Yes, Torque converters do fail. The usual failure is the one way clutch.
Van will still move but no torque multiplication so acceleration sucks.
Once the noises begin, all the vanes are smashing and that will destroy
it. It will also fill the tranny with an awful lot of metal pieces. The
usual causes are a bad bushing, improper installation or the thing was
dropped.

Torque converters do get rebuilt. They get cut opened, cleaned, parts
replaced, welded back together and balanced. A local tranny shop will be
able to send yours out for this.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Randy C. Nunes
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 9:07 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 1984 Westfalia Automatic Transmission

The problem is my automatic transmission.  I just pulled the Westfalia out
of the weeds after 5 years.  Got the van started pretty easily and towed
it
down to Nethken and Associates in Fishersville, VA. The transmission
worked
in reverse but not in the forward gears, so I picked up a used one from
Florida. He got that one in the van and it worked for about 20 mins and
then
it burped and again wouldn't move forward.  He was pretty stumped about
why,
but said it sounded like the converter, it started making all kinds of
noises.  I went through the archives and the ATF was full and was changed
when the  transmission was changed.  Anyone have any idea, or has it
happened to anyone?

Randy