreeze mix looks like, and although the dipstick is a thin brown color, it is not the milky yuck I have seen when a headgasket blows.

Might I have gotten lucky, and it just happened? Meaning, maybe antifreeze got into the tranny, but ATF didnt go the other way?

About to drain both, but wondering what to look for NOW, before flushing, that would help me find the actual problem, before I lose evidence I might be able to see now
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'90 Multivan Westfalia

[Howesight]

You can gather some evidence by removing the coolant hoses from the ATF cooler (connect them together with a suitable connector) and watching for ATF flow out of the ATF cooler after starting the engine and putting the trans into drive. There should be no leaks as the ATF side is supposed to be separated from the coolant side. The ATF cooler can be bench-tested to confirm initial diagnosis that it failed internally and, hopefully, rule out other causes of the trans symptoms.

Catch the coolant that drips out of the coolant hoses in a clean container and observe color and any evidence of intermixing.

When the trans-to-diff seals fail, the usual direction of flow is from the automatic section into the diff section with mysteriously dropping ATF levels showing on the ATF dipstick over time. In your case, your ATF dipstick level is high, so I suspect ingress of coolant into the auto trans section.

For what it is worth, mixing fluids of differing colours results in subtractive colour change and mixing red and green liquids produces a mixture that looks brown. If the damage to the trans is minimal, then a failed ATF cooler this is good news since ATF cooler replacement and ATF flush will cure the problem. The trans-to-diff seals are a more difficult repair.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[erikgundy98]

I am stuck, nose-in, in my garage, and need to move the van out.

Is it easy to pull out the tranaxles so I can roll the van out of the garage?

Remember, I cant get the van transmission to go into Neutral or Reverse, and I need to back it out. Ive looked at rollers from Harbor Freight, but wonder if I just remove the bolts which hold the axles to the transmission, can I pull them away from the transmission enough to let the wheels roll backwards?

Thanks!

Any links would be appreciated.
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'90 Multivan Westfalia

[Wildthings]