Date:         Fri, 9 Nov 2001 17:21:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Maynard Southard <echomhs@GIS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Maynard Southard <echomhs@GIS.NET>
Subject:      He gave me the shirt off his back!  (A happy update to: On the
              Road home and need help getting there!)

Many, many thanks to all who offered guidance to me as I drove my recently
acquired Diesel Double Cab on its maiden voyage from San Antonio to
Massachusetts.  You may recall my post from my hotel room in Nashville,
describing the clutch trouble I was having.  Well, the next morning, with a
little better light, I discovered that the rubber boot around the slave
cylinder was wet.  I still had a little action to the cylinder, so I decided to
drive off and see if I could make it home.

300 miles later (all interstate), I finally had to fill up. At the end of the
exit ramp I found that the clutch pedal did absolutely nothing!  I coasted into
a station, but had to push the van to the diesel pump.  Filled up, and then
tried to collect my wits.  With the engine off, I shifted to 2nd and then
turned the starter over.  I was amazed that, not only did the starter propel
the whole vehicle forward, but the diesel engine caught and I was moving!  I
managed to do the match-rpm-shift routine as described to me by several
clutchless veterans of this list.

So now, I'm driving down the interstate again.  I start thinking - as long as
there are no construction stops, I figure I can drive 450 miles before needing
to stop again.  But wait - I can't really do that!  I'm alone, I'm keeping the
vehicle speed to 58mph, I've already driven for 6 hours, and I can't imagine my
bladder going along with this plan.  Besides, this still doesn't get me home
(I've got about 800 more miles to go).  So I decided to shoot for Harrisonburg,
VA, 215 miles further up I-81 and the home of Vanagon List member Myron Lind.

I had never met Myron before - can't even say that I recall any posts he has
made.  But Myron responded to my Tuesday night post with an offer to assist if
I made it up his way.  He e-mailed me that his bike shop was just .6 miles off
I-81 and that he had a used slave cylinder, a creeper, a few tools, and a
shower if necessary.  I coasted and jerked my way into the Shoneys's Inn, less
than a mile from Myron's shop and called him in the morning.

Once at Myron's we discovered that he did not have that used slave cylinder
after all.  We called around looking for a new one, but came up empty.  I was
just about ready to head out, attempting to complete the remainder of the
journey sans clutch, when Myron made the ultimate Vanagon List Member/Hero
gesture ...

... Myron offered me the shirt (slave cylinder) off his back (Westy).  I kid
you not!  He told me I could pull the perfectly good clutch slave cylinder off
of his White Westy and put it on my double cab so that I could get home!  Can
you believe that!  Myron - you are the man!

It turns out that Myron's Westy is down for major engine replacement surgery
and he promised me that he would not need the slave cylinder anytime soon.
 Three hours later, I am back on the road with Myron's Slave Cylinder doing
just fine on my Double Cab.

I made it home today and plan to order a new slave cylinder - to be sent
directly to Myron.  It's people like Myron that make me proud to be a Vanagon
Nut!  Thanks to all of you great list members for your support and
encouragement.  Thanks a TON to Myron!

Maynard Southard  (OvO) '79
'86 Diesel Double Cab "Col. Potter"
'82 Westy Diesel "Reinhardt"
'82 Vanagon GL Diesel "Sluggo"
'93 EV GL "Klinger"
'00 Golf GLS TDI "WooHoo"
'84 Jetta GL TD "Donor"