Got my 86 van back a week or so ago after a transmission rebuild that
has been a saga.  I will cover that in more detail at some
point.  The short version is that the rebuilder had the van twice,
and for a long time both times.

When I got it back a week ago the trans was working better than I've
ever experienced in a vanagon.  But then I've only had basically worn
out transmissions in mine.  So over the 100 miles or so I've driven
it since I got it back, it has developed a problem when cold.  Today
I start the van, let it idle about a minute and back up my driveway,
which is uphill.  Fine.  Put it in D and hear/feel nothing.  Step on
the gas and it revs freely up to about 2500 then the van takes off
with a thud.  For about the first block, it felt like it was maybe
slipping or was in 2nd gear instead of 1st.  After that it drove
normally, but the shift points seemed a little lower than before.

I think this symptom has to do with the trans not properly developing
pressure when cold?  I've had the slipping in R when cold symptom
before this rebuild so I'm a little surprised it went up the driveway
so well in R and then didn't engage D.

Checking the fluid level, it seems a tiny bit high.  Probably about
1/8" above the top mark based on checking it hot, many times, and
parked on different "level looking" places to try to get a good
reading.  Could this be a factor?

I was planning on taking  a trip for about a week in the next few
days.  Probably 1000 miles or less.  I can deal with the symptoms I
have now but don't know if it will get worse or damage something
inside worse.  Opinions?

Edward