A-500 or A-518

[landyacht318]

I know my '89 b250 van came from the factory with the a500.
The guy I bought it from says he installed a rebuild HD tranny into it.
5000 miles after I bought it I had to have the tranny rebuilt (7 years ago)

Any external visual clues to wheather I have the 500 or 518?

My haynes lists different torque specs for band adjustment on the 500 and 518.

Another question.

1: Does it goes 1st 2nd 3rd OD then lock up?
or:
2: 1st,2nd,3rd, lock up, then OD?

I'm guessing the first option, but have been told by a few the second.
It is what it is, I'm just wondering.

[leeann]

500 vs 518:

Is the pan symmetrical left and right or does it have a bump-out or bulge on one side?

If it's symmetrical, you have an A500...if it has a bump-out (like a 727), it's the A518.

If you have a lockup tranny, you have an A500 - the A518 is a non-lockup tranny.

From the service manual:
"When the A500 is in fourth gear overdrive, the converter lockup solenoid. lockup valve and lockup timing valve are actuated." So 1-2-3-OD-lockup.

[Dodgevanman]

On my '94 the A-518 (46RH) shifting pattern w/OD off is 1,2,3,lockup and w/OD on it's 1,2,3,OD,lockup


1st pic is A518(A727)pan, 2nd pic is A500(A904)pan

[leeann]

On my '94 the A-518 (46RH) shifting pattern w/OD off is 1,2,3,lockup and w/OD on it's 1,2,3,OD,lockup

Nate, I don't know anything about the later A518s, but the '90 A518 isn't a lockup tranny (and the service manual confirms this), so I'd assume the '89 was not as well.

[landyacht318]

Thanks Nate, Leeann
A500 it is.

It's nice to not have to ask about a current problem I'm having with it, but then again I've only driven it 400 miles in the last 4 months. My skateboard has been seeing increased use.

I did have to clean the contacts on my Speed Sensor, which seemed to be in an ideal position to collect any water which makes it under the hood.