Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 16:32:16 -0400
Reply-To:     Malcolm Stebbins <MSTEBBIN@MSVU1.MSVU.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Stebbins <MSTEBBIN@MSVU1.MSVU.CA>
Organization: Mount Saint Vincent University
Subject:      Clutch slave cylinder bleed/replacement - my (syncro) story
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Pursuant to my Nov. 23, 2001 post (
http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-
bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0111d&L=vanagon&F=&S=&P=9935 )
asking for help bleeding the clutch lines & a leaking
clutch slave cylinder, Brent Christensen helped the most
by supplying his post:  http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-
bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0111D&L=vanagon&P=R5712 .
Brent's posting contains several other contributing
emails.   Thanks Brent & others.

As I had no clutch, I had the van towed to my PO trusted
mechanic and with my vanagon emails in hand I asked if
he wanted the collective wisdom/advice of the vanagon
list.  "Not really, we do these all the time" he said.  Now,
I have carbs on my syncro so what happened next may
not be a good idea on your van.

The bolts for the slave cylinder are very awkward to "get
at" (See Brent's email).  So my mechanic took out the
coolant hose that goes from the thermostat housing to
the top cross-over pipe.  He now had VERY good access
to that hard to reach bolt and changing the cylinder was
not so bad.

With the new slave cylinder in, we tried to bleed the
clutch (also brake) fluid to purge any air.  Well my clutch
had NO! resistance.  We pumped and pumped the clutch
pedal - got some air out, but NO! resistance on the pedal.
 So, my smart mechanic new what the problem was - the
plunger thingy in the master cylinder had "collapsed" (or
whatever) and was not doing its thing.  So he went to the
rear and pushed up hard on the slave cylinder plunger
and that forced the fluid back through the system and
freed the plunger in the master cylinder.  Worked first
time, I had pressure on the clutch pedal and then we
were able to bleed the system. (bled the brakes while we
were at it).

I hope that this post helps somebody.  If it does, please
drop me a line, I may need a shot of vanagon that day.
malcolm