Date:         Fri, 28 Jan 2000 17:09:15 -0800
Reply-To:     Stephen Arbaugh <sneakers@OZ.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Arbaugh <sneakers@OZ.NET>
Subject:      Re: Clutch diagnosis/opinions please!
In-Reply-To:  <117BB2BA200DD311850D0004AC66D3DE0275CEC6@pop-server.cas.or g>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

A subject clost to my wallet!!

I just had to have my pilot bearing replaced in my '85 westy. The symptoms
were not what I've heard happening in the past. When the clutch was
partially engaged (slipping) it made a grinding noise. It engaged smoothly
as always, and shifting was never a problem. The grinding noise went away
on my way home from work and at the same time, shifting became mostly
impossible, and the clutch would not disengage fully. So, rather than work
in the cold, I had our mech take it apart and he found the pilot bearing
(or what was left of it) "dry as a bone" and the pieces had fallen out or
jammed in the innards. Replaced, topped off the tranny fluid (which was low
for some reason), all is well.

steve
'85 westy
kent, wa

At 03:58 PM 01/28/2000 -0500, Stanley, Kerry wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I'll agree with Karl regarding the pilot bearing.  When my pilot bearing
>went bad it seems like the clutch was still engaged as I came to a stop with
>the clutch pedal in.  Sometimes just hard application of the brakes would
>stop the vehicle and it wouldn't stall;  as it got worse it would stall.
>The bearing is breaking up and creating drag between the end of the crank
>and the input shaft to the tranny.  It a shame a $2 part can cause such
>headaches, and work. IMHO
>
>Kerry
>'86 syncro 171K
>kstanley@cas.org