No clutch

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Mulcheese
Getting Hooked!
Location: Maple Grove, Mn
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No clutch

Post by Mulcheese » Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:31 pm

Today driving home from the big box store I prepared to turn off the expressway. I starterd to slow down and put the clutch in to down shift and snap. When the clutch was pressed in halfway it was as if I had a cable and the cable snapped. I know I dont have a cable that is just the the feeling it had. After this I pulled over and the clutch would only press in halfway. We limped home shifting without the clutch and trying not to stop. Yes I had to roll through some stop signs and hoped I didnt have to make an unplanned stop.

When I got home got under to check it out. Here is what I found. The clutch will only press down half way. If I lift the clutch lever and then press the clutch pedal down it goes halfway till it does the snap and stops like previously. This can be done over and over.

I pretty sure that it has to do with the release shaft not guiding the bearing all the way out. I have never been in the housing so and the bentley doesnt show how they move.

What do you think?
"attending to things in the moment with curiosity and acceptance."
____________________
82 Vanagon Westy - aka: Honey Badger - "cause she just dont give a ...."

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sped372
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Location: Waunakee, WI
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Re: No clutch

Post by sped372 » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:56 am

Sorry I won't be much help, but just curious - based on your post, Vanagons have a hydraulic clutch?
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

bigbore
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Re: No clutch

Post by bigbore » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:15 am

On a vanagon it could be a couple of things without me being there I will have to guess. Does the snap sound sound like its coming from under the dash? if so most likely you have a worn out peddle and pivot pin common with the vanagons of witch requires complete removel of the dash :pale: yep have fun I have done many and while you are in there if it hasn't been do it would be wise to R&R the fan motor. if the sound is coming from the back then it could be the clutch arm which will require removal of the trany and replacement of broken parts there again have fun but that job is not as bad as the dash job. These are to two most likely things and there is not much else I can think of that can make that noise in the clutch system in a vanagon both are not quick or easy jobs.

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Amskeptic
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Re: No clutch

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:55 pm

Mulcheese wrote: put the clutch in to down shift and snap.
What do you think?
I always tell people not to downshift.
I'll be here all week . . .

No but really, it does sound like internal-to-the bell housing clutch failure of the cross shaft as bigbore mentioned. Haven't run across it with a Vanagon yet, but maybe today's the day.

Unbolt the slave from the bell housing (that's fun right there), drop your inboard CVs, reverse light switch, shifter linkeage, support the engine securely from above ( a 2x4 across opening with a chain) and drop the transaxle for a look-see.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

bigbore
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Re: No clutch

Post by bigbore » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:32 pm

yep cross shaft I called it the wrong name. definitely pull the slave from the trany and do not unhook the line it can be a real pain getting the air out of those systems in the vanagons when you can avoid it and just lay (wire it out of the way) the slave off to the side.

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chachi
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Re: No clutch

Post by chachi » Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:45 pm

...
1974 transporter panel, 2.0 dual solex
1991 vanagon NAHT, RJE 2.3

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Mulcheese
Getting Hooked!
Location: Maple Grove, Mn
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Re: No clutch

Post by Mulcheese » Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:13 pm

Mine actually ended up being the throw-out bearing. It started to freeze up and because of the resistant a spring clip was pulled off of the mounts.
"attending to things in the moment with curiosity and acceptance."
____________________
82 Vanagon Westy - aka: Honey Badger - "cause she just dont give a ...."

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