junk in ATF pan :( (was Re: [T3] AT "prefers" to not shift into 3rd)

[Greg Merritt <gregm@vwtype3.org>]

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	Ok, some time back, trouble developed with my '69 
Squareback's automatic transmission.  (See previous post below.)

	I spent some time with the car today.  I dropped the ATF pan, 
and found more than I expected to see.  Pictures here:

	http://69squareback.nannynannybooboo.com/200412_AT/   (slow link.)

Basically, I found...

	o very fine metallic dust suspended in the fluid;
	o very thin metallic flakes, mostly < 1mm diameter;
	o crumbly pieces of nonmetallic, reddish, flat strips, about 
1cm wide; and
	o some small stones. (!)

	Do folks have experience with seeing any of these sorts of 
things in their ATF pan?  What could those flat strips be from?  How 
the heck would little stones have gotten in there?  What amount of 
metallic dust & flakes is considered typical wear?

	...and, most of all, is it likely that any of these suspects 
are actually related to the tranny's symptoms?

	Here's hoping...!

Thanks,
-Greg



At 6:49 PM -0700 5/30/04, Greg Merritt wrote:
> 	Bug-o-rama updates later tonight or tomorrow, but first...
>
> 	On my way into Sacramento, there was some heavy traffic on
> the freeway and I slowed down to like 35 or 45 or so.  Went
> appropriately into second under a heavy foot (probably kicking down,
> as I recall) to speed back up... but it wouldn't shift into third
> when I started to go fast.  I even let off the gas considerably and
> decelerated -- still didn't shift into third.  (Was going at least
> 50mph at this point!)
>
> 	I popped the shifter into neutral and let the engine drop to
> idle -- still going roughly 50mph or so, and slowing down.  After a
> couple of seconds, I slid the shifter back into 3, and gently
> pressed the accelerator -- and I achieved 3rd gear, sped on up
> (careful not to kickdown), and went on my way.
>
> 	It's safe to say that it is doing this 100% of the time now
> -- it will absolutely NOT go into third unless I pop it into neutral
> at speed, let the rpms drop, and then re-select 3 at the shifter --
> OR I can get up to, say, 40-50 (it stays in 2nd), let my foot off
> the gas, wait for the car to slow down a bunch -- then it will slide
> into 3rd.  This takes longer and is more difficult than the "put it
> into neutral" trick.
>
> 	Has anyone come across this before?  Where might I look first?
>
> -Greg

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